|
|
|
Summary: Lots of house owners have a common question about the options available for building a deck. These are great outdoor structures with a simple process involved for construction them, which is a lot more convenient than operating with materials for masonry. Though the deck structure is not difficult to be built even on a sliding surface, the same cannot be assumed in case of patios made outside the house with materials like stone, brick or concrete. It is always advised to check the local codes for building a deck in your area of residence.
Question - I have some queries about building a deck and want to know the vital measures to be taken in this process. As I reside in a snow prone region, I was informed by a neighbor, that I will have to consider factors regarding frost lines. What are frost lines? As you may understand, I do not have much knowledge about the deck constructions and I am fairly new to the concept. I have decided to build a deck and am looking for proper guidelines which will be helpful for me.
Answer - Building a deck has vast information related to it and it is quite confusing to determine where to start from. But I will try my best to provide appropriate information in minimum possible words.
To start with, the most vital factors would be the deck and zoning structures. If you do not understand these concepts and make a mistake, you might have to face a lot of trouble. Also the task of building a deck would require a lot of physical labor, as many materials needed for the construction of this structure can be quite heavy, at times. In case the level of the deck is over 4 feet on the air, it indicates additional efforts and labor.
Most of the residential locations follow the zonal laws. As the decks are connected to houses, the laws might be a vital factor to be considered before you plan to build a deck, as they can greatly influence the shape and size of the deck. It is always advised to go through the code book in details and with care, as there might be some interesting point in the code book, which can influence the deck design if it isn’t attached to the home. In some cases, the rules differ for independent deck structures and it is important to ensure if there is any relief in the laws in case the deck is an inch away from the back wall of the house.
Since deck crashes have been responsible for a number of severe injuries and even loss of lives in some cases, the deck structures are eyed closely by the authorities, and as a result the rules may be a little strict in a lot of places in the country. I can recall a deck crash in my city a few years back, during a party where lots of people had gathered to view fireworks. One rule of the zoning codes states that the decks should be more efficient in holding weights of people in comparison to the home floors.
I am deeply concerned about the inappropriate information provided by a lot of websites. For instance, I remember reading on a website which suggested lag bolting ledger boards to house sides, which is not correct, because this was the very reason for the deck crash during the party which I was talking about. Such bolts are not capable of withstanding a lot of weight on them. In case they are over pressurized they tend to loosen which might lead to serious damages to the decking structure.
The most recommended and secure attachment method would be to make use of through bolts which are penetrated through the house walls and fastened using nuts and washers from the internal wall of the house. Providing spaces between the house walls and the boards is also important as this would not let any water to get trapped between the structures.
The codes for building decks are so rigid because the authorities are aware that these decks are great platforms for parties. The decks sway when people dance over them and this can lead to loosening of bolts, hence inviting chances of damage. So, it is always advised to follow the proper rules for building a deck, as per the code book. You can consider applying diagonal bracing beneath the deck floor to strengthen it and prevent swaying of the deck. Similar options would be to use metal connectors at the points which connect the deck beam to the supporting posts. Always approach a structural engineer or a registered architect, if you are not clear about proper and safe designing of the decks. The professionals may be able t provide you a proper layout plan for your deck.
Another factor to be considered is the frost line, which is determined based on the depth up to which frost reaches the soil in the coldest period of the year. This level may vary in different locations and can be determined based on past records and climatic conditions of the place. For instance, in my city the frost line is thirty inches from the surface level, but in the near past, the frost has only penetrated up to three inches in the ground soil. In the past years, around 1970’s, the frost line was reported to be over 6 feet in certain parts of the city.
The frost line is a vital factor to be considered always. It is so because the water expands by 9% when it freezes. And as we all understand, water is present in the ground soils. As a result, the water when frozen builds up a pressure inside the soil, which may at times accumulate to cause damages to structures over the ground. In case of soils which are exposed between the walls, the pressure is created sideways, accumulating into a powerful force sufficient enough to lift structures upwards. If this built up force is not consistent and equal towards all points, the stress can damage the decking structure causing it to twist, resulting in severe damages to the structures.
If you have properly laid down the foundation of the structure below the frost line, you do not have much to be concerned about. Also ensure that during any vertical level installations, appropriate space is left below in the hole, where the lower end of the hole should always be larger than the top surface. This concept is quite similar to the dovetail theory in the carpentry industry and the cone shape hole enables locking the structure well into the foundation.
The hardest thing for new builders and individuals is properly locating the foundation piers. You can’t afford to make many mistakes in this process and so it is vital to ensure that the supporting posts are plumb.
A well learnt trick for me was to make an outlining deck structure which can be placed higher in the air and helps in comfortably locating the appropriate positions for the posts. You can consider providing temporary support to the structures with the help of wooden pieces. Also make sure that this outlined deck structure is safe to work beneath and remember to use some extra support to prevent any collapses.
You can even consider using other useful tools like grade-school geometry, tape measure and levels, to ensure proper shape of the deck outlining and ground levels. Bracing the frame to prevent it from moving and then using a bob to verify the levels from the outer corners of the deck box is a wise idea. This is an easy method which will help you locate the foundation piers conveniently.
© Copyright www.diystuff.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
