How to build a low to the ground deck part 2

Hello again...

Part two: How to build a low to the ground deck.

 So we are working on a low to the ground level deck project in Macomb Township MI. Where the clients had a failed stamped concrete patio that we are building a deck over.

 Let finish up the framing details. Here is the framing plan see below. There was a small modification to the deck plan during construction where we cut the corners on the deck. The homeowner wanted the corners cut but the existed concrete patio only allowed 1'6" cut corner. Because we had the room enough without having to remove anymore concrete.

 Macomb Township deck framing plan.

Another point with framing of this project is the location of the beam closest to the house. On a low deck like this it is a challenge if the house has brick we cannot attached to the house. Normally in a free standing deck design you would have the inside beam/posts a couple of feet of the house, but here if we do it that close to house the posts would be in the 5' basement back-fill zone.  Where the post hole footing have to go down to virgin soil and about as deep as the basement footing height. So on this deck the four posts would be 8' -  9' deep.

So we had a an engineer design a typical ledger connection through a brick veneer on short spans of 6' or less to avoid this type of scenario as in this project. The one post by the fireplace we had to do extra deep because we cannot attached a ledger where there is a fireplace.

Basically we have to drill 1 1/2" holes through the brick so the 3/4" lag bolts don't bear on the brick and crack the brick from the deck load. Than we install 3/4" x 8" galvanized lag bolts into the house rim joist to support the short spanned ledger.

Here are some final pictures of this deck project.

Here in the picture above you see why we had the 12" on center joist spacing, because the Timber Tech Legacy decking is running on a 45 degree angle the framing has to be 12" on center. Also you can see why we had all the blocking installed around the perimeter and up the middle of the deck. For the picture frame border and center seam board.

We usually always picture frame our decks so the fascia cladding is protected. If you looking at the pictures from part one you can see why it costs more or is a big up grade from the way most guys build a deck without the picture frame border over the deck rim and fascia cladding.

Above we are working on building a built in bench, which is kind of built like a mini deck on rail posts. 

Thanks for reading our blog. I hope we inspired you with a new outdoor living project !

Michigan deck builders. 

Rochester Hills Composite Deck Construction

Hello Bloggers !


 Today we just closed out the first month of 2013 and business is already picking up, spring is just around the corner ! The Michigan Deck Building season usually starts up in March so we have a little time to keep updating our blog. Today we are going to review a Rochester Hills composite deck project.

 This is a Timber Tech Evolution Rosewood deck with black Timber Tech Radiance Rail.

 Here is the deck design pictures

This composite deck is 13' x 36' with a 2' bay that matches the house door wall bay. There is a double center seam board that splits the deck in two sections to allow the 16' & 20' deck boards to span without butt seams.

 Here you can see the decking has been installed except for the picture frame border. I have mentioned this many times in previous blog posts one of the main keys in building a deck is the picture frame border. Which when it is done right will protect the gap of the fascia/framing materials. Because the fascia board underneath the border board.

See the picture below how the picture frame border hides or protects the fascia that is underneath, kind of a drip edge effect.

 Here Paulie is working on installing the deck railings - Timber Tech Radiance Rail on the bay. The Radiance Rail has been on the market for better then seven years and it is still the nicest synthetic deck railing that is on the market. It is better made, nicer looking, and much stronger then the Trex Transcends rail or any of the other synthetic manufactures railings.

 Here you can see the bay once the railing is completed.

Here is a picture from the underside of the deck focusing on the stair stringers. You can see how we attached our stringers to the deck rim. We drop another rim board underneath the upper rim, bolting them together and strapping the stringers to the lower rim board.

 Here we are still working on the railings and the next steps is to install the fascia's on the deck and stairs. This set of steps has a mid-point platform that allows us to turn the steps ninety degrees back towards the house and the garage for ease of egress for the homeowner.

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Here is finished look of the stairs from the deck.










Here is a close up of our signature triple stack fascia, again let me first point out how the fascia is dropped underneath the picture frame border. This picture shows where the stair fascia butts into the deck fascia, and how we cut little returns on the different tiers of the fascia and glue. You can see the blocks holding the returns in place.

 Here is the outside finished look of the stairs, notice how the stair fascia ends nicely into the triple stack fascia and they are at just about the same depth.

Here a little close up picture of the bay and the triple stack deck fascia.

 Thanks for reading our blog !

Composite deck construction in Michigan