Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Fundamental deck questions.

Hello:

I'm having someone build a deck and one of the detailes that I'm fuzzy about has to do with where to bolt the deck to the house - should it be the bandboard located behind the vinyl siding or the poured concrete foundation right below?

I've heard that unless done (flashed, sealed) properly bolting a deck directly to the siding into the bandboard can cuase water to leak into the house. I've also seen where they actually remove the siding, attache the header board to the bandboard, flash, and seal.

Personally, I prefer they attach the deck directly to to the poured concrete foundation using concrete anchors, etc. This eliminates the water hassle.

If I go this route, what type of concrere anchors should I use?

Also, what is better to use on the composite (Evergrain) floor boards - nails or deck screws? Any recommendation on type of nail or screw to use?

I would appreciate comments and tips.

Thanks
tom

Even if attached to the concrete, you will need flashing (or a gap). I'm assuming your concrete is above grade. You'll need to check local codes. Where I live, the deck needs to be at the same level as the door from the house, no step down. Also, some locales now no longer allow decks to be attached to the house structure, and must be free-standing. Call your buiding dept, and get an inspector out beforehand if you can, to avoid any surprises. Sounds like your builder doesn't have a clue.

tom2002,

My preference would be to make the deck freestanding and totally eliminate the problem. If you insist on attaching it to the house, then go one step down and anchor the ledger to the stem wall.

razz,

I have no clue what your inspectors are doing on their free time -- just KEEP them in San Diego County!!! If the first step out of the door is down 7", THAT'S not a problem!!

Thats odd, i cant name a single place that doesn't have atleast a 3-4" step out onto a deck. I hope they keep the republic of cali building codes on the west coast or everyone here will have snow drifting in the door every time you open it or have a gap in the weather stripping.

Back to the question, i would consider making the deck free standing before i would lag it into the concrete.

Todays weather here is a good reminder to properly flash your deck/etc... we had 4.75" of rain in 12hours and its still raining hard.

Yes, San Diego has an outside landing requirement (1/2" max), but Hellrazor and lefty are correct, it does not apply to wood decks, but to patios. A couple of years ago I put in a patio door where none existed and the inspector made me put in such a landing. Something to do with accessibility. I assumed the code also applied to decks, but was wrong, it only applies to "impervious materials." Not sure why decks are different.

Razz,

Even for doors, that is STRICTLY a San Diego code requirement (and THEY can keep it!!) Every step out of every door at my house (except for the garage man door) has a landing that is 6-3/4" to 7" below the threshold of the door. We never have a problem with snow piling up against the door (but has it EVER snowed in San Diego??), nor do we have a problem when we get one of our 'inch an hour gully washers'!

Is there a Flashing requirement in colorado for decks attached to the house? Just wondering because my contractor did not put any in and he did attach it to the house.
QH

Don't know if flashing would be a code in your area but it's fundamental. Inspector could have missed it. Flashing prevents water from finding it's way into the house.

I agree with every one who said to go with a free standing deck. The strength of a deck is as storng as its supports. To propperly attach the ledger board of the deck to the house, the lag screws need to hit a joist. If your joists are running parallel to the ledger board then you'll need lookouts nailed between the bond and first joist inside the house.

Most people don't do this. They just screw into the 1 1/2" bond/band. Installing lags into brick motar joints is a disaster waiting to happen. Using lags and lag shields to attach to concrete isn't much better for something carring a load. And of course only way to drill the holes in the concrete is with a hammer drill.

All teh time spent drilling into the concrete foundation can be used to dig the post holes and build a beam and have time to spare. Plus running a hammer drill is more exhaustive too.

in a cold zone the posts must be at least 6" below the frost line. This prevents the posts from upheaving during the freeze. Here we sink our posts a minimum of 42" and I leave 1/4" between the deck and house.