Deck, old and new

[AndyM]

Hello friends, i hope someone here can have a think and help me here.

i hope this finds you well.

Okay i have a question for those of you that have had a varied experience of problems with Decks.


The new deck we are putting up is replacing one that has seen better days and is out of code anyway. It is 12'long* 8'wide *5'off the ground , the ledger board has a 12' span and is stitched to the house wall with brick anchors through the board.

The old frame (joists) is 8*2 and new code says it should be 10*2..this being the only problem really with the old deck.

My problem is this. Since the old deck has been up, about 10 years, different things have happened under and around it. The odd pipe has been threaded under it, along with wiring etc. About 3 years ago the downstairs bathroom was rejuvenated and a vent put up to the outside wall. It appeared under the deck and required the contractors to 'cut out' a part of the ledger board to accommodate this. Like a 6*6 square.

So....i take off the old 8*2 ledger board..and..cant place a new 10*2 on because of all this 'under-the-deck activity' blocking the only space i have. The new board will be a cut out puzzle by the time i put it back on.

So..either i drill hangers on the wall...or take the whole deck away from the house a little. Either way, i need sound advice and some code reference please. What are the spacings for the metal joist hangers? Can i just support the whole deck, say 1 meter away, from the house with a narrow ledger just under the doorway leading onto the deck...or what?

I will add to this posting later...with some photos of the wall and existing board, if i can.


cheers all

Andy

[Wgoodrich]

Ledger boards for decks are not allowed to be supported by the brick. If you can not bolt to the band board of the house structure then you need to place posts and girders next to the house supporting the deck independantly from the house. R502.2 Minimum ledger size is 2x8 treated. Table 502.2.2.1 note B.

Wg

[pushkins]

For low decks like yours I only ever build them independently supported on their own piers/posts, bolting in any way to the house is kinda asking for trouble unless you take all the precautions and at only 5' up it's much easier to dig and add posts to support a bearer along the house line.

[AndyM]

thanks guys,
god its wonderful for the advise.

Okay with all this in mind, whats the minimum regulation for the how far away from the house the posts are. is it like a foot? Or can i rest the thing up against the house> Remember i have an exit door leading onto the old deck i have to accommodate. In terms of...safely allowing access to an independently supported structure.

And.......which way will i have the beams? Parallel with the EXISTING Ledger or Perpendicular with the ledger? As for the frame, i can make it op before i place it on the beams. Some would argue i have to have it attached to the house, due to the fact i cant nail the house side of the frame (joists) when in situ.


thankyou for your valuable input.

Andy

[pushkins]

Your posts and bearer would be parallel to the home and the floor joists would then sit on this bearer perpendicular.
If you place the posts 1' off the house then you will probably miss the houses foundation and you could get the posts down past any frost line and insure a good hole depth for concrete. 1' of the house would allow the floor joists to sit on top of the bearer, position the floor joists so that they are 1/2" from touching the house this will allow plenty of space for expansion and water runoff both on the floor joists and the decking material.

[AndyM]

what about if i put a flashing from the house to the deck, just to prevent any moisture from falling off the back and running down in the space?

thankyou so much my friend.

One last thing. If i have a post, 1' from the house and another 6' from that, it covers the 8' depth, however, will placing the next post 10' be too much of a span, or will i have to place one in the middle? I am talking about the parallel beams to the house of course. If i am useing 6*6 posts and three bolted 2*8 then is that enough to carry the 10' span?

cheers

Andy

[pushkins]

The idea of the decking just stopping short of the house is to allow plenty of air movement and no trapped moisture, you can add flashing but you must make sure you install it correctly or you will end up with bigger problems.
2x8 will span the 10 feet you want, I personally don't like decks that have flex so I always double up the bearers, (it's a personal thing)

[AndyM]

okay so i go 3 2*8 bolted together for you. happy now?..lol

thank you friend


andy

[pushkins]

I never said bolt 3 2x8's together.
By doubling up the bearers I meant adding an extra set of bearers at the halfway point between the 10' length.
You should be bolting your bearers on either side of the support posts and depending on how far between these posts you may need 2x10's as bearers.

[AndyM]

thanks for that buddy.

The deck is 12' span, 8' wide by 5' off the ground. So i am going to put in 6 legs at 6*6 beam it with (3) bolted 2*8 then bolt them every 2' along the span.


okay final question, whats better Duradeck (linoleum) or rubber paint?

cheers

Andy

[AndyM]

one last thing on this thread, please. The original ledger board is still in place and is chopped a bit to allow, over time, vents, pipes and cables into the house. The additions protrude about 4 inches from the house. My question is this;

The new deck will be free standing but will butt up to the house. Will i be okay to cut out the protrusions from the back board if i bolster it up, say, six inches out?

In other words, the new joist frame will have a six inch bolster at the edge close to the house.

please help me here guys.

cheers