Woodworking Plans & Projects

Deck Supports

Deck supports can be built many different ways. With pressure treated lumber, you can dig a hole and bury the post itself. Placed on a flat stone or small concrete base, the post should last as long as the deck. You can backfill with dirt, or if you like, back fill with concrete. However, my personal favorite is to pour the concrete in the hole, and mount the post on top of the concrete footer. I guess the concrete seems more permanent to me, and besides, it is cheaper to fill the hole with concrete than it is with a 6x6 of pressure treated lumber.

So in this article we will talk about building a solid foundation with concrete:

To Begin:

The main element that will determine the stability and longevity of your deck is an adequate foundation. To determine the foundation depth, you must consider your local frostline. Check the chart for regional generalities.

Albany, New York		42	
Albuquerque, New Mexico	18	
Anchorage, Alaska		42	
Atlanta, Georgia 		12	
Baltimore, Maryland		18	
Bangor, Maine		48	
Charleston, West Virginia	24	
Columbus, Ohio		32	
Denver, Colorado		36	
El Paso, Texas		6	
Greensboro, North Carolina 	12	
Knoxville, Tennessee	18	
Los Angeles, California 	12	
Minneapolis, Minnesota  	42	
Omaha, Nebraska 		42	
Portland, Oregon 		16	
Salt lake City, Utah		36	
Tampa, Florida 		6	

The bracket is an essential element in deck support. One of the commonly recommend brackets is a post anchor (TECO is a brand) that is U shaped with a support plate that fits under the post and over the bolt. Made of galvanized steel, it supports the base of the support post and allows some adjustment of the post on the concrete support for final placement. This adjustment is achieved through the use of a bolt inserted in the concrete plus a metal plate with a large hole and larger washer to secure the bracket to the concrete. The bracket size depends upon the size your support post. For instance, a 4X4-support post will use a 4X4 bracket.

This article was published with permission from http://www.handymanusa.com

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