The posts should be a minimum 4×4 size and be solidly anchored to the deck joist and rim joist of the structure. Use two through-bolts and a metal tension tie for the upper bolt connection.
What size posts should I use for a deck?
Deck posts must be a minimum of 4×4 according to the IRC but many jurisdictions require a 6×6 post as a standard. To avoid code violations, many deck builders choose the 6×6 even if the 4×4 is acceptable.
Should you use 4×4 or 6×6 deck posts?
4×4 post will be fine. I have built many decks for new homes with them. 6×6 is more sturdy of course and will not twist as easy, but for structure purposes, 4×4 will be fine.
Should I use 4×4 or 4×6 deck posts?
While there may be a handful of circumstances that only require the minimum 4×4 deck post, you will more than likely want to choose a 6×6 post for the deck. It provides more stability for larger decks, the ability to hold a heavier load, and more room for notching.
Can I use 4×6 for deck post?
Unless you are planning on parking the pickup and the bass boat on the deck, 4x6s are probably enough for the posts. Of far more importance are the stringers, which must be sized for the span and weight they are designed to carry.
How far apart should 4×4 deck posts be?
For Building a Deck Railing, Deck Frame, or Fence
CONTINUE READING BELOW
The maximum spacing of 4×4 deck posts should be 6 feet on center, while the maximum spacing of 6×6 deck posts should be 8 feet on center.
Can you use 4×4 posts for a deck?
In the past, many decks were built with 4×4 support posts (also called structural posts). But these can bow seriously, even if a deck is only 3 feet off the ground. For that reason, we strongly recommend that you use 6x6s instead, even if your building department does not demand them.
How many footings 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.
Should I set my deck posts in concrete?
There are several ways to set deck posts, we recommend attaching the posts to concrete footers above the ground. This helps to prevent wooden posts from rotting. Set footers a minimum of 6” below the frost line for your area to prevent movement during freezing temperatures.
Are 4×4 strong enough for deck?
For most decks, post size is overlooked unless an inspector notices the unusual height of a particular deck. A short 4×4 can carry an awfully big load, and many deck builders use 6×6 posts as a standard, regardless of the height or load of the deck.
How much can a 4×4 post support?
4×4 can hold up to 4,000 pounds when laying horizontally with the right support. Vertically, a 4×4 should support 4300 pounds but can hold significantly more. The amount of weight that a 4×4 can hold depends on several factors like wood grade, species, and load type.
How much load can a 4×4 post support?
An 8-foot 4×4 can typically carry 1,000lbs horizontally along its length without excessive sag, or 500lbs in a center load. Supported at 16” centers and the load jumps to 4,000lbs. When used as a post, the same 4×4 can support up to 6,000 PSI and even more if properly braced.
Is a 4×4 post stronger than 2 2x4s?
When used vertically, 4x4s are stronger than two 2x4s. However, if you need a horizontal surface, two 2x4s will be stronger than one 4×4. A 4×4 should not be used horizontally for anything structural. Always be sure that you’re using the proper size and strength of lumber.
How do you calculate deck posts?
To calculate it for a particular post, imagine a plan view of the deck (see illustration, left). Draw a line through the mid-span of the joists. Then find the mid-span of the beam that the post supports, and extend lines from there back to the line at the joist mid-span. Find the area within the lines.
How far can 4×6 beam span?
A Redwood 4×6 beam should span no more than 6′ between supporting posts.
How long are 6×6 posts?
Product Specifications
| Size &, Dimension | 6-inch x 6-inch |
|---|---|
| Length | 22-ft |
| Size &, Dimension | .15 |
| Wood Treatment | Treated |
| Wood Specie | Yellow Pine |
How deep should post footings be for a deck?
By code, the bottom of a footing must be at least 12 inches deep and below the local frostline—whichever is deeper—and bear on stable, undisturbed soil that is free of organic matter. And the code requires a minimum compressive strength of 2,500 psi for the concrete.
How many posts do I need for a 12×12 deck?
For an attached 12 x 12′ deck, you’ll need at least 3 footings, plus at least 2 more if you’re planning on building stairs with it.
How high should deck railing posts be?
The International Residential Council (IRC) requires guardrails to be at least 36 inches high, measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail. Commercial decks attached to multifamily buildings need 42 inch high guardrails.
Is a 4×6 post stronger than a 4×4?
4×4’s are quite strong and, other than aesthetics, may be enough for the job. The same goes for a 4×6, but the larger the post, the stronger it will be in compression, when comparing like species. The question is whether that bulk is needed.
Is a 2×6 stronger than a 4×4?
Unless you are supporting it with columns every 4′, neither is strong enough to help much. A 2×6 has more vertical support than a 4×4. Is that correct? The 2×6 is stronger than the 4×4 when it comes to vertical loads.
How many posts are needed for a 10×10 deck?
A freestanding 10′ x10′ deck needs 4 posts, supporting two pairs of 2-ply non-incised 2×8 beam, upgrading the beam to 3-ply using incised wood.
How many joists do I need for a 12×16 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 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.
How long will a pressure treated post last in concrete?
A treated 4×4 will last 20 to 25 years in the ground if the conditions in the soil and climate are favorable. That number could increase to 40 to 75 years if you install the treated 4×4 in a cement ring rather than the soil. There are a few factors that influence how long the 4×4 can last in the ground.
How much concrete do you put on a deck post?
45 cubic feet of concrete when mixed with 2.5 quarts of water. In order to have enough concrete for one cubic foot, you’ll require 2.2 bags of 60-lb concrete.
Should I bury deck posts?
The buried post method offers the advantage of reducing the amount of concrete work required for each footing and actually provides additional lateral (side-to-side) support to the post to resist wind loads.
Should you notch a 4×4 post?
Say “No” to notching pressure-treated deck posts. We want you to build an outdoor railing system that you, your family and guests can enjoy without worrying about safety issues. In order to do so, you need to know this building shortcut is not advisable, and we recommend avoiding it at all costs.
What accounts for roughly 90% of all deck collapses?
About 90% of deck collapses occurred as a result of the separation of the deck ledger board from the house, allowing the deck to swing away from the house. It is very rare for deck floor joists to break mid-span. Many more injuries are the result of rail failure, rather than complete deck collapse.
How many posts do I need for a 8×12 deck?
The shorter sides—in this case, the 8-foot side—will have 4-feet of distance between deck posts. The larger 12-foot side will have a post spacing of 6 feet at a minimum code requirement. That makes a total of eight posts that need to be installed on this average size deck.
How much weight can an 8×8 post support?
That being said, a post can hold a tremendous amount of load! If a particular species of wood can support 1,000 psi, then an 8×8 post can hold 64,000 pounds! The limiting factor (reason to up-size) will likely be aesthetics and/or the number or type of joints needed.
Can you build a pergola with 4×4 posts?
Support Posts
For a very small pergola with only 4 to 6 feet between posts, 4×4 supports will work. For anything larger, though, the 6×6 stock will not only offer a beefier look and greater carrying capacity, but 6×6 also resists the twisting associated with the more spindly 4x4s.
How much weight will a 4×6 post support?
2 Answers. Show activity on this post. Assuming it’s “Lodgepole Pine” (Idaho Pine and Ponderosa Pine is slightly less) and it’s grade is a No. 2 and better (no loose or missing knotholes), then a 4×6 spanning 18′ will support about 105 lbs.
Does plywood hold weight?
A 12-by-36-inch piece of 3/4-inch fir plywood can easily support 50 pounds. However, a 12-by-36-inch piece of 1/4-inch thick plywood will not support that much weight. It will only support about 5 pounds before bending.
How much weight can a 2×4 post support?
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 4 by 4 span?
If you opt to space your 2x4s at 16” on center, then your maximum span will be 7′ 3” with SYP. This assumes that the joist is not cantilevered and terminates with support on either end. If you opt to space your 2×4 joists at 24” on center, then you can only span a distance of 6′ 4”.
Is 2 feet deep enough for fence posts?
2 feet is the minimum depth that you should dig your fence post holes for. To dig the holes one-third to one-half of the post’s aboveground height, is a general formula. The deeper you dig the holes, the more stability your fence has.
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.
What is stronger 4×6 or 2 2×6?
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.
How much space should be between deck posts?
Layout and Footing Locations
Starting with your perimeter, mark the location of each deck post to locate the fitting position. In general, posts should be spaced no more than 8 feet apart. Some builders position them every 4 feet for a completely rigid frame.
How do I know what size beam I need for my deck?
Use “a” + “b” to determine the size of Beam 1. Use joist length “b” to determine the size of Beam 2. Joist size is determined by using the longest span joist (7′). The Joist Span indicates that 2x6s at 24” O.C. would be adequate for this span.
How much does it cost to build a 16×20 deck?
On average, you can expect to pay about $20,000 for a 16 x 20 foot composite board deck.
How big of a beam do I need to span 20 feet?
Wood beam size for a 20 foot span:- as per general thumb rule, for a 20 foot span, size of wood beam or lumber joist should be 2×14 which placed at 16″ apart from centre used for residential building or projects or construction in which depth of section of beam is 350mm (14″) and width of beam is 50 mm or 2″.
Can I use a 6×6 as a beam?
The distance a 6×6 can span as a beam depends on the species of wood, grade, grain orientation, moisture content or seasoning, condition, and load. Southern Pine (SP) 6x6s will span 5” to 8” further than other common softwood species of the same grade.
How far can a deck beam extend past a post?
The American Wood Council’s Wood Frame Construction Manual states that beams can generally cantilever up to 1/4 their span over a post.