Check out some similar questions!

dmrlook · Mar 26, 2007, 05:09 PM

Hello - I am in the process of designing a deck for my house. As I have a walk out basement and want the deck off the main floor, the deck will be one story above grade. The back of my house has a 3 season porch protruding out about 12 feet. My idea is to have the deck also protruding out from the house, next to the porch. I know I will need a ledger board on the back of the house, and a number of posts on the fasr end of the deck supporting the weight there. My question is, do I also need to connect the side of the deck to the porch in any way? Basically, I am getting at the folowing:

| |
| house |
-------------------------| |-----|
X| |
deck here X| Porch |
X| |
X----------------

Do I need to connect the deck to the porch where the Xs are?

Thanks!

nmwirez · Mar 26, 2007, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by dmrlook

Hello - I am in the process of designing a deck for my house. As I have a walk out basement and want the deck off the main floor, the deck will be one story above grade. The back of my house has a 3 season porch protruding out about 12 feet. My idea is to have the deck also protruding out from the house, next to the porch. I know I will need a ledger board on the back of the house, and a number of posts on the fasr end of the deck supporting the weight there. My question is, do I also need to connect the side of the deck to the porch in any way? Basically, I am getting at the folowing:

| |
| house |
-------------------------| |-----|
X| |
deck here X| Porch |
X| |
X----------------

Do I need to connect the deck to the porch where the Xs are?

Thanks!

I am slow today. Are you putting a deck over the porch that is at grade level? If not what is the elevation reference of the porch compared to the deck going to be? Nm

skiberger · Mar 27, 2007, 06:38 AM

I can't make out the X's and dashes. This deck will be along side of the porch at the same height right? If so, you should connect the deck to the porch just for added stability in the deck.
The draw back I could see happening is if there isn't proper flashing between the deck and the porch tie-in there is a possibility for water/snow/ice to get trapped and back up under the wall of the 3 season porch.

nmwirez · Mar 27, 2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by skiberger

I can't make out the X's and dashes. This deck will be along side of the porch at the same height right? If so, you should connect the deck to the porch just for added stability in the deck.
The draw back I could see happening is if there isnt proper flashing between the deck and the porch tie-in there is a possibility for water/snow/ice to get trapped and back up under the wall of the 3 season porch.

I am on the West Coast and I might not ever see a 3 season porch, but I would like to know what one is. Tx, nm:)

dmrlook · Mar 29, 2007, 11:01 AM

Thanks for your responses everyone. To answer your questions:

The porch is above grade one story. It is at the same level that I would like my deck to be. The whole back of the house is a walk out basement, so the main level is one story above grade.

A 3 season porch is basically a porche that is closed in on 3 sides with windows, but it is not heated, so during our cold Minnesota winters, it is unusable. In my case, it is insullated, so if I were to add a heat source, it could be a 4 season porch.

Good point with needing proper flashing. As far as supporting the deck, I will obviously have a ledger board lag bolted into the back of the house. 2X10s or larger (depending on code, don't know what that is yet) will be hung from there and extend out perpendicular to the house. So it sounds like the 2X10 (or whatever) that is up against the porch should be physically connected to the porch. Should I just lag bolt it in? As for flashing, the porch has vinyl siding, so I imagine I should take off the lowest row just above the deck 2X10, run some flashing down from there, over the 2X10, and on the side of the 2X10 farthest from the porch. Then put the last piece of siding back up. Any water should run over the 2X10, away from the porch, and drip to grade. Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Rob

nmwirez · Mar 29, 2007, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by dmrlook

Hello - I am in the process of designing a deck for my house. As I have a walk out basement and want the deck off the main floor, the deck will be one story above grade. The back of my house has a 3 season porch protruding out about 12 feet. My idea is to have the deck also protruding out from the house, next to the porch. I know I will need a ledger board on the back of the house, and a number of posts on the fasr end of the deck supporting the weight there. My question is, do I also need to connect the side of the deck to the porch in any way? Basically, I am getting at the folowing:

| |
| house |
.l---------------------------l.....................l------l
.-T---T---T---T---T---T--T....................l
.deck...................hereXl......porch.......l
....G.....................G...Xl......porch....... l
.deck............overhangXl-----------------l
___________________^Joist ledger against porch siding underpinning

Do I need to connect the deck to the porch where the Xs are?

Yes to ledger, but connect support deck joists to girder..G.. and hangersT. Ledger last joist to porch underpinnings at level where deck will be below door threshold stepping out to the deck. Run flashing as mentioned.
T= ledger with joist hangers for 2x10(if over 10' span) joists 32" O.C. over girder beam ..G.. support with 2 ft overhang_________

Thanks!

Rob, Is the above understandable? Nm

dmrlook · Mar 29, 2007, 05:55 PM

NM - yes - that makes sense, and I see you redrew my drawing such that it is visible. Wish I did that the first time :-)

Thanks for the help.

Rob

nmwirez · Mar 30, 2007, 11:51 AM

Yer welcome Rob... nm