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Mobile ViewSTRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS BRICK STRUCTURAL WALL Loose Bulged Brick Thermal Expansion Cracking BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? CHIMNEY CHASE Construction & Defects CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR COLUMNS & POSTS, DEFECTS CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS, PRE-CAST Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes CRAWL SPACES DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION Deck Construction Best Practices BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS 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 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 DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS EXTERIOR WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold FLOOR, ENGINEERED WOOD & LAMINATES FLOOR FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS FLOOR TILE ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION FLOOR TILE HISTORY & INGREDIENTS FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOOTINGS EXPOSED, Repair Methods FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES FOUNDATION CONTRACTORS, ENGINEERS FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOOTINGS EXPOSED, Repair Methods 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 GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS ICE DAM PREVENTION I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOG HOME GUIDE PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING PRE-CUT & KIT HOMES Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS NOISE / SOUND 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 ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR TERMITES, ROT BAIT TRAPS for Termite Control CARPENTER BEES / Powder Post Beetles Drill Marks & Termite Treatments INSECTS & FOAM INSULATION MOLD in FOAM INSULATION POWDER POST BEETLES Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber ROT, TIMBER FRAME ROT-RESISTANT Deck Lumber & Flooring TERMITE DAMAGE Case - Activity Un-Noticed Termite Damage Case - Severe Damage Termite Damage Indicators, Clues Termite Damage Indicators Outdoors Termite, Insect, Rot Articles TERMITE MUD TUBE Photographs TERMITE SHIELD Installation TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE ROT, TIMBER FRAME SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS More Information |
This article explains critical and poor construction details that led to a catastrophic residential deck collapse. Our page top photograph shows the results of a poorly-constructed deck that collapsed and fell eight feet to the ground, sending three people to the hospital. Luckily there were no serious injuries but children playing below the deck ran out as it collapse - otherwise they may have been killed. Also see DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study for an example of an older deck with rot and collapse due to improper construction and missing building flashing, and see Deck & Porch Construction for Safety for a comparison of good and bad deck or porch construction methods. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, 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 Collapse Case Demonstrates Poor Residential Deck Construction
Our photos above show non-structural angle brackets used to connect deck joists to a bolted ledger at a different property (above left), and a steel joist hanger used to connect a deck joist with no nails whatsoever (above right). Despite our strong warning to the home buyer to stay off of the deck and repair it before use, a statement that it was very dangerous, and that it should be repaired immediately, on moving into the home the new occupants celebrated with a deck party. Sipping a beer, a heavy guest stood at the outer deck railing and idly bumped his weight against the guardrail. The deck detached from the building and fell to the ground, sending three people to the hospital. Luckily there were no serious injuries but children playing below the deck ran out as it collapse - otherwise they may have been killed.
Our deck defect photos above are close ups of the collapsed deck. They show a questionable-application deck joist connector with roofing nails instead of structural fasteners (above left), and a deck post that extended only 11" inches into the soil (above right). Other deck posts were only 7" into the ground and none were anchored nor connected to piers.
Also see Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies for an excellent guide to deck construction inspection and deck safety. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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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
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