Second story deck

[KSUTOMMY]

Have any of you all built one? My house is built on a hill on a gi-nourmous amount of concret/block foundation stuff. We have a covered concrete patio which is one story off the ground and has wood "deck-like" stairs that wrap around and down to the yard. We have an area ajacent to the patio where I would like to buid a deck and incorporate the stairs, however - that is where the worrying begins. I fancy myself a handy guy who can build just about anything, BUT - I have a family who will be hanging out on the deck and perhaps the last thing I would like if for the deck to fall down and have some kind of catostrophic injury. I have built 2 decks previously and if it were between 2' and 6' off the ground, I wouldnt be posting this - but I would like a little guidance from any of you all out there who might have done this at your house maybe with your pops or something.

tia

[jtksu]

I have experience with 2nd decking at another person's house.  Seriously though, I have actually been on a 2nd story deck that collapsed with a bunch of people on it.  Luckily, they were all adults and no one was seriously injured.  Lotta codes to worry about and permits to pull, etc.  Just hire it out, a deck is not very expensive and you will basically recoup the money in increased value of the house.  If you have to, take out a small home equity loans or something.

[KSUTOMMY]

I have experience with 2nd decking at another person's house.  Seriously though, I have actually been on a 2nd story deck that collapsed with a bunch of people on it.  Luckily, they were all adults and no one was seriously injured.  Lotta codes to worry about and permits to pull, etc.  Just hire it out, a deck is not very expensive and you will basically recoup the money in increased value of the house.  If you have to, take out a small home equity loans or something.

Excellent point (also, I love the idea of deducting the interest from the home equity loan). NOW, the research will begin with finding someone qualified enough to do the work. There are lots of Mexican/Hispanic/Latino crews here in San Antonio - but by the transient nature of these crews, I am a little gun shy of grabbing one to do the job and being somewhat new here, Im not exactly sure of who to go though. Ho hum.

[_33]

Have any of you all built one? My house is built on a hill on a gi-nourmous amount of concret/block foundation stuff. We have a covered concrete patio which is one story off the ground and has wood "deck-like" stairs that wrap around and down to the yard. We have an area ajacent to the patio where I would like to buid a deck and incorporate the stairs, however - that is where the worrying begins. I fancy myself a handy guy who can build just about anything, BUT - I have a family who will be hanging out on the deck and perhaps the last thing I would like if for the deck to fall down and have some kind of catostrophic injury. I have built 2 decks previously and if it were between 2' and 6' off the ground, I wouldnt be posting this - but I would like a little guidance from any of you all out there who might have done this at your house maybe with your pops or something.

tia

Just build another deck 2' below the top deck so that if it falls if only falls 2' to the second deck.

[CNS]

Just put some posts under it and you should be OK, bro.

Seriously, building one on the second floor is not much diff than a first floor, just longer posts.  The real diff is the posts will be much longer and you will have to account for horizontal deflection.  You overcome deflection by installing intermediate support between posts.  Tell your lumber yard sales guy what you plan on doing, and how far off the ground you will be.  They should be able to let you know how much post-to-post support you need and how often.  It is a very easy/quick equation.

Once you account for the horizontal deflection, other than working that high off the ground, it is pretty much the same as a first floor job.

Also, if you are noticed, the city will require a permit, which will require stamped drawings for permit review.  Find a good lumber yard to buy your wood from and they should be able to draw it up for you with calculations and all for a very small amt.  Sometimes for nothing, if you are buying enough wood.

[Dugout DickStone]

Get your buddies and a keg of Pearl and build it.  Don't be such a pussy.

[ChiComCat]

Which way do your joists go?

[jtksu]

Believe me, if it's ground level-  Buy some beer and have your buddies help do it.  It'll take one day of decent work with 4 dudes.  2nd story decks are a whole different matter.  It's not worth your time, unless one of your buddies really knows what he's doing and will donate his expertise.  You have to brace them to the house differently, the footings are different, it's just a bunch more work/planning and the stakes are much higher if you eff it up.

[gokatgo]

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

That's a pretty sweet place you have gokat, but where do you BBQ???

[CNS]

If ftgs are your concern, dig a slightly bigger hole.

I have built plenty of these.  the main diff is working over your head while on a ladder rather than on the ground.  prepare to have some tired arms.

[steve dave]

Sounds scary 

[1/64th]

Believe me, if it's ground level-  Buy some beer and have your buddies help do it.  It'll take one day of decent work with 4 dudes.  2nd story decks are a whole different matter.  It's not worth your time, unless one of your buddies really knows what he's doing and will donate his expertise.  You have to brace them to the house differently, the footings are different, it's just a bunch more work/planning and the stakes are much higher if you foooock it up.

Most of this is untrue.  The only difference between a ground level deck and a second story is how long your posts are.  Otherwise you build it exactly the same.  Everyone stop being such a FP, TC etc.  And by everyone, I mean JT.   

[steve dave]

Believe me, if it's ground level-  Buy some beer and have your buddies help do it.  It'll take one day of decent work with 4 dudes.  2nd story decks are a whole different matter.  It's not worth your time, unless one of your buddies really knows what he's doing and will donate his expertise.  You have to brace them to the house differently, the footings are different, it's just a bunch more work/planning and the stakes are much higher if you foooock it up.

Most of this is untrue.  The only difference between a ground level deck and a second story is how long your posts are.  Otherwise you build it exactly the same.  Everyone stop being such a FP, TC etc.  And by everyone, I mean JT.   

I'm also going to take the pussy stance on this one.  tia.

[tdaver]

www.decks.com

Just built a deck this summer.  Found a pre-designed plan ($30) on this site that was exactly what I wanted, or you can have them make you a custom plan.  I emailed them several times with questions during the process and always got a quick response.



 

[steve dave]

If I was building a deck for someone else I would have no problems.  I'd do whatever you hardasses do while drinking some cold beers and grab assing with my bros.  But, if it was my own house/deck we were talking about, I'm calling in the pros.  Just a fwiw. 

[kitten_mittons]

I helped my dad build a 2nd story 2 tiered deck at my parents house this spring.  Not very hard.  Was time consuming, though.  We were pak'd most of the time and it still looks fantastic.

[ew2x4]

How high up is it? If it's 12' or something. just do it yourself, pussy. If it's 18' or something, hire. 

[pissclams]

solution if you're really worried about it collapsing would be to load up a bunch of your spare pillows underneath it.  if it falls then you will just land on a pillow.  no harm no foul. 

[Dr Rick Daris]

solution if you're really worried about it collapsing would be to load up a bunch of your spare pillows underneath it.  if it falls then you will just land on a pillow.  no harm no foul. 

just dig a big ditch underneath and fill it with water. keep you spare pillows inside for guests. problem solved.

[Pete]

solution if you're really worried about it collapsing would be to load up a bunch of your spare pillows underneath it.  if it falls then you will just land on a pillow.  no harm no foul. 

just dig a big ditch underneath and fill it with water. keep you spare pillows inside for guests. problem solved.

Kinda irresponsible if you intend to have guests over that don't know how to swim.  That is, unless you were working under the assumption that the pillows were also personal flotation devices.  If so, my bad.

[pissclams]

you could fill the moat under the deck with high strength balloons.  if the deck falls, it will fall onto the high strength balloons making for a soft landing for everyone involved.  no harm no foul, what's the crime?

[CNS]

Obvious solution is to tie a zip line between your roof and the nearest telephone pole and connect it to your deck.  If the deck fails, you get a kick ass zip ride through your back yard.

[Dr Rick Daris]

solution if you're really worried about it collapsing would be to load up a bunch of your spare pillows underneath it.  if it falls then you will just land on a pillow.  no harm no foul. 

just dig a big ditch underneath and fill it with water. keep you spare pillows inside for guests. problem solved.

Kinda irresponsible if you intend to have guests over that don't know how to swim.  That is, unless you were working under the assumption that the pillows were also personal flotation devices.  If so, my bad.

i was actually planning on making people who go out onto the deck put on life jackets. your idea works too...i guess.

[steve dave]

Build the deack out of boats and the house out of houseboats