![]() It’s easy to strengthen a freestanding deck to prevent collapse and an engineer will show you exactly how to build a safe structure. The Internet is littered with videos of deck collapse videos and the threat of a collapse is a real danger. This hardware is designed to resist uplift forces.Īny freestanding deck that’s higher than 4 feet above the ground should be designed by a registered residential structural engineer. Structural hardware can connect deck posts above the ground to the concrete footings. However, buried posts are susceptible to wood-destroying insects. Buried support posts can help brace the deck and resist uplift from strong winds that could tip a freestanding deck over. Do this on both sides of each corner of your freestanding deck.ĭiagonal decking and sway bracing installed under the joists can reduce racking forces. You’ll see a diagonal brace extend from the top of the corner post down to the bottom of the next closest fence post. These braces are very common to support livestock fencing, especially corner posts. Because there isn't a house to anchor one end of the deck, uplift and racking forces are greater issues that must be addressed in the structural design.ĭiagonal bracing in the form of 4x4s bolted between the support posts and the beams at 45-degree angles can help resist movement on the deck parallel to the house. What to Consider Before Building a Freestanding Deck Structural Designįreestanding decks greater than 2 feet above grade must be able to resist lateral and horizontal movement by providing diagonal bracing. You may be required to install these footings below the house foundation. Many new houses have unsettled soil surrounding the house foundation that was backfilled during construction. It is important that these frost footings are installed on top of compacted soil to prevent them from sinking. These decks can be built freestanding using an additional beam and posts situated next to the house wall. Some older houses may be built with uncertain wall construction that may not be strong enough to support a deck addition. In other cases, such as stuccoed houses, many builders prefer to build a freestanding deck to avoid the mess and difficulty of cutting and flashing stucco. Some decks can't be attached directly to the house using ledger boards because of a house cantilever or a brick veneer.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |