Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Maximun Concrete Pier Height

I'm currently ripping down an old cantilevered (from the house) deck as it's falling apart. I will be putting in concrete footings and piers for bottom support. The deck will be 10x12 and will be about 1.5 feet above ground at the house and about 3.5 feet above ground at the far end. Everything I have read, either here or in books, show setting posts on top of the piers and attaching them with proper brackets. Since this deck is an addition to another deck beside it, the outside will be finished the same and the underside of the deck will not be visible. Is it possible to just extend the concrete pier up to the height I need to attach to the support beams and forgo the vertical wooden posts? It would seem to me to be a stronger method.

Thanks for any advice

sure, just use a steel attachment to the top of the pier so that water can freely drain from the wood, and a little air movement is allowed.

Murphy was an optimist

Speedwrench. Thanks for the reply. Still have a question though. The deck will be free standing. Typically, from my understanding, you would use a lot of cross bracing for a free standing deck, such as top of post to bottom of next post. Since the concrete will extend up to the support beams, will the longer concrete piers be able to provide enough lateral support without these braces? To provide even extra stability, would it be wise to place blocking between the support beams?

Thanks for any advice.

Speedwrench. Thanks for the reply. Still have a question though. The deck will be free standing. Typically, from my understanding, you would use a lot of cross bracing for a free standing deck, such as top of post to bottom of next post. Since the concrete will extend up to the support beams, will the longer concrete piers be able to provide enough lateral support without these braces? To provide even extra stability, would it be wise to place blocking between the support beams?

Thanks for any advice.

try this for extra support lateraly:
http://foottube.com/
some blocking will undoutably be a good idea.

Murphy was an optimist

Thanks again for the reply. It looks like it mostly helps the vertical problems with frost. But what about side to side movement? Will the concrete piers resist any tipping over tendencies? If they do, my next question is, why does everyone seem to put a wooden post on top of the concrete pier? Why not just extend the concrete up to the support structure? Even if you consider aesthetics, I think a single concrete pier looks better than a lower one plus a post plus all the metal brackets required.

Thanks again.