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EXTERIORS of buildings

AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE
BUILDING SETTLEMENT

CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS
COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
CRAWL SPACES

DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
Deck Construction Best Practices
  Deck Beams & Girders
  Deck Piers & Posts
  Deck & Porch Connections: Ledger Boards
  Deck Framing Tables, Spans
  Deck Flashing at Building
  DECK FLOOR & STEP CUPPING
  Deck Board Gaps, Spacing Guide
  Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs
  Deck & Porch Railings
  Deck & Porch Products, Manufacturers
  FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
  FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
  Finishes, Coatings, Stains for Decks
  Porch Construction & Porch Screening
  Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber
  Rooftop Deck Construction
  Rot-Resistant Deck Lumber & Flooring
  Synthetic Deck Lumber: Composite, Plastic, Vinyl
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DECKS, ROOFTOP CONSTRUCTION

DEBRIS STAINING on ROOFS
DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc
DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings
ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring
ENGINEERED WOOD Products

FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS
FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE
FRAMING MATERIALS, Age, Types
FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE
FRAMING METHODS, Age, Types
FRAMING SIZE & Spacing, Age, Types
FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS
FRENCH DRAINS
FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB
FRT PLYWOOD

I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor

LOG HOME GUIDE

MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION
MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS

Nanomaterials Hazards
NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE

PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING
PRE-CUT & KIT HOMES
Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber

RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH
RAILINGS, STAIRWAY
RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE
RETAINING WALL GUARD RAILINGS
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
ROT, TIMBER FRAME

SEARS KIT HOUSES
SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
STONE CLEANING METHODS
STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS
STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER
STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION
STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION
STUCCO PAINT FAILURES
SURFACE GRADING, SITE DRAINAGE

TERMITES, ROT
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in buildings
TRIM, EXTERIOR CHOICES, INSTALLATION
TRIM, INTERIOR INSTALLATION
TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF
TRUSSES, Floor & Roof

VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VENTILATION in buildings
VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings
VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO

WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES
WALL FINISHES INTERIOR
WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING
WATER ENTRY in buildings
WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING
WINDOWS & DOORS
WINTERIZE A BUILDING
WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces Stoves

More Information

Deck girder without connections (C) Daniel Friedman Porch & Deck Beam or Girder Construction
InspectAPedia®  -      

  • Deck beam construction & connections
  • Deck or porch girder construction, connections
  • Best Construction Practices for decks or porches
  • Deck & Porch construction details & procedures
  • Poor Porch or Deck Girder or Beam Construction Details Can Lead to Dangerous Collapse of Decks and Porches
  • Questions & answers on how to build & connect deck beams or girders

Deck girders & beams guide: This article reviews the proper construction and connection of beams or girders used to support a deck or porch.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, Daniel Friedman, Steve Bliss, Wiley & Sons, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

Deck & Porch Support Beams

Figure 13: deck girder to post connections (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

Our page top photo shows an unsafe (incomplete) deck girder construction with only minimal connections between the girder and the post top.

When you find a deck built like this one, it makes sense to check every point where a connection should have been made.

This article series discuss best porch & deck construction practices, including choice of framing materials, decking or flooring choices & installation, how to select and use deck and porch structural and flooring fasteners, actual deck & porch framing construction details & connections, deck joist & beam span tables, how to build leak-proof rooftop decks, construction of covered & screened porches, deck & porch railing construction & materials, choices of finishes and stains for decks & porches, and past & current deck lumber preservative treatments with related health & environmental concerns. This article series includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Also see our review of that book.

For the strongest connection of beam to post, place the support beam directly on top of the posts, rather than bolting them to the side, so the full load is transferred to the posts.

To keep the post in place and to prevent any twisting or shifting, the connection should be reinforced with steel strapping, a steel connector, or a treated plywood cleat (Figure 4-13).

Notched deck post (C) Daniel Friedman

In general, notching a 4x4 post will leave too little wood for an adequate connection. A double 2x beam can rest on a notched 6x6 post, as shown.

For the strongest connection of joists to the support beam, the joists should sit on top of the beam. For a more streamlined appearance, however, joist hangers are acceptable.

Make sure the hangers and nails are approved by the manufacturer for use with the new types of pressuretreated wood (ACQ or ACZA) and fill all the holes in the hangers with properly sized nails.

In general, nail into the joists with 1 1/2-inch joist-hanger nails and nail into the beam with 10d to 16d common nails, as specified by the hanger manufacturer. Sizes for joists and beams are shown in Table 4-7 and Table 4-8 below.


Figure 13: deck girder to post connections (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

Figure 13: deck girder to post connections (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

Deck & Porch Resources, Products, Manufacturers: Where to Buy

See Deck & Porch Products, Manufacturers for our complete/updated listings of manufacturers of porch & deck products, materials, coatings, fasteners, lumber, tools.

.

Prefabricated Deck & Porch Railing Systems

Avcon Structural Railing Systems www.avconrail.com Thermoplastic and aluminum railings

CertainTeed www.certainteed.com EverNew PVC railing system

Global Dec-K-Ing Systems www.globaldecking.com DEC-K-ING aluminum railing system

DecKorators Inc. www.deckrail.com Decorative aluminum balusters and connectors for wooden railing systems. Also, tempered-glass balusters

Duradek www.duradek.com Durarail powder-coated aluminum railing system and walk-on vinyl decking membrane.

FSI Home Products Division www.railingworks.com Aluminum railing systems

Fypon www.fypon.com Polyurethane railing systems in classic architectural styles

HB&G www.hbgcolumns.net PermaPorch cellular-polyvinyl chloride (PVC) railings and posts reinforced with wood or aluminum; cellular-PVC or aluminum balusters Kroy Building Products www.kroybp.com Classic Manor PVC-railing system

L.B. Plastics www.lbplastics.com Sheerline PVC-railing systems and PVC- post cladding

Royal Crown Limited www.royalcrownltd.com PVC railing system with steel reinforcing

Shakespeare Composites Structures www.armor-rail.com Armor-Rail structural fiberglass (FRP) railing system with turned balusters

Thermal Industries www.thermalindustries.com Dream Rail PVC-railing system with optional tempered glass balusters

U.S. Plastic Lumber Corp. www.carefreexteriors.com Recycled HDPE railing system

Hidden Deck Fastener Suppliers

BEN Manufacturing www.premier1.net/~ben69 Dec-Klips fit between deck planks with prongs into edges; nailed into top of joists; electrogalvanized steel

Blue Heron Enterprises www.ebty.com Eb-Ty UV-resistant polypropylene biscuit fits into slots in edge of decking, screws into top of joist Grabber Construction Products www.deckmaster.com Deckmaster angle bracket screws to side of joist and up into decking; available in galvanized or stainless steel

Simpson Strong-Tie www.strongtie.com DBTC deck ties screw down to top of joist with prongs into edges of decking planks; triple-zinc-coated or stainless steel by special order; disposable plastic driving tool

Spotnails www.spotnails.com Tebo stainless-steel fasteners fit between decking boards with prongs into edges of decking; installed with mallet and proprietary tool

TY-LAN Enterprises Inc. www.shadoetrack.com Shadoe Track angle bracket nailed along top of joist and screws up into bottom of deck boards; available in galvanized, powder-coated, and stainless steel

USP Lumber Connectors www.uspconnectors.com Deck Clip screws into edge of one decking board and locks to next board; requires toenailing one edge of each board

Screen Systems for Porches

One BetterWay www.screentight.com Screen-Tight vinyl porch screening system screws to exterior of porch framing; snap-on facings conceal screws and screen splines; available in white, beige, gray, and brown

Sources of Deck Finishes, Stains, Preservative Coatings

Amteco www.mfgsealants.com/amteco.htm Sealers, preservatives, and deck stains

Cabot www.cabotstain.com Clear sealers and deck stains

Cuprinol, a division of Sherwin Williams www.cuprinol.com Sealers, preservatives, and deck stains

The Flood Company www.floodco.com Clear sealers and deck stains

Penofin www.penofin.com Lightly tinted oil-based sealers and stains

Olympic, PPG Architectural Finishes www.olympic.com Clear sealers and deck stains

Wolman Wood Care Products, division of Zinsser Co. www.wolman.com Wolman sealers and deck stains and DAP Woodlife clear sealers

Deck & Porch Industry Associations

American Wood Preservers Association (AWPI) www.awpa.com

California Redwood Association www.calredwood.org

Deck Industry Association www.deckindustry.org

Forest Stewardship Council www.fscus.org Information on certified tropical hardwoods

Rainforest Alliance, Smartwood Program www.rainforest-alliance.org Information on certified tropical hardwoods

Southern Forest Products Association www.sfpa.org

Southern Pine Council www.southernpine.com

Western Wood Products Association www.wwpa.org

Western Wood Preservers Institute www.wwpinstitute.org

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

see Codes for Stairs for details about stair building codes and specifications.

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Technical Reviewers & References

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
  • Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices GuideĀ is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
  • InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
  • Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
Deck Construction Best Practices
  Deck Beams & Girders
  Deck Piers & Posts
  Deck & Porch Connections: Ledger Boards
  Deck Framing Tables, Spans
  Deck Flashing at Building
  DECK FLOOR & STEP CUPPING
  Deck Board Gaps, Spacing Guide
  Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs
  Deck & Porch Railings
  Deck & Porch Products, Manufacturers
  FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
  FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
  Finishes, Coatings, Stains for Decks
  Porch Construction & Porch Screening
  Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber
  Rooftop Deck Construction
  Rot-Resistant Deck Lumber & Flooring
  Synthetic Deck Lumber: Composite, Plastic, Vinyl
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DECKS, ROOFTOP CONSTRUCTION

  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
  • Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
  • Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, based on the 2009 International Residential Code, American Forest & Paper Association, Inc., provided by reader Mark Morsching from Everflashing.
  • Mark Morsching, Everflashing, Tel: 800-550-1667, Email: everflashing@gmail.com. The Everflashing product comes in G-185 and Stainless Steel and is intended for use with treated lumber with copper in it. Everflashing produces a variety of specialty flashing products including flashings for use with decks at deck ledgers and deck perimeters.
  • Summerblue Arts Camp., Two Harbors MN, Lon Church, Director, c/o: Two Harbors High School 405 4Th Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota 55616, United States Email: lon_church@yahoo.com

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies, by Cheryl Anderson, Frank Woeste (Forest Products Society), & Joseph Loferski, October 2003, ISBN-13: 978-1892529343, $39.00 at Amazon.com or at the InspectAPediaBookstore
  • ...

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