I am a professional deck builder and deck designer and would be pleased to design and build your new deck or resurface or retro-fit your existing deck to make it safe for your family and friends to use and enjoy. Please contact me at 425-890-5708 , yourdecksnext.com or homeenhancements@comcast.net.However there are many people , handy DIYers , with some carpentry skills who could correct the most common structural deficiencies that I see over and over.
In Deck building, the two most common places a deck fails structurally and causes danger or harm are at the deck to house connection and at the railing to deck connection. For proper deck design, the deck ledger board, the joist that is attached to your house , needs to be attached directly to the structure of your house . Generally, if your deck is built at the same height as your interior house floor you’ll be connecting onto the rim-joist of the floor joists in your house. This means two things , first the siding behind the ledger needs to be removed and second that 1/2” x 4 1/2”(or larger) GALVANIZED lag bolts need to be installed in a staggered pattern attaching the ledger to the house. Be sure to use the proper size galvanized washers at each lag bolt and check local building codes for the appropriate lag spacing for your deck. The deck railings, likewise, need to be designed and installed to prevent any separation from the deck and subsequent failure. There are a number of structurally sound ways to accomplish this connection in your deck building or deck retrofitting process. The most effective way to accomplish this is to install the 4×4 railing posts on the inside of the rim-joist of the deck. Installed in this location and with appropriate blocking the posts , and the railing section between will provide a safe railing for many years of use. Installing the deck posts with galvanized lag bolts is another good way to get the necessary structure, be sure to add additional joist blocking behind each post and nail the blocking to the deck joists as well as the rim joist to achieve the strength you need for a safe deck rail. More deck construction tips later….
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