Construction forum - deck height problem

Author

deck height problem

iskuce@gmail.com

2006-06-22, 1:25 pm

before anyone falls out of their chair, please read my situation:
I live in a northern climate; hot summers, cold winters, no snakes or
scorpions.
Currently I have a concrete block patio which I hate, so the plan is to
build a 16' 10"x 16' free standing deck, with beam and joist projecting
no more than 12"
My BIG PROBLEM is that I have 13" (yes 13 inches) from ground to back
door sill (alluminum).

This is my old plan, based largely on what other people in the
neighbourhood have done, and a bit on research.

diagram not to scale
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key: = beams will be 2-2x6 PT pine
| joist will be 2 x 6 spaced 16"
0 surface pad; size to be determined although I'm thinking
about using some of my existing patio blocks (24x24)

my original plan was to use 2 2x6 beams supported at four points,
however when I did the math I realized that I had a problem;
2" concrete block
+ 5.5" beam
+ 5.5" joist
+ 1.5" deck board (2x6)
= 14.5" surface deck height, which is 1.5" above the bottom of my door
sill.

I'd like to have 1/4 to 1/2" clearance below my door sill to my deck.

Right now I'm considering

One of my friends has suggested that I consider digging the blocks down
to surface level, and dig a shallow trench along the run of the beam so
that the beam is only touch the surface pads.

My neighboor built his last summer, and had the same problem as me; he
used 12x12x2 blocks spaced about 5 feet apart to support three 2-2x4
beams and used 2x6 joists. His deck is about 12 x 20, and he's driven
his ATV onto it, and it's not at all spongy to walk on.

Right now I'm leaning towards using 2x4 beam (2 or 3 to a beam) to
support my 2x6 joists.

I'm willing to spend the time and money to build this right, however I
want to build it, and I want it made of wood.

I look forward to any feedback/comments;

Isaak

steve

2006-09-30, 5:25 pm

if i understand you, you are only putting 1/2 from door to deck? snow and
rain will come in at some point under the door, you need to get a kick plate
under your door at least 3 1/2 inches, you can bury your piers and put a
girder on them at ground level, and still put your floor joists in and have
room.

<iskuce@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1150994749.927312.180270@r2g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> before anyone falls out of their chair, please read my situation:
> I live in a northern climate; hot summers, cold winters, no snakes or
> scorpions.
> Currently I have a concrete block patio which I hate, so the plan is to
> build a 16' 10"x 16' free standing deck, with beam and joist projecting
> no more than 12"
> My BIG PROBLEM is that I have 13" (yes 13 inches) from ground to back
> door sill (alluminum).
>
> This is my old plan, based largely on what other people in the
> neighbourhood have done, and a bit on research.
>
> diagram not to scale
> =0=======0==========0========0==
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> =0=======0==========0========0==
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> | | | | |
> =0=======0==========0========0==
> | | | | |
> key: = beams will be 2-2x6 PT pine
> | joist will be 2 x 6 spaced 16"
> 0 surface pad; size to be determined although I'm thinking
> about using some of my existing patio blocks (24x24)
>
> my original plan was to use 2 2x6 beams supported at four points,
> however when I did the math I realized that I had a problem;
> 2" concrete block
> + 5.5" beam
> + 5.5" joist
> + 1.5" deck board (2x6)
> = 14.5" surface deck height, which is 1.5" above the bottom of my door
> sill.
>
> I'd like to have 1/4 to 1/2" clearance below my door sill to my deck.
>
> Right now I'm considering
>
> One of my friends has suggested that I consider digging the blocks down
> to surface level, and dig a shallow trench along the run of the beam so
> that the beam is only touch the surface pads.
>
> My neighboor built his last summer, and had the same problem as me; he
> used 12x12x2 blocks spaced about 5 feet apart to support three 2-2x4
> beams and used 2x6 joists. His deck is about 12 x 20, and he's driven
> his ATV onto it, and it's not at all spongy to walk on.
>
> Right now I'm leaning towards using 2x4 beam (2 or 3 to a beam) to
> support my 2x6 joists.
>
> I'm willing to spend the time and money to build this right, however I
> want to build it, and I want it made of wood.
>
> I look forward to any feedback/comments;
>
> Isaak
>

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