Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Miscelaneouse questions for a 2-story deck... help!

I'm still in the planning phase of my deck, but I have a few miscelaneous questions I was hoping I could get some insight/help on. The deck will be ~23' wide x 14' deep, 2-story, DryJoist & Trex on the upper level, conventional joists and Trex on lower level, 6x6 posts, and 2x8 or 2x10 beams. The lower level will be a little larger than 23x14, but most of my concerns are in relation to the post/beam systems and attachment to the house. Please see image below for visual aid.

1) For the upper level, I would like to thru-bolt 2x10 beams to each side of my 6x6 posts rather than notch the posts. I woud like to use the 5.5" cavity created between the beams to wrap w/ composite material to run conduit and install 4" recessed cans. Will bolts in shear for my proposed upper level be sufficient?

2) My original plan was to attach the upper level to the house via ledger board, but my home has a corner fireplace on the 1st and 2nd story that would prevent me from accessing behind the rim joist to nut & bolt the ledger board. My ledger board on the house would be about 23' long, but for the last 5-6' at one end I would not be able to nut/bolt it to the rim joist... I would have to lag it. Is this a bad idea?

3) After reading and talking to people about potential for leaks w/ ledger board attachment compiled w/ the fact of my attachment dilema where the fireplaces are in the home, I have been considering making the deck free standing by means of eight 6x6 posts rather than four posts and a ledger on the house. I recently ran across this (http://www.deckbracket.com/printable.html) product in another thread here and thought it may a be a good alternative to get the best of both worlds. Keep in mind that I could install these on my home at whatever intervals necessary w/ nuts and bolts, but for that last few feet I could only lag them. What do you think about these?

4) Are eight ACQ 6x6 posts sufficient to support the upper and lower 23x14 deck? I plan on attaching them to footings via Simpson CBSQ. The footings will be deepr than the required 42" for my area (frost line), but what diameter footings will I need? I've done a good amount of carrying and installing composite decking and I know it's not light by any means... two 23x14 levels of Trex sounds REALLY heavy to me. I'd like to overkill the support/footing system of this deck my any means necessary.

All comments and suggestions are welcome... thanks!

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r78/bajafx4/dryjoist_plan3.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r78/bajafx4/yard_plan1.jpg



Also, here's my grand plan for the backyard. The
area labeled "E C K" in the word deck is the part
of the deck in question for my original post.

You'll have to build it however your local bldg. dept. approves the plans for the permit.

Here, I couldn't use double 2X's for the beams. They would have to be 6X's sitting on top of the posts and have BC6's or better for the connection. Even if I could use dbl 2X's for the beam, I wouldn't bolt them to the sides of the posts. I would notch the posts and set the 2X's in the notchs. Move the can lights.

I also couldn't make all of it free-standing -- only the area where the ledger would actually have to be attached to the fireplace. I would have to span across the fireplace with a beam that isn't attached to the fireplace. The rest would have to have a ledger or the marine brackets.

Thanks Lefty...

Also, I know this is a region specific question too, but what are the chances I could get away w/o having a railing on the lower level of the deck where it cantilevers the koi pond?

Does it depend at all on height distance from deck to water or deck to pond bottom? The pond bottom is only going to be about 24" from the top of the deck surface.

Thanks again!

You're right -- that's a very "specific region" question. Since it's less than 30", I wouldn't have to put a railing there in MOST of the jurisdictions that I work in. But there are probably one or two that would make me do it though! Ask you local bldg. dept. about that too.

I agree with Lefty. Ask them if you need to dig to the house basement foundation depth as your pier will be within 5' of the house, if you need a fence around the water source (a person can drown in 2" of water), and be sure to notify your Homeowners Insurance as soon as you add the water. That's one you don't want them to refuse claim on.

Be safe, G

... if you need a fence around the water source (a person can drown in 2" of water),...

G,

Is that a question or are you saying I do need a fence around the koi pond?

Thanks for your help and thanks for the tip about notifying my insurance company.

I have been doing quite a bit of research on koi/garden ponds and looking at a lot of gallery pictures... I haven't seen a fence around a single one. Does it matter if my property is 3 acres and fenced on 3 sides (4th side is waterfront)?

Fencing off a water source requires that the fence be at least 5' high, "no-climb", and that all gates are self-closing and self-latching. Being waterfront on one side (as in lake front property) eliminates the need for the fence to be on that side, as long as the 2 side fences run to the waterline of that lake.

If what you currently have for a property line fecne doesn't meet that criteria, then I would simply fence off the area around the koi pond, however far away from it that you want the fence, with the required fencing. That's a lot less expensive than rplacing all of the property line fence would be.

This koi pond sonds like it may be more trouble than it's worth.

Here, I couldn't use double 2X's for the beams. They would have to be 6X's sitting on top of the posts and have BC6's or better for the connection. Even if I could use dbl 2X's for the beam, I wouldn't bolt them to the sides of the posts. I would notch the posts and set the 2X's in the notchs. Move the can lights.

Well I won't really have anywhere to move the can lights to. I plan on using the DryJoist brand product on the upper level so there will be no conventional joists... only beams and aluminum joist/water channels. The only place I would have to install a recessed can is between double beams which is why I wanted to bolt them to the sides of the posts.

Also, as you say in your area (CA) that you would have to rest 6x beam on top of the post... what if the deck was two levels? How would you attach the beams for the lower level?

Attach the lower beam to the posts using an HUC hanger at each end of the beam. If needed, you can also add posts under the lower beam so you can reduce the size of beam required.

Do you have a Simpson/Strong-Tie model number for a 2x10 HUC hanger? Are these different than a typical joist hanger?

Would it be acceptable to use dual 6x6 CBSQ side by side on a square/rectangle footing? One CBSQ/6x6 would be notched for two 2x10 beams to support the lower level and the other would be the same but with a much taller 6x6 to support the upper level.

Like so...
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r78/bajafx4/cbsq_x2.jpg

You would be supporting beams with the HUC, not joists. You would need at least a 4X6 for the beam, depending on how far it spans. HUCQ410 or an HUCQ412 is for either a 4X10 or 4X12. Certainly less expensive than an additional CBSQ and a post at each end.