How to construct a 22ft deck beam from two 2x6?

[castro145]

Hello,

I planning to build a deck and been doing some pre-planning but keep running into a problem in my planning. The deck I want to build is 22ftx16, my joist are running the 16ft length, my beam I want to run the 22ft way. I am planning on using 2x6 due to my limitation being so close to the ground about 1inch clearance closest to the house. Planning on doing posts on the constructed 4x6 (two 2x6) every 4-5ft, I will be using the concrete pads and 4x4 posts on top of those near the end of the deck and the grade of the yard drops a little.

My question is as I can not get a 22ft 2x6, how would I joint my 2x6 to make my 22ft 4x6? Do I construct 10ft and a 14ft and meet them on a post? or Do I stagger two 14ft and two 8ft to make one long 22ft 4x6 (stack 14ft+8ft on one side and then put it together with a 8ft+14ft for other side) basically overlap the 14ft and 8ft?

Thank You Very much
Haris

[scuba_dave]

Where are you located, freezing area?
Will this be attached to the house or free standing?
If attached you must dig & put in cement to the depth of the house footers

[suemarkp]

Stagger the seams on the 2x6's so they aren't in the same section as the other 2x6. The seems need to occur at a post. So something like 12' + 12' for one and 6' + 10' + 6' for the other.

[pushkins]

Why wouldn't you just get 2x6's @ 12' cut off a 1' and mount them to posts at ' centers. So you would have 0'post....6' post....5' post....6'post....5' post ie: 0'post.....6'post.....11'post....17'post.....22'po st.)
the joins for both 2x6's would be over the center post @11' mark.
You cannot span 10' without posts with 2x6 anyways.