Cable Rail

Hello...

  Today is part 2 of the Low sloped roof deck, composite pavers, and cable rail project.


  To review this project it is a roof deck that is sloped for drainage with a EPDM rubber roof installed to provide a dry area underneath the deck. We installed Azek pavers and custom Timber Tech cable rail on this project.




The first step we did on the cable rail installation is to drill through the 4x4 rail posts and the Timber Tech Express post sleeves for the cable rail runs.

The tension and termination hardware is very expensive on cable rail so wherever the cables run can go through the rail posts,  the more affordable your project will be.

Here is a picture of Trex Rain Escapes flashing boots they sell for 4x4 rail post that would run through a low sloped roof deck or a deck drainage system like the Trex Escapes.


















This is a good illustration of the flashing boots we installed on this project.

Once we drilled out and flashed all the posts we install the proper code rail post connections. With two 1/2 Threaded bolts and one DTT2Z bracket.

Feeney allows for 70' of straight cable runs, and 40' of cable with two bends per section.

The cable is spaced 3" on center and you are suppose to have support posts every 3' ... We cheated a little at 4' on center posts on this install. Because of the flat roof, and Azek pavers. 

We did not know how well the Feeney intermediate balusters would hold up attached to a floating paver.

Once you get the cable threaded through the install is pretty easy. You have a tension quick connect fitting on one end and a lock termination fitting on the other end of the cable run. You slowly tension the cable runs starting from the middle working both ways alternating up and down. This takes 2-3 times to get the proper tension. From there you trim off the access cable and install the caps over the fittings.

The cable rail is one of my favorite looking railing in fills and I think it goes with many different styles of homes not just modern architecture. 

Upper balcony deck with the top tier of fascia spaced out for water to flow off the rubber roof, We could not install a gutter on this balcony because there was no place to run a downspout. 

Here are few final pictures of the view this beautiful house has looking out at the middle shipping channel of the St. Clair river.  Where Walpole Island Canada is on the other side of the river. Walpole Island is an Indian Preserve. The Freighters run through here 4-5 times a day and at times will cross paths two wide it is quite a sight to see !

Michigan deck builders - Autumnwood Consruction Inc.

Building composite decks - Rochester Hills MI composite deck project.

Hello everyone ... After a busy year of deck construction in Michigan we have finally found some time to update our blog. Today we will look at a project we did back in May. It is a full backyard deck and patio design.

 On this new construction project we had an open slate to design, the homeowner wanted a deck off the upper level door wall leading to a walkway / patio to service the lower level.

Design Top View

3D View

Here we pick up the project with the hardscaping already installed and we will focus on the deck portion of the project.                                                                                                                       The deck is 14x25 with a 3x15 center bay with double cut corners. The bay works to add some flair to a basic square deck, which works good to fit into our customers budget. 

The decking is Timber Tech Legacy Tigerwood  with a Legacy Mocha double picture frame border and center seam board. Here in the picture we have already installed the decking and we are working on installing the rail posts. 

  We always install the rail posts after the decking is completed. You can see how hard it would be to cut the double border in after the rail posts are installed. We plan the framing accordingly for the proper blocking to attach the 4x4s with the Fastenmaster Thrulok bolts.

 Here is a closer picture of the framing after the railings are installed. Notice the three Thrulok bolts through the rim joist at the corner of the bay that takes care of the rail post attachment. Then below that you have the 2x4 drop down blocking on the bay along with the triple 2x12 beam that also acts as blocking for the triple stack fascia.

 A few other points you can see: We have started the 1x cladding on the 6x6 support posts with the post dimensions of a 6x6 at  - 5"1/2 " x  5"1/2"  A 12" deck fascia ripped in half works for two sides and two 8" stair riser fascia for the other two sides that have a finished edge. The other point in the picture is the lateral load bracing we usually do which is a 5/4 board attached with three 16D nails to the underside of the floor joist running on a 45 degree angle to brace both ways against lateral loads.  

Here the railings are completed and we are working on the triple stack fascia. The railings are Timber Tech Evolution Builder rail with Deckorators Estate balusters all in black. The 2x4 blocking for the triple stack fascia is finished.  

Working on the first course of Timber Tech Legacy mocha fascia. Below in the next picture you can see the different stacks of the fascia cladding that is done already so we can finish the stair railings.

Here is a picture of the stairs that shows a closer shot of the fascia corner and the 6x6 post cladding when finished.





Final pictures below....

Rochester Hills deck construction, Michigan deck builders.

Deck designs from 2013 - Adding flair to a square deck.

Well it is Mid-January 2014 and we have had a hard winter here in Michigan so far ! But the deck building season is quickly approaching.  We are going to look back at some of the deck designs we did in 2013. Starting with adding flair to a square deck. 

Hopefully we can inspire you on your new outdoor living projects for 2014 !  

 A basic square deck design has many benefits  -

   1)  Cost / Waste: These two go hand and hand with decking lengths at 12', 16' & 20' ... Railings at 6' and 8' lengths... Framing lengths from 8' - 20'  Designing around these sizes will have many benefits !

  2)  Space: Obviously a square deck design is going to give you the most space.

  3) Footings/framing: Ease of construction labor time/cost is a big benefit.

 How to spice up a simple square deck design.

Octagon Bay

Here is a deck and patio project in Clarkston MI.

The layout of the house kind of dictated a simple square deck design. What we did to the design to add a little flair was to add a corner bay which creates a octagon effect.


Another nice feature about this deck design is the way the stairs wrap around the deck which keeps them out of site and away from the main outdoor space.

Here is another new construction deck project in Clarkston MI

 

 Before picture -










 Center Bay


 This is a simple square deck design, but with a center triple angled bay to add a little flair to the design. This deck only has two main support post and a engineered beam carries the span between the beam which is a nice feature with a walkout basement underneath the deck. The stairs on the deck design were changed by the homeowner to a single stair case.

Cut Corners

Troy MI deck project
Here is another simple square deck design with double cut corners with the stairs coming off the cut corner. The basic idea is just to spice up a simple square deck design with the double cut corner.

 Deck builders in Michigan, Michigan deck designs, Michigan decks !

Thanks for reading !