Outdoor & decks
Deck or balcony
Footings, posts, beams, joists and decking for a deck, or a balcony on posts, with the railing it needs.
0 of 13 answers are yours. The rest are typical defaults — check each one.
What kind of deck?
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Attached to the house
A ledger bolted to the house
Freestanding
Its own beam and posts on both sides
Balcony on posts
An upper floor, posts to the ground
Cantilevered or hung balcony
No posts: the engineer’s call
Length along the house
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Depth out from the house
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Height above the ground
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From the ground to the top of the deck boards at the outer edge. Sets the posts, the guards and the stairs.
12″ on center
Stiffer; diagonal boards
The species on the lumber tag sets the spans.
Southern pine
Most treated lumber in the East and South
Douglas fir, hem-fir or SPF
The West and North
Redwood or cedar
Shorter spans
Composite, hidden clips
Grooved boards
Composite, face screws
Color-matched screws
Straight across the joists
Parallel to the house
Diagonal (45°)
More cuts, joists 12″ apart
Joists past the beam
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Setting the beam back from the edge hides it and shortens the joist span.
None
Beam at the outer edge
Lag screws
From outside only
Through-bolts
Fewer; you reach inside the band joist
Structural ledger screws
The maker’s spacing
Stair runs to the ground
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The Deck stairs Sheet builds each one.
Below the frost line. “Frost line for my area” uses the depth on record where you are.
Heavy snow where you live?
Snow loads over the deck tables’ (ask your building department): the beam and joists get checked.