The New Deck - Building the Frame

Since the last post on removing the old deck I've been setting up the posts, beams and the perimeter joists.  Typically in this area the posts are set in a hole and the space is filled with concrete.  Even a treated post rated for ground contact will eventually rot if it is continually in a wet environment.  I used the concrete forming tubes to make cylindrical concrete footers.  The tubes save a lot of concrete since the holes are dug as wide as the base pad, which for the interior footers was 18 inches in diameter. Once the pad is poured the tube is set in the pad and it is filled with concrete.

The tube is plumbed before filling with concrete.  After filling a post anchor is set into the wet concrete.

The first step of framing is installation of the ledger board.  First the vinyl siding had to be cut just above where the floor boards will go.  The bottom course of siding was cut so it would fit just underneath the ledger board then reinstalled.  The ledger board was attached to the house with 4 inch lag screws, long enough to anchor to the house's sill joist. 

The ledger board extends past the house.  That's where the stairs will go.

Next the 2x10 beams and perimeter joists were added.  The support beam does not extend all the way to the house, it would run into the ground, but it will carry all but one of the joists.  A simple header between the beam and the ledger board will carry the remaining joist.

Then the next section was built on.  This footer is not in line with the first section, it is moved in about ten inches.  I wanted to make this straight, but there's a large oak tree nearby and I had to move the hole toward the house to avoid the roots.  I ended up digging a large hole.  Just like the previous post, the outer post was plumbed and braced, and the beam was attached.

This morning I set in the post at the end of the ledger board.  This is the only post that was not set on a concrete footer.  There is a concrete pad at the bottom of the hole.  I added a single layer of river rock and filled the pores with sand, put sealent on the end of the post and set it in the hole, plumbed it and attached it to the ledger board. then filled in with soil.  This post supports the least weight of any of the posts, my excuse for not making another concrete footer.

The post on the right was plumbed and braced (I braced it in one direction by attaching it at the top to the nearby post, easier than bracing to the ground).  The final task for the day was attaching the perimeter joist to the posts.  I used wood that was removed from the first deck, that's why it is stained. 

Here's a detail of how the perimeter joists are attached to the posts.  Since the perimeter changes angles at each post only one could be attached to the outer face of the post.  The remaining joist sets on the beam so it is well supported.  Lag screws were added to the unsupported joist today.

You can see that one last perimeter joist remains to be installed.  First I need to put down a sheet of plastic near the house.  This inside corner is in near perpetual shade and I want to make sure that water drains away from it.  Then I need to get some crushed stone to cover the plastic and I need access for the wheelbarrow.  Then I can put on the last perimeter joist and start filling in the floor joists.  That should be an easy job.  After that the floorboards and railings.  It's coming along.