Q&A ?
Got
Questions About Home Building, Remodeling? Have Your Own
a
How-To Tip? Visit our website at www.extremehowto.com
and click on Home Repair Forum.
Q:We’re planning to build a deck this summer, keep it as a deck for a few years, and then build an enclosed
sunroom over it once we’ve saved enough money for the expansion. Will standard deck-building techniques
suffice for the foundation?
A:You should definitely check
your local building codes for
foundation requirements. Whereas
some deck support posts are simply
fastened on concrete piers that sit on
the ground, such a technique won’t
suffice for enclosed expansions. The
codes and local requirements in your
area may dictate the exact minimum
sizes you need to include in your
planning for joists, beams and posts.
The requirements for footings are
often very specific, and the inspectors want to see the actual hole in
the ground before the concrete is
poured.
Q:I’m a DIY’er who is a little
confused on the deck-building
terminology. Can you explain the
difference between deck beams and
deck joists?
A:Beams are framing members
that run across the tops of
the support posts and parallel to
the ledger board. The beams are
usually fastened to the support
posts with post caps and screws or
nails. Beams support the deck joists.
The joists, on the other hand, are
framing members that support the
deck boards. The outside joists butt
to the end of the ledger (using a
galvanized framing anchor), but the
inner ones should be installed with
joist hangers against the face of the
ledger board. On the opposite end of
the joists, the joists are often cantilevered past the end beam. Once all
the joists are installed, the ends can
be cut to length all at once and a rim
joist can be installed to enclose the
exposed ends of the joists. Check
the local building code to determine
if blocking is required between the
joists to keep them from twisting. EHT
