What size joists should i use for decking?

What size should deck joists be?

Commonly used joist sizes are 2-by-6, 2-by-8 and 2-by-10. For example, when you space joists 16″ apart — which is standard for residential decks — a deck spanning 9 1/2′ would require 2-by-6 joists, a 13′ deck would need 2-by-8 joists and a 16′ deck calls for 2-by-10 joists.

Can I use 4×2 for decking joists?

You have enough posts in. You get the joist spacing by laying a length of your 4×2 between the joists which are bolted to the posts. Each end or these joists will be supported by the perimeter 4x2s. Tight fitting noggins in-between will make it all rigid.

Should deck joists be 2×8 or 2×10?

2×8 for joists will be fine, with 16″ OC. Should use 2×10 for beams but 2×8 will be fine as well. If you are worried you can triple the 2×8 for the beams but double will be sufficient. You should put the beams at 7 and 14 feet out from the house, with the piers you should do 3 per beam with spacing of 1, 7, 13.

Are 2X6 OK for deck joists?

You can use 2×6 as deck joists if the deck is low enough to the ground as not to require guard railing. When using S-P-F 2×6 deck joists, the span must not be greater than 9’0″ (2.73m) with joists at 16″ o.c. (400mm), and 9’10” (3.01m)with spacing at 12″ (300mm).

How many joists do I need for a 12×12 deck?

For example, a 12-foot x 12-foot deck of 5/4 x 6 pressure treated wood decking on 16 inches on center spacing of joists will require: A 12-foot long deck with joists 16 inches on center will require 10 joists.

What size joist do I need?

Spacing (distance apart) of joists – centres


Size of joist mm 400mm 600mm
50 x 195 4.13 3.5
50 x 220 4.64 3.91
63 x 97 2.19 1.82
63 x 122 2.81 2.45

Is 2×4 OK for decking?

Yes but you will need to support the 4×2 at their midspan with something to stop any flex, usually posts or beams are used but if you’re tight for space dig a channel out of the ground a bit, tamp some scalpings down and bed preformed 4×3 concrete lintels down level and in line and support the joists off these.

Can I use 2×4 for decking?

For the deck surface, you can use 2x4s, 2x6s, or 5/4x6s. The 5/4 decking (pronounced “five-quarter”), available in cedar and pressure-treated fir, is 1 inch thick and 5-1/2 inches wide with rounded edges that make for a splinter-free surface.

Can I use 2×4 for floor joist?

A 2×4 can span a maximum of 6′ 7” when spaced 16” apart and used as a floor or deck joist. When used as a ceiling joist or a roof rafter, a 2×4 can span up to 7′ 3” spaced at 16”, and 6′ 4” when spaced 24” apart. Due to the small spans of 2x4s, they often are not used in horizontal load-bearing capacities.

How far can 2×8 deck joists span?

Depending on various factors, the maximum span for a 2×8 floor joist is 16′ 6”. The maximum span for roof rafters is 23′ 9”. For headers, the maximum span is 11′ 2”. Finally, a single deck beam has a maximum span of 5′ 11” and double maxes out at 8′ 9”.

Can I use 2×8 for deck beam?

Deck beams sit on top of the posts and support the deck joists. If the outside edge of your deck is at least 17” above grade, a double 2×8 deck beam should be installed to support the joists along the outside. The joists will then extend over the beam in a cantilever position.

What size timber do I need for a decking frame?

The frame The key to constructing a good decking area is the frame. If the decking is being built on a low level it should be built of C16 graded treated joists 45 mm by 95mm (4×2 approx.). However if you are building a raised deck you should use 45mm x 145mm joists.

Should deck joists be 2×6 or 2×8?

For upper-level decks, 2×10 is recommended as the minimum size to use for strong guard post connections. 2×6 joists should only be used on ground-level decks that do not require, and will not provide for, any guards.

How far can a 2×6 joist span on a deck?

Decking made of 2x4s or 2x6s can span up to 24 inches. If you will run decking at an angle, you might need to put the joists closer together.

How far can a 2×6 beam span without support?

A 2×6 can support up to 50 pounds per square foot of weight without sagging with a maximum span of about 12 feet when spanning a distance horizontally, with the 2×6 standing in a vertical position. This number includes both live and dead weight.

How much wood is needed for a 12×12 deck?

A 12 -by-12-foot deck will need 144 lineal feet of decking. The amount of individual boards will depend upon the size and type of decking your choose and the amount of space you plan to leave between decking boards.

How many deck blocks do I need for a 12×12 deck?

Calculating Out How Many Deck Blocks for a Floating Deck

Deck Dimension Square Feet of Deck Number of Deck Blocks 12″ x12″ Supporting 2000 lbs
8×8 64 4
8×10 80 4
10×10 100 4
10×12 120 6

How many posts do I need for a 12×16 deck?

A standard deck will need four footings parallel to the house, but they will need to be temporarily braced by 6 inch-by-6 inch posts. Using doubled boards, you will then need to build beams on the top row of the posts to frame the edges of the deck. These must be topped with adjustable post caps.

What size should floor joists be UK?

Joists are to have minimum end bearing of 40mm. The floor joist span tables are based on the loadings given in the amended version of BS 6399-1 which is an imposed load of either a uniformly distributed load of 1.5 kN/m² or a concentrated load of 1.4 kN.

What size timber should I use for floor joists?

Solid strutting should be at least 38 mm thick timber extending to at least three quarters the joist depth e.g. 200 x 50mm joists would need at least 150 x 38mm timber used as strutting.

What is the standard spacing for floor joists?

Most often, floor joist spacing is 16 inches apart on center, but this can vary depending on building codes and the requirements of the structure in the blueprint. Floor joists help distribute the load of a structure.

Can you use 2×6 for deck boards?

Wood decking is commonly available in 2×6 and 5/4 x 6 profiles. 5/4 x 6 is produced specifically for decking and is milled with a radius edge or bull nose. 2×6 is thicker and is stronger, but is also more expensive. Spacing between deck boards provide a few critical functions.

What timber should I use for decking joists?

The best timber for decking joists should be a kind that is resistant to termites, decay, or rot. Timbers like Cedar, Ironbark, Spotted Gum, and pressure-treated pines are good for making decking joists.

How thick do deck joists need to be?

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DECKING BOARD THICKNESS

Decking Type Actual Thickness (inches) Suggested On Center Joist Spacing (inches)
Tropical Hardwoods 1x 13/16” 16”
Thermally-Modified 5/4 1” 16”
Pressure Treated Pine 5/4 1” 16”
Western Red Cedar 5/4 1” 16”

Can I use 3×2 for decking joists?

3×2 can be used but you’ll have to support it more frequently throughout its length, say every five feet or so.

Can I build a deck directly on the ground?

Floating decks can be set directly on the ground or, preferably, a bed of gravel. But it’s best to support the deck on concrete blocks. This keeps the wood off the ground and away from moisture so the wood stays drier and lasts longer.

How do you install deck joists?

How to Lay Decking with Wickes – YouTube

How much weight can 2×4 joists?

A 2×4 can support up to 1,000 pounds vertically. This dimensional lumber is the most common material used to frame interior and exterior walls on a home. When used as wall studs, 2x4s are typically grouped to create a wall, spaced 16 inches apart.

Which is stronger 2 2×4 or 1 2×6?

The total bearing area of three 2x4s is 15 3/4 square inches, two 2x6s have a bearing area of 16 square inches. In bending, however, such as from a wind load, a 2×6 wall is considerably stronger. In tall walls, where column buckling might be a factor, a 2×6 wall would be stronger if a structural sheathing was used.

How much weight can a 2×4 frame hold?

In general, a 2×4 can hold a horizontal load of around 20 to 40 pounds per linear foot if the weight is evenly distributed. If the weight is centered between the span, that number could drop to 20 pounds total or less for longer 2x4s. Other factors can increase the weight that a 2×4 can support as well.

How far can a 2×8 joist span without support?

Based on different manufacturers’ specifications, the maximum span a 2×8 LVL is from 12′ to 15′. Spans are also affected by the species of wood used in the manufacture of the laminated joists, with western woods edging out eastern woods in unsupported span distance.

How many deck boards do I need for a 10×10 deck?

For a 10×10 square deck, you would therefore need twenty-two 10′ deck boards. Dimensions for deck boards can vary depending on the look you want and the deck board type you use. However, the most common is a 5/4” thick by 6” wide deck board of any length.

What is the distance between posts on a deck?

In general, posts should be spaced no more than 8 feet apart. Some builders position them every 4 feet for a completely rigid frame.

What size deck beam do I need?

Refer to the Joist Span table. For an 8′ joist span, either 2x8s at 24” O.C. or 2x6s at 16” O.C. are acceptable. For sizing the beam, use a joist length of 10′ (8’+2′) and a posting spacing of 10′. The Beam Size table indicates that the beam may be either two 2x10s or two 2x12s, depending on wood used.

How wide should a deck beam be?

The span of the joists the beam is supporting also determines the maximum deck beam span between support posts. According to IRC, a two-ply 2×10 beam supporting a joist that spans 8 feet between supports requires beam support posts every 9-feet. Whereas a 10 feet can span up to 6 feet 6 inches.

How do you put blocks between deck joists?

OVERVIEW

  1. Step 1: Check That Your Deck Frame Is Structurally Sound.
  2. Step 2: Run String Lines to Ensure All Joists Are Level &amp, In Plane.
  3. Step 3: Make Sure All Joists Are Consistent in Size.
  4. Step 4: Make Sure Your Joists Are Spaced Correctly.
  5. Step 5: Install Your Blocking.

How far apart should support beams be on a deck?

How Far Apart Should You Space Deck Joists? The short answer: deck joists are typically spaced either 12 inches or 16 inches apart, on center. (On-center means the length from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist, rather than a gap from edge to edge).

Are 2×6 strong enough for floor joists?

2 Answers. Show activity on this post. 2×6 joists at the span that you are talking about (16′ and 18′) are not strong enough to support a floor as a living space. With a span like that the timber size that you sister in would have to be at least 2×10’s.

How much weight can 2X6 floor joists hold?

The Codes allow for a 2×6 joist to support 53lbs per linear foot, which means an 8.5-foot length could support approximately 450-pounds across that length. Although a 2×6 will support more before failing, the aim is to prevent it from failing. Shortening the span may also increase the amount the wood can support.

What is stronger 4×6 or 2 2X6?

In general, the bending strength of a beam is directly proportional to its width and directly proportional to the square of its height. In the bottom case the 4×6 is theoretically 2² = 4 times as strong as a single 2×6, but since there are two of them it is only twice as strong as two2x6s.

Does double joists increase span?

For example, if you double the thickness or number of joists in a floor, the distance the boards can span will increase by approximately 25%. But if you double the width of the boards, the distance the joists can span increases between 80% to 100%, even though you’re using the same board feet of lumber.