Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - deck construction question
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JBE
05-14-07, 02:55 PM
So I am planning to build a deck where I am located out in Colorado, we get over 300" of snow a year where I am located. I spoke with the local building inspector and he said psf for roofs where I am is 130psf so that is what I should build my deck to as well. This is my first time building a deck and knew I would be dealing with a high load capacity but not that much so it has thrown my plans a little off. I have revised my plans and this is what I have come up with. The deck is a trapezoid shape (essentially a rectangle with one of the corners cut off) The longest side will be against the house and supported by the ledger. This will be 18' long. The deck will then extend 15' off the house and the opposite side will be 10' long. I will use 2x10's for the ledger, joists and 2 of them sandwiched together for the beams. I will use 4x6 posts. 6 posts will be placed opposite from the ledger. 3 along the 10' long span and 3 along 12' 6" span that angles back towards the house. There will then be 4 more posts that will sit 5 feet off the ledger. (I am placing them here because of a previous deck that was here and I can reuse the cement footings) The footings will be pier in ground. So the span from the house to the first beam will be 5' and then 9' to the next beam. The max span the beams will stretch between posts is 5' but will mostly be around 4'.
So will this meet the 130 psf requirement? Is this overkill and I could use 2x6 for the joists and 4x4 posts keeping the 2x10's for the beams? Any suggestions and help would be much appreciated. -JB
So will this meet the 130 psf requirement? Is this overkill and I could use 2x6 for the joists and 4x4 posts keeping the 2x10's for the beams? Any suggestions and help would be much appreciated. -JB