The building of a code compliant, structurally sound deck involves utilizing a number of different, and often times quite specific, fasteners and pieces of hardware(post brackets, hangers, etc.). Quality deck construction, while perhaps not a hard science, is very detail oriented.
As you have probably read and/or seen pictures of, the house/deck connection is the most important structural element of your deck. When decks fail and people get hurt, it typically at the house/deck connection and sometimes railing failure, that is to blame.
Proper deck construction begins with removing the siding, installing flashing, and connecting the deck ledger board directly to the house structure. This requires installing galvanized lag bolts(1/2″ x 4 1/2″ or larger) every 16″(generally speaking, some decks require more) in a staggered fashion, the first one up, the next down, but none closer than 2″ from the edge of the ledger.
Often additional latter ties are required. The most common are brackets the physically tie the deck joists to the house joists. To complete this element of correct deck construction, a person must access the floor joist in your house that are in line with the deck joists. You can remove the ceiling drywall under the joists or cut a whole through the rim joist of your floor joist system. Once you access the floor joists, a bracket can be installed and a piece of “all-thread” run from that bracket through the deck ledger board, and into the identical bracket that is installed on adjacent deck joist. Typically, for code deck construction, two of these are required per deck, at least 2′ from the edges of your deck.
Hangers: galvanized, or Z-Max, hangers are required to connect each joist to the ledger board. Standard hangers, scewed(angled) or 90 degree hardware, depending upon the configuration of your house and deck.
Deck construction framing nails must be #10 3 1/4″ hot dipped galvanized or larger. Joist hanger nails #10 1 1/2″ galvanized or larger.
Decking connection fasteners allow for greater variety. There a number of hidden fasteners the work wonderfully, including Camo brand deck screws, installed using the Camo brand “jig” or application tool.
Post brackets, in most every instance, must be embedded into new concrete piers(minimum size 12″x12″x12″) and be hot-dipped galvanized.
More soon….
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