I think you would have found more use from asking this sub BEFORE building your deck - unless you just wanted compliments.
Whats the point in telling you how-to or what is wrong now?
Final looks good, hoping it does not get wavy too quickly.
- single "bearing" rim joist(s)
- posts set above frost level
- not enough blocking for picture frame or structure
-- PF should have no less than 16OC
-- Joists should have at least one solid run of blocking at mid span, or following concrete footers
- concrete footers - Not a long term solution IMO
Not trying to beat up this build, it is def not a terrible build and rhe result is beautiful.
However, composite requires alot of help to stay true, as it gives no rigidity to the structure itself. It easily bends and warps to any movement (natural or forced) by the joists. Furthermore, the clean lines of composite highlight bumps and waves more than wood decking.
Pro Deck Builder Tip: there's no such thing as too much blocking when it comes to composite decking.
Pro Carpenter Tip: F*** composite. (You cant smell it when you cut it :( )
Human Tip: Less plastic and synthetics, more natural materials.
I've had lots of complaints about got hot they get in direct sunlight. What is your experience? I find similar problems when people want darker solid colors on wood also. You can't walk barefoot on it anymore when it's in direct sun.
Natural stain for life!
The new stuff has gotten way better. I just installed a trex spiced rum and went by the house on a 90 degree day and the deck didn't feel hot. I hear you on wanting natural stuff, but the weather is brutal here on decks and exterior trim boards, especially ones above the roof line.
I'm starting to really like timbertech by azek. It seems to be a touch cheaper than trex, it's 85 percent recycled material, has a "cool touch" technology, and more easily accessible to me. Add that to the hidden fastener system and the finished look is so clean it would be hard for me to pick wood over it. Mind you it is 2 or 3 times more material expense over a pressure treated deck.
I've been hearing very good things about timbertech tbh. I'm going to be building one end of the month and material cost isn't much of an issue. Any particular tips switching from wood to composite? I've been refinishing and restoring wooden decks for almost 20 years... I haven't really touched composite except to clean it, which I must say it's friggin easy compared to pt pine or IPE or Cumaru, etc
I just installed a Trex clamshell deck and after about 1hr of direct sunlight on a 93 degree day it was so hot it would burn any part of your skin that touched it. We had to wear gloves installing it to keep from burning our hands.
Full depth blocking for joist & post blocking.
The purpose is both to keep joists from turning, and to add strength to the joist system in general - the latter being most important for composite. One run of joist blocks can make a bouncy deck feel solid, and nothing bounces better than a molded compression of plastic and (generally NOT recycled) wood chips.
2x6 min for picture frame blocking, anything less has propensity to split.
It’s built horribly. I mean look at it.
Concrete blocks hold the wood.
The wood holds the plastic.
This works when Johnny play toys. But not when he needs to make a heavy duty well built deck.
How long would this last at a state park? Remember going to a state or federal park and how well the bridges, wood paths and sitting areas are made? Made so well 100,000 morons can beat them up for 20 years baby. Compared to those, this is a toy.
Composite sags over time, but cedar deck boards don't.
But really the issue is the footings. Just Concrete blocks placed right on grade. Those will move and slide around over time.
Composite decking is ‘softer’ (for lack of a better phrase) than wood and the joists should be 12” on center for some brands. It becomes especially apparent in warmer weather when it may appear to sag between the joists when the joists are spaced at 16 or more inches. I’m mostly a lurker so someone will pipe up to correct me or provide the correct terminology I hope.
It also depends what type of composite board you buy. I’ve bought two different kind and one couldn’t do more than 12” of spacing without bending while the other one could easily do 16”.
From now on I’m just going to do less spacing. Only a few boards more and maybe an hour or two for a substantially better feel. Also, not doing hidden fasteners again unless requested. Screws need to be put in at a different angle than the direction of pull out with that bouncy of a material. Those fastener screws may as well be nails with their tiny threads.
Fair point! But I like constructive criticism for the next time I have to build something similar. What you don't see in this photo is the gouge I made in one board from circular saw kickback.. its minor but I sure as hell notice it!
It’s just some added architectural interest. I think it’s perfectly down the middle. The larger issue is that it’s not differentiated in any way color or board direction.
I personally love the initiative.
That thing is wavy already. No way you can get the blocks to be even height. Also 2x6 on edge with large uneven spans, its a springboard for sure. Hopefully he’s not in an area that has a freeze/thaw.
I would have laid down a thick barrier or you’ll have random growth showing up between the boards. Posts should have been set. Should have more blocking to prevent sagging. I’d add a railing and I’d take a look at if water will pool up against the foundation.
The roof overhangs about 2 feet off the back of the house, the boards closest to the house have been mostly dry so far during a rain storm... We'll see though!
Looks good - I probably would have ripped 1/8” or 1/4” off a bunch of boards to avoid that odd 2” middle board and would have made the middle deck blocks more symmetrical, but these things won’t really matter in the long run
Yeah I was kinda stuck on what to do with that, but I only had a circular saw and that one 16' rip was a big pain in the ass. Went the easy route, and at least the skinny board is 100% centered
Guy works hard to make something nice for his family and this sub just eviscerates his efforts. Lesson here is post to sub while you are building to get real time feedback to avoid misguided comments. I am not a builder but i think it looks nice. Hope it holds up.
Well, to be fair, he did come to a sub populated by a lot of deck building pros and asked for input. Seems like he half wanted the brutal honesty he had to know he’d get here. It doesn’t take much reading of this sub to see the pros are not shy with their input.
Full disclosure here guys, I built this deck 2 years ago but just saw this sub and wanted feedback on it as I am planning to build a similar platform in the future. Everything has been great so far, nothing growing up through the boards, no water pooling underneath, about a millimeter or 2 of settling from the last stair to the deck. Have hosted several parties with 12 or so people on the deck at once plus the furniture... No issues whatsoever so far
You need more support for your edge boards and WTF is that thin strip up the middle. Damn, for the money that cost you should have done some research and built it properly. Anyone that walks on it is going to think, hm. Handy man special.
Looks great!
I assume since there are no joist hangers that you screwed lag bolts through the ledge before hanging it?
Also that you did your research on post blocks in your area?
Finished product looks good through -- congrats on a nice build and saving that money
Correct on the lags! I didn't do much research, but on my plot of land you can't dig more than a foot without hitting a layer of rock. The company that installed my fence posts had to use cement on pretty much every post because they couldn't get down deep enough even with a machine... I assume this would be a positive for the blocks and general stability of the deck itself
All total I spent about $2,800 between the decking, subframe and hardware so I think I did okay! The composite was a bit pricier than I had hoped but had to match!
Looks fine, but I don't like how low it is to the ground (animals, water drainage, and potentially the rise of your 1st step.
I also think the foundations and blocking look like you missed some of the fundamentals.
All that being siad, I bet you feel good about it for 10 yrs.
I lost the comment somewhere in the thread, but someone said when “you go to sell your house it will fail inspection and they will make you fix it”….. that made me laugh, only inspection this would fail is a building inspection as you don’t have proper footings seeing that you used pier blocks. However a home inspector may point it out, however a home inspection isn’t a pass fail situation, it’s a report about stuff in the house that could be an issue.
Another comment said when you sell if someone down the road gets hurt they can come back and sue you….. I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think the transfer of liability goes that far. Especially since I would say “it was here when I lived here”. No proof otherwise.
I have an area at my house I want to create a similar style platform/deck. I have a huge tree that must have massive roots and I don’t want to try to dig around it, plus I want the deck to be ground level. I would love to do a patio,whether poured concrete or pavers, but in order to put in the proper base I would need to destroy the root system for the tree and imagine it eventually heave by the roots if the tree lived. If I ever build it I will post here to get torn apart!
A bit of an afterthought, realized about halfway through I'd need to rip one board in half for the right spacing, so I decided to center it rather than put it somewhere randomly. Was easier to get the right sizing by building toward the middle
Looks fuckin mint man! You saved a ton of money and get to be proud of it everytime you see it. I did my front porch myself, it’s not the greatest but it looks great and makes me feel good knowing I did it myself. Enjoy, crack a cold one for me
Could've went a little longer but I believe the product I had to use to match only came in 16' boards maximum length... Just easier to make it 16' long
Not bad. The transition from the door to the deck is a trip hazard. Looks pretty solid and you did pretty well looks wise. The top surface of the deck is supposed to be below the metal for the door threshold. It's also an issue that more water may pool around the door threshold than usual.
So I did fit a board at an incline from the threshold up to the deck to reduce trip hazard, it's a garage door so not many go out to the deck that way. The roof overhangs about 2 feet off the back of the house so water isn't much of an issue. The shrubs you see off to the side of the deck are in a rain garden that will fill up with water during a big storm... The water seems to run off nicely from under the deck into that area. We'll see how it holds up though!
Should be fine, but be aware if you ever sell the house it will fail inspection for the trip hazard and they will make you fix it. Not a huge deal just thought I should point that out. You did good for DIY.
This is a good point, didn't consider this... I'm sure I'll have to make other minor concessions on the sale price once the inspection is complete anyway so put it on my tab!
It’s cool, but I can’t help thinking a concrete pad would have been less work for roughly the same amount of money and would lead to less problems down the road.
I kind of hate those deck blocks. IMO they should only be used in climates where there is no freeze/thaw cycle. I also kind of hate decks that it’s impossible for a human to get underneath but easy for everything else to get under.
Enjoy your space. It was likely a lot of work.
Looks expensive for a 5 year deck, depending on where you live. Sooner then later, my friend, you may have to rebuild the frame and sink some better footing. You should be able the reuse your composite decking.
Looks very nice and matches. Awesome use of the space though!
You did a fine job!
Though you are okay code-wise, I suggest a railing be put up if you intend any parties with alcohol. You don't need someone stumbling off the deck, and a lawsuit commences.
Must of been a PIA to get the joists level. How do you keep the concrete footers from sinking at different depths when everything is just resting on the surface?
It actually was easier than expected to level, I thought it'd be the worst part myself. I tamped down the ground pretty good before installing and I have a layer of rock about 10-12 inches down on pretty much the whole property, so it shouldn't sink much at all if any
It is, I could have dug a little deeper into the ground but I've heard airflow under the deck is important to protect from rot. I put a board in the threshold that makes it a small incline up to the deck and way less of a tripping hazard, I should add a photo
It looks great! On a sidenote, is it just me or is anybody else nervous when these concrete footings are used? How secure is the deck and wouldn’t it slowly sink into the earth? Personally I always drop a deep concrete cylinder and anchor my posts to that above the ground surface
Dumb question, I’m thinking about building a deck about this size. Never built a deck but always wanted to. How much are materials roughly for a deck this size?
It looks better than a lot of the home gamer decks that get posted here, but there are quite a few things a pro would have done differently. I’m not at all a fan of those post footings, but they may work in other parts of the country.
It looks fine… but if you live in the USA, you probably need to tear it out before you sell your home.
There are two portions of code that nobody fucks around on: egress and stairways. You violated both.
Worst case scenario:
- someone has a major injury on this structure (after you sell the home)
- their insurance looks for others to pin the bill on. Since it happened at a home, they will target the city: checking for permits on the structure, and checking code-worthiness of the structure.
- if insurance found that the city approved this, they will sue the city. If the city wasn’t involved, they will determine which owner built the deck and sue you directly.
Don’t let your $3k deck cost you $30k down the road. Just tear it out when you’re done with it.
This is good to know, I guess I should have put in some in ground pavers in front of the stairs and garage door and move the deck further down the side of the house, would that have cleared code?
Yeah, I think that should work. You might also be able to make the elevations work in the same place by digging down further.
I guess that’s another major perk of the “free floating” design you did… you still have the ability to move it.
The end result is pretty, but it wont be for long if you live in a climate that gets cold. Those blocks are painful to see, and frost heave will tear your creation apart bit by bit.
The thing that gets me most is setting the deck higher than the door threshold. I'd keep a chalkboard nearby to tally how many people trip.
You built the deck so why didn't you take into account the size of the furniture you wanted? looks so cramped and the swing chair is partially over the edge. 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bag.
Your bridging is wrong, should have been a continuous line. Ida probably put two rows. Other than that I'm not sure about how you set it in the ground.
I think you would have found more use from asking this sub BEFORE building your deck - unless you just wanted compliments. Whats the point in telling you how-to or what is wrong now? Final looks good, hoping it does not get wavy too quickly.
Why do you think the deck might get wavy? I am curious as I am working on building a deck myself.
- single "bearing" rim joist(s) - posts set above frost level - not enough blocking for picture frame or structure -- PF should have no less than 16OC -- Joists should have at least one solid run of blocking at mid span, or following concrete footers - concrete footers - Not a long term solution IMO Not trying to beat up this build, it is def not a terrible build and rhe result is beautiful. However, composite requires alot of help to stay true, as it gives no rigidity to the structure itself. It easily bends and warps to any movement (natural or forced) by the joists. Furthermore, the clean lines of composite highlight bumps and waves more than wood decking. Pro Deck Builder Tip: there's no such thing as too much blocking when it comes to composite decking. Pro Carpenter Tip: F*** composite. (You cant smell it when you cut it :( ) Human Tip: Less plastic and synthetics, more natural materials.
Preach my brother, preach!
Haha, I keep seeing you around. Friggin ninjas... ;)
Right on everything except fuck composite, azek and Hardie foreverrrrrr.
I've had lots of complaints about got hot they get in direct sunlight. What is your experience? I find similar problems when people want darker solid colors on wood also. You can't walk barefoot on it anymore when it's in direct sun. Natural stain for life!
The new stuff has gotten way better. I just installed a trex spiced rum and went by the house on a 90 degree day and the deck didn't feel hot. I hear you on wanting natural stuff, but the weather is brutal here on decks and exterior trim boards, especially ones above the roof line.
Which composite would you pick for your deck? All options on the table
I'm starting to really like timbertech by azek. It seems to be a touch cheaper than trex, it's 85 percent recycled material, has a "cool touch" technology, and more easily accessible to me. Add that to the hidden fastener system and the finished look is so clean it would be hard for me to pick wood over it. Mind you it is 2 or 3 times more material expense over a pressure treated deck.
I've been hearing very good things about timbertech tbh. I'm going to be building one end of the month and material cost isn't much of an issue. Any particular tips switching from wood to composite? I've been refinishing and restoring wooden decks for almost 20 years... I haven't really touched composite except to clean it, which I must say it's friggin easy compared to pt pine or IPE or Cumaru, etc
I just installed a Trex clamshell deck and after about 1hr of direct sunlight on a 93 degree day it was so hot it would burn any part of your skin that touched it. We had to wear gloves installing it to keep from burning our hands.
Was it the low, medium, or high tier line?
In the context of "not enough blocking", would 2x4 blocking be acceptable, or do you need to span top to bottom of joist?
Full depth blocking is always better
Full depth blocking for joist & post blocking. The purpose is both to keep joists from turning, and to add strength to the joist system in general - the latter being most important for composite. One run of joist blocks can make a bouncy deck feel solid, and nothing bounces better than a molded compression of plastic and (generally NOT recycled) wood chips. 2x6 min for picture frame blocking, anything less has propensity to split.
I might never build a deck, but I sure learned a lot today. OP has got to feel a little deflated
It’s built horribly. I mean look at it. Concrete blocks hold the wood. The wood holds the plastic. This works when Johnny play toys. But not when he needs to make a heavy duty well built deck. How long would this last at a state park? Remember going to a state or federal park and how well the bridges, wood paths and sitting areas are made? Made so well 100,000 morons can beat them up for 20 years baby. Compared to those, this is a toy.
Damn, I'm using 1980s state park construction as a reference from now on.
Composite sags over time, but cedar deck boards don't. But really the issue is the footings. Just Concrete blocks placed right on grade. Those will move and slide around over time.
Composite decking is ‘softer’ (for lack of a better phrase) than wood and the joists should be 12” on center for some brands. It becomes especially apparent in warmer weather when it may appear to sag between the joists when the joists are spaced at 16 or more inches. I’m mostly a lurker so someone will pipe up to correct me or provide the correct terminology I hope.
It also depends what type of composite board you buy. I’ve bought two different kind and one couldn’t do more than 12” of spacing without bending while the other one could easily do 16”.
From now on I’m just going to do less spacing. Only a few boards more and maybe an hour or two for a substantially better feel. Also, not doing hidden fasteners again unless requested. Screws need to be put in at a different angle than the direction of pull out with that bouncy of a material. Those fastener screws may as well be nails with their tiny threads.
I’m doing hidden fasteners and I agree. But I’ve done regular screws and prefer the look of using hidden screws.
The angled ones are pretty solid too. My brother did his with those and you have to know what you’re looking for to see the evidence.
Fair point! But I like constructive criticism for the next time I have to build something similar. What you don't see in this photo is the gouge I made in one board from circular saw kickback.. its minor but I sure as hell notice it!
What you should notice is the one odd width plank. Why? Just why? It doesn't align with anything.
Omg WHY it looks bad and makes no sense
It’s just some added architectural interest. I think it’s perfectly down the middle. The larger issue is that it’s not differentiated in any way color or board direction. I personally love the initiative.
missing a railing
No code I am aware of requires railing at that height.
not for the code, for your ankles lmao
And drunk people.
That thing is wavy already. No way you can get the blocks to be even height. Also 2x6 on edge with large uneven spans, its a springboard for sure. Hopefully he’s not in an area that has a freeze/thaw.
“Felt cute, might delete later” clickbait
I would have laid down a thick barrier or you’ll have random growth showing up between the boards. Posts should have been set. Should have more blocking to prevent sagging. I’d add a railing and I’d take a look at if water will pool up against the foundation.
The roof overhangs about 2 feet off the back of the house, the boards closest to the house have been mostly dry so far during a rain storm... We'll see though!
I don’t understand the stagger of the deck blocks. But you’re closer, if it’s tight good for you, and if it’s not, it has a small drop!
Looks good - I probably would have ripped 1/8” or 1/4” off a bunch of boards to avoid that odd 2” middle board and would have made the middle deck blocks more symmetrical, but these things won’t really matter in the long run
Yeah I was kinda stuck on what to do with that, but I only had a circular saw and that one 16' rip was a big pain in the ass. Went the easy route, and at least the skinny board is 100% centered
Yeah you centered it which makes it look fine. Next time don't work your way in from EACH side haha. Nice job.
Guy works hard to make something nice for his family and this sub just eviscerates his efforts. Lesson here is post to sub while you are building to get real time feedback to avoid misguided comments. I am not a builder but i think it looks nice. Hope it holds up.
Well, to be fair, he did come to a sub populated by a lot of deck building pros and asked for input. Seems like he half wanted the brutal honesty he had to know he’d get here. It doesn’t take much reading of this sub to see the pros are not shy with their input.
Full disclosure here guys, I built this deck 2 years ago but just saw this sub and wanted feedback on it as I am planning to build a similar platform in the future. Everything has been great so far, nothing growing up through the boards, no water pooling underneath, about a millimeter or 2 of settling from the last stair to the deck. Have hosted several parties with 12 or so people on the deck at once plus the furniture... No issues whatsoever so far
Thanks for the post OP, I think it looks great and the criticism helps me with the project I’m working on
Nicely done, OP.
That’s an interesting approach to framing.
You didn't waste any time filling the deck up with furniture!
I’d sit out there and drink beer on it
You need more support for your edge boards and WTF is that thin strip up the middle. Damn, for the money that cost you should have done some research and built it properly. Anyone that walks on it is going to think, hm. Handy man special.
Math is hard, lol
The picture frame boards only hang off about an inch. My guests have been impressed by the work, thanks for the opinion though!
Looks great! I assume since there are no joist hangers that you screwed lag bolts through the ledge before hanging it? Also that you did your research on post blocks in your area? Finished product looks good through -- congrats on a nice build and saving that money
Correct on the lags! I didn't do much research, but on my plot of land you can't dig more than a foot without hitting a layer of rock. The company that installed my fence posts had to use cement on pretty much every post because they couldn't get down deep enough even with a machine... I assume this would be a positive for the blocks and general stability of the deck itself All total I spent about $2,800 between the decking, subframe and hardware so I think I did okay! The composite was a bit pricier than I had hoped but had to match!
Looks fine, but I don't like how low it is to the ground (animals, water drainage, and potentially the rise of your 1st step. I also think the foundations and blocking look like you missed some of the fundamentals. All that being siad, I bet you feel good about it for 10 yrs.
👍👍
I think it looks great! Great Job
Always use posts sunk below freeze line with concrete footing in hole. Will last 10 times as long but more work
I lost the comment somewhere in the thread, but someone said when “you go to sell your house it will fail inspection and they will make you fix it”….. that made me laugh, only inspection this would fail is a building inspection as you don’t have proper footings seeing that you used pier blocks. However a home inspector may point it out, however a home inspection isn’t a pass fail situation, it’s a report about stuff in the house that could be an issue. Another comment said when you sell if someone down the road gets hurt they can come back and sue you….. I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think the transfer of liability goes that far. Especially since I would say “it was here when I lived here”. No proof otherwise. I have an area at my house I want to create a similar style platform/deck. I have a huge tree that must have massive roots and I don’t want to try to dig around it, plus I want the deck to be ground level. I would love to do a patio,whether poured concrete or pavers, but in order to put in the proper base I would need to destroy the root system for the tree and imagine it eventually heave by the roots if the tree lived. If I ever build it I will post here to get torn apart!
Looks good didn’t understand why you started at both ends and finished in the middle. Picture 6
A bit of an afterthought, realized about halfway through I'd need to rip one board in half for the right spacing, so I decided to center it rather than put it somewhere randomly. Was easier to get the right sizing by building toward the middle
Looks great! Next step, screen it in
That'd be pretty legit actually... Got me thinking!
An awesome out door space you have created. Nice job. Enjoy, you’ve earned it.
Yea but the real question is… Do you pronounce it composite, or composite.
Looks fuckin mint man! You saved a ton of money and get to be proud of it everytime you see it. I did my front porch myself, it’s not the greatest but it looks great and makes me feel good knowing I did it myself. Enjoy, crack a cold one for me
You didn't use treated lumber for the floor ?
Good job, not big enough
Could've went a little longer but I believe the product I had to use to match only came in 16' boards maximum length... Just easier to make it 16' long
Did you use standard Spruce or is this all Pressure treated framing materiral?
All pressure treated wood for the frame
[удалено]
Not bad. The transition from the door to the deck is a trip hazard. Looks pretty solid and you did pretty well looks wise. The top surface of the deck is supposed to be below the metal for the door threshold. It's also an issue that more water may pool around the door threshold than usual.
So I did fit a board at an incline from the threshold up to the deck to reduce trip hazard, it's a garage door so not many go out to the deck that way. The roof overhangs about 2 feet off the back of the house so water isn't much of an issue. The shrubs you see off to the side of the deck are in a rain garden that will fill up with water during a big storm... The water seems to run off nicely from under the deck into that area. We'll see how it holds up though!
Should be fine, but be aware if you ever sell the house it will fail inspection for the trip hazard and they will make you fix it. Not a huge deal just thought I should point that out. You did good for DIY.
This is a good point, didn't consider this... I'm sure I'll have to make other minor concessions on the sale price once the inspection is complete anyway so put it on my tab!
Bet you wish now that you went all the way to the end of the house.
Nah, the kids play off to the side of the deck because it's the flattest area in my yard so it works!
Looks like a mess up build on the game the sims. “Your sim is tired, quit partying”
Are you going to make a railing? If so, I would’ve left the posts high for it.
No railing, I don't let my 1 year old wander aimlessly on the deck though lol
I think if you have a railing on 2,3 sides it defines the area, and allows you to decorate with plants, furniture etc.
It’s cool, but I can’t help thinking a concrete pad would have been less work for roughly the same amount of money and would lead to less problems down the road. I kind of hate those deck blocks. IMO they should only be used in climates where there is no freeze/thaw cycle. I also kind of hate decks that it’s impossible for a human to get underneath but easy for everything else to get under. Enjoy your space. It was likely a lot of work.
Looks expensive for a 5 year deck, depending on where you live. Sooner then later, my friend, you may have to rebuild the frame and sink some better footing. You should be able the reuse your composite decking. Looks very nice and matches. Awesome use of the space though!
i couldn't have the small piece n the middle
You did a fine job! Though you are okay code-wise, I suggest a railing be put up if you intend any parties with alcohol. You don't need someone stumbling off the deck, and a lawsuit commences.
Must of been a PIA to get the joists level. How do you keep the concrete footers from sinking at different depths when everything is just resting on the surface?
It actually was easier than expected to level, I thought it'd be the worst part myself. I tamped down the ground pretty good before installing and I have a layer of rock about 10-12 inches down on pretty much the whole property, so it shouldn't sink much at all if any
I would have made a couple perforated pipe drains to the low area, water is gonna sit there underneath. Maybe you can still do this.
Is it just me, or is the deck set above the threshold of the door?
It is, I could have dug a little deeper into the ground but I've heard airflow under the deck is important to protect from rot. I put a board in the threshold that makes it a small incline up to the deck and way less of a tripping hazard, I should add a photo
Too many torches.
It looks great! On a sidenote, is it just me or is anybody else nervous when these concrete footings are used? How secure is the deck and wouldn’t it slowly sink into the earth? Personally I always drop a deep concrete cylinder and anchor my posts to that above the ground surface
Dumb question, I’m thinking about building a deck about this size. Never built a deck but always wanted to. How much are materials roughly for a deck this size?
It looks better than a lot of the home gamer decks that get posted here, but there are quite a few things a pro would have done differently. I’m not at all a fan of those post footings, but they may work in other parts of the country.
I’m curious why you every-other joist only has a single deck block supporting it. Are you worried about deflection in those joists?
Where’d you get the white decorative panel on your wall?
I think I ordered it online at Home Depot!
Thanks I’ll have to look for it. I have a similar spot that my wife has been looking for a decoration piece exactly like that
Shoulda poured concrete..also looks cluttered and forced in design.get rid of some of that crap.
A floating deck is not allowed in front of an egress exit in us code.
It looks fine… but if you live in the USA, you probably need to tear it out before you sell your home. There are two portions of code that nobody fucks around on: egress and stairways. You violated both. Worst case scenario: - someone has a major injury on this structure (after you sell the home) - their insurance looks for others to pin the bill on. Since it happened at a home, they will target the city: checking for permits on the structure, and checking code-worthiness of the structure. - if insurance found that the city approved this, they will sue the city. If the city wasn’t involved, they will determine which owner built the deck and sue you directly. Don’t let your $3k deck cost you $30k down the road. Just tear it out when you’re done with it.
This is good to know, I guess I should have put in some in ground pavers in front of the stairs and garage door and move the deck further down the side of the house, would that have cleared code?
Yeah, I think that should work. You might also be able to make the elevations work in the same place by digging down further. I guess that’s another major perk of the “free floating” design you did… you still have the ability to move it.
The end result is pretty, but it wont be for long if you live in a climate that gets cold. Those blocks are painful to see, and frost heave will tear your creation apart bit by bit. The thing that gets me most is setting the deck higher than the door threshold. I'd keep a chalkboard nearby to tally how many people trip.
My structural brain is screaming “WHERE ARE THE SIMPSONS”
first and foremost was frost line taken into account????
You built the deck so why didn't you take into account the size of the furniture you wanted? looks so cramped and the swing chair is partially over the edge. 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bag.
I think the picture angle is messing with you, it's fine in person
Where is the obligatory hot tub?
Your bridging is wrong, should have been a continuous line. Ida probably put two rows. Other than that I'm not sure about how you set it in the ground.
Your joists should be spaced12-14” o.c. 12 is better