Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - How to reinforce my deck

Hi
Following my freestanding on ground deck plan
( three 2X6" beams 16' length each markes as "---" ). the space between beams 6.5', each beam lay on 3 concrete footings ( marked as "0" ) of 1' diameter and 1' dept. the total deck height is 8" above ground. ( deck material is treated finn pine )

i thought about ways to reinforce the deck like
using double beams, but i am not sure how it's going to reinforce my deck. any advice will be appreciate

http://www.mypicx.com/09022009/deck_plan/

use the link for the picture

MyPicx.com - deck_plan (http://www.mypicx.com/09022009/deck_plan/)

Reinforce it in what way??

As long as the beams are solidly attached to the footings and the joists and blocking are properly attached with hangers, there's not much else that appears to need doing.

Do you have some sway, especially when loaded due a lack of adequate lateral bracing?

That can be solved with more information.


Is it problem with the decking deflection due to the thickness and the spacing of joists?

Dick

AAHH!!!

This is the deck in Israel! (See the thread titled Deck Footings)

Your beams need to be double 2X6's, or a single 4X6. Block between the beams with a single 2X6, attqached with an LU26 hanger at each end, then attach your joists parallel to the beams, againg using LU26 hangers.

Joist spacing will be determined by what you are using for decking, and how far the deck boards can span. A wood 2X6 deck board can span 24". (That's what -- 10 cm??) Composite deck board generally span 16" -- a little less that 7cm (assuming that my metric conversion is still working!!)

Hi lefty
Yes it's me again :) i follow your good advices, and redsign my deck.

but i still have few concerns regarding the beams material ( finn pine ) since it's relativly soft wood .

is the 7.5 joist span won't cause any bends ? i have

is all three beams need to be double 2X6" ? do i need to attach both beams ?

do i need to add sidewalk blocks for the joists ?

1" = 2.54cm. so 24" will be 60cm, and this is the space i currently have between the joists.

i am using 5/4X6" for the deck boards. ( pinn fine )


Thanks again.

last question i promise.. is there recomanded distance between the first deck board to the house ? i thought to leave around 0.25" to eliminate the possibility of water flow into the house.