Deck Design

Timberland

I plan on building a pressure treated deck off the back of my house this spring and I have a few design questions for you pros.

I am not a professional builder/contractor but I do work in the trades as a professional draftsman, I am quite handy, detail oriented, have a fair amount of common sense and have done numerous projects in my house but not too much outside work so I hope I am able to ask these questions without catching too much flak.

First off, major props to RobertCDF and Bone Saw......nice websites and nice work. I've been viewing your websites for ideas and I admire the quality and thought process you guys put into design.

Since this is my first deck I wanted to keep it simple but well built. My deck will be 14'x18' -with the 14' off of the house (maybe a little less so i can use 14' or 18' lumber) and about 2' above the ground.

1-I would really prefer to run my support posts up through the deck to use as my railing posts too but I am trying to stay away from doing a dropped beam (too close to the ground) with either a 2x8 or 2x10 on either side of the post so that would leave my only option to do a single rim around the post that acts as a beam. I see this done around here but I question the stability. Is this an option if I put a beam in the middle of the 14' and had 4 post running the 18' and how about w/ 2x8 joists and a 2x10 rim??

2-Is there and way to do a freestanding deck without a dropped beam and still keeping the posts about a foot from the house?

3-If I have to do a 2 ply beam I would want it flush (I don't like the looks of a dropped beam) and it would sit on the post and I don't want to see any post cap connectors so is toe-nailing adequate enough to hold the beam in place? Seems a lil hokey to me.

4-Another option would be same as #3 but is putting the 2 ply beam in from of the post an option? (so I can run my post up through for the railing posts)

I do have sketches that I started if they would help.

Thanks in advance for any kind of help you guys can provide.

Timberland

Here is a framing plan sketch that I started.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Bone Saw

pm me for the dwg file

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Timberland

I just sent you a PM

Thank you Chris

RobertCDF

Thanks Timberland... I will try to answer a few questions for you.

1. I advise against splitting your beam. First of all you are holding all the weight on the lag/carriage bolts. Not the best plan in my opinion. Second you get a lot of strength from the double being nailed together. When they are 3.5" apart when your joist start to sag even 1/32" they are really not bearing on the second member anymore. So all your weight is on one member and a few bolts. While this may pass code in some areas it no longer does in my area.

2. You can always use a smaller timber beam (although nothing less than 2x6 and would prefer not less than 2x8 beam) and just increase your number of piers to have more ground clearance.

3. I have seen (not personally used) a larger 1/2 cap. It only goes on one side (the back side) I would also toenail the front as I dont think that the one is enough. You could also paint the hardware as well as the frame to make it look better. OR you could add fascia with 12" lap siding.

Thanks for the coments on the website... It needs some work and none of my pics from the last year are up there.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

Timberland

Chris~ I sent you an email....

Robert~Good point with the dropped beam split between the post.....never thought about it! I also didn't know that they made a post cap connector with the flange on the one side.....good to know since I may need to go that route.

Thank you both for the help!
Tim