Ipe hillside deck - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

redwood · 08-09-2008, 05:50 PM

Here's what were working on. It's about 1100 sq. ft of deck with a pretty steep hillside at the edge of the deck. A impact driver vibrated off the framing and tumbled down about 100 ft.

**BuiltByMAC** · 08-09-2008, 05:54 PM

N i c e, man. Looks like the view will be stunning...

Is that all-thread through the top of the handrail post back through two joists?

Mac

redwood · 08-09-2008, 06:00 PM

Very observant Mac, yes it is. It really stiffans up the post and fascia.

Bone Saw · 08-09-2008, 06:01 PM

very nice
gotta admit, I learned something today, that allthread trick is slick

2 questions
1 is that galv or ss???

2 nut/washer showing or some slick cap nut???

**BuiltByMAC** · 08-09-2008, 06:04 PM

I've not seen that before, but it makes sense to me. Is that your preferred method to stiffen hr posts?

Mac

Chris G · 08-09-2008, 06:06 PM

Interesting idea with the threaded rod.

And it looks like you have 2 x 4's laid flat running back to your beam to lock the bottom of the post. Beats regular blocking.

Jason W · 08-09-2008, 06:35 PM

Lookin' good Redwood.

I see that your framing with 4 x 4 posts on your 45's near the pool. Nice.

Add: 6 x 6's?

neolitic · 08-09-2008, 07:16 PM

Cool!

Always amazed by the big timber
you WC guys get.
I'd have to go through a whole yard
to find that much 4X YP that wasn't
corkscrewed.

redwood · 08-09-2008, 07:40 PM

The allthread is hot dipped galvanized. There are nuts and washers on both sides of the fascia, as well as the joists. I buy the all thread by the case and it is pretty inexpensive that way. The only time consuming part of installing is threading all the nuts. I'm working on that.

I came up with the idea when we were finishing a large second story deck. It was poorly framed by another contractor and we came in and bailed out the homeowner. The 2x12 fascia parallel to the joists was spanning about 14' and was a little floppy, even with blocking. In that case, I used longer all thread and used 2 pieces at each post. When we were done, that fascia and the railing posts were as solid as if we set the posts in concrete.

I don't use this method all of the time, but whenever the situation warrants it (like a steep embankment), I'll use it.

The 4x4 framing around the spa occurred because I had a framing inspection and ran out of the normal joist material. That area was a PITA. We were replacing a existing deck and I couldn't see in that area when we bid it. It was about 2' deep of gravel with pier blocks setting in it. We started to take the gravel out, but it was undermining the adjacent slab, so we put the gravel back in, and poured a structural slab over it. That only left about 8 1/2" of clearance to top of deck. The 6x will pick up a angle change in the decking. Whomever framed for that spa couldn't use a tape measure. None of the sides were parallel and all the sides (coping) were different widths.

A first on this job was to see a Toro Dingo in action, drilling footings in a tight area and over the edge of the hillside. A landscaping friend of mine did it. It was his first time digging holes with it as well. Surprisingly, it worked quite well. He has a bobcat and said that there was no way he could have done it with that.

mdshunk · 08-09-2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

The only time consuming part of installing is threading all the nuts. I'm working on that.

Here's a tip from an electrician who works with lots of all-thread: Wrap the outside of your cordless drill chuck with about 10 or 20 wraps of electrical tape. Start the nut on the allthread by hand an inch or so. Hold the drill chuck against the side of the nut, and run the drill as you chase the nut down the rod. It'll zing that sucker down that rod quicker than snot.

Jason W · 08-09-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshunk

Here's a tip from an electrician who works with lots of all-thread: Wrap the outside of your cordless drill chuck with about 10 or 20 wraps of electrical tape. Start the nut on the allthread by hand an inch or so. Hold the drill chuck against the side of the nut, and run the drill as you chase the nut down the rod. It'll zing that sucker down that rod quicker than snot.

Nice Tip!!

Greg Di · 08-09-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshunk

Here's a tip from an electrician who works with lots of all-thread: Wrap the outside of your cordless drill chuck with about 10 or 20 wraps of electrical tape. Start the nut on the allthread by hand an inch or so. Hold the drill chuck against the side of the nut, and run the drill as you chase the nut down the rod. It'll zing that sucker down that rod quicker than snot.

Brilliant idea!

Bone Saw · 08-09-2008, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshunk

Here's a tip from an electrician who works with lots of all-thread: Wrap the outside of your cordless drill chuck with about 10 or 20 wraps of electrical tape. Start the nut on the allthread by hand an inch or so. Hold the drill chuck against the side of the nut, and run the drill as you chase the nut down the rod. It'll zing that sucker down that rod quicker than snot.

2 things learned 2day

redwood · 08-09-2008, 09:22 PM

MD, that is a good trick. What we have been doing is double nutting the end of the all thread and then using a impact driver, spin the other nuts on as needed. It takes 2 workers though and the wrench slips off the nut too often as we go. I'll try your method.

Another use for the allthread that I used on this project was for that 4' wide area on the far side of the spa. There were some j-bolts sticking out of the side of the concrete for the old ledger. We couldn't use them for a new ledger, but I put some couplers on them and ran the allthread through the beams, thus tieing the framing to the spa. Much cleaner and probably stronger then cross bracing. The deck is about 6' above grade in that area.

Dustball · 08-09-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshunk

Here's a tip from an electrician who works with lots of all-thread: Wrap the outside of your cordless drill chuck with about 10 or 20 wraps of electrical tape. Start the nut on the allthread by hand an inch or so. Hold the drill chuck against the side of the nut, and run the drill as you chase the nut down the rod. It'll zing that sucker down that rod quicker than snot.

Good tip. I was also thinking of a sanding drum (minus the sandpaper) that goes into a drill-

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=35455

mdshunk · 08-09-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustball

Good tip. I was also thinking of a sanding drum (minus the sandpaper) that goes into a drill-

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=35455

That would be the ultimate, but I always have electrical tape at hand. I twist it and do the last couple wraps sticky side out. This trick doesn't work with cheap all-thread with lots of burrs and galvanizing goobers all over it.

redwood · 08-20-2008, 08:01 PM

Follow up to original post, here are a couple of completed pics.

**BuiltByMAC** · 08-20-2008, 08:44 PM

That view is total kick ass! House up in the hills, no neighbors on the adjacent hills (yet), perfect setting...
Nice job on the deck, guy. Tight looking project!

Mac

redwood · 08-20-2008, 08:51 PM

Best part about this job were the concerts that we heard (at least the sound checks) from the winery in the clearing across the hill in the spa pic. Boston, Steely Dan, Pat Benetar to name a few.

The sound was as clear as a bell. We will miss it.

redwood · 08-20-2008, 08:56 PM

That view is nothing compared to one we have coming up. Here is a teaser showing about 1/2 the view. We will be rebuilding and substantially expanding the deck and residing the house.