I'm surprised he did not do such on all the lumber that is exposed to being wet. I do and never ever have any issues. The time to do it is before the wood is fastened up. Minimal cost (Relative)
Victor Eous, So I can wrap my head around this, are you saying you would put "end sealer" on the end of every board in the deck? I could see where that could be a wise suggestion.
You can also buy green treatment (a wood preservative) that does this as well. I treat all the ends, even the decking. Soaking is best; brushing requires two or three coats.
Every cut end, yes. Although I don't soak it, I just put it on with a foam brush, though the stuff I used wasn't white - it looks more like coffee. I put it on every cut - including stair stringers, blocking, joists, beams, ledgers, etc.
Yes Mark. . . . As others above have mentioned. On posts I set them in solution overnight, all other ends/cuts get a foam brush hit twice. Better safe than sorry. I really do want the customer happy and tell them of the extra steps we take in getting it right for them. As a result we've not advertised for about 20 years.
Great job. Years ago I had my local aluminum guy make me caps for the top of my deck joists. 2" X 1 5/8" X 2". I held them in place with a couple of galvanized roofing nails until the deck boards were installed. 35 years later and no signs of water damage. The other idea I had was to apply an aluminum "L" shape fascia piece on the backside of the ledger board against the wall side. It provides a continuous cap and moisture protection when affixing it to the wall. I finish it with a silicone bead where the aluminum meets the wall. Again, 35 years later and the ledger board has no sign of any type of water damage.
Like the idea of the spacers. Worked homeowner claims for 30 years. Literally saw hundreds of rotted ledger board which in turn rot out the sills. Nice job.
that is one beautiful deck you have built there. I noticed that flashing was not needed due to a pool application. and the lack of a rail system. I never liked relying on the structure for support, which I have done in the past. now I always have posts two or three feet from the structure. thank you for the video.
I just put a 12X24 deck on the back of our house -- and it's awesome! We decided to spring for the cool powder coated aluminum balusters that bow out and look like wrought iron. They look so cool. Great vid, Matt. Always love your advice.
My deck are 12" on center or less and did it in 1993. The deck is the most solid deck I ever stepped on. Standard deck feels bouncy and flexes too much. It's a pain to put in the nails for the brackets back then with a hammer... not enough room to swing your hammer. Today, just use the pneumatic palm nailer or impact screw gun if you opt for screws designed for joist hangers. Great tips on ground contact lumbers and others. Syrprised you didn't mention roofing membrane and aluminum flashing against the house for water protection.
How awesome. I am literally starting my deck framing for my dream home after Labor Day. 12” OC and joist tape will definitely be on mine! Thanks, Matt!!!
Matt, Not trying to be Bob the builder here, but we primarily focus in roofing and decking. Mfm peel and seal is a great product that can be used to flash a ledger board. This is our go to Product. We will also cut down grace peel and stick.
On ledger boards up against a house I put galvanized flashing that tucks up under the siding and then goes over the joists like an L. Under it is self healing peel and stick window tape and a bead of roofing tar. The boards on top might eventually rot, but they seem to dry out pretty quickly and there's no damage to the ledger/house.
Breathing protection probably good when cutting and making dust with high copper content, I've seen a lot of folks no being careful when removing antifouling bottom paint off boats on other social media feeds
I had to rebuild a section of my deck a couple weeks ago. When I saw this video pop up I was like, "Oh no, what am I going to regret that I did or didn't do" I actually did all these things. Thank you so much for your videos. I don't know if this knowledge was from other videos I've seen of yours or if you've just taught this guy to fish. I do know I was thinking moisture control first. Thanks and keep them coming!
I have personally built decks going on 25 years now, no issues, except for wood decking and railing spindles warpage. Framing, for the most part, is all good. Never used joist tape, or spaced boxes, and sunk all my 4x4's. There is nothing wrong with what you are doing, it's just you have to also give the other side of the coin too. 25 years, and counting, is pretty damn good. Always put ice and water behind my boxes and tamped gravel in the hole, before concrete.
Code says you have to add railing to any deck that stands more than 30 inches high. Railing is done last, so I am sure they did it but just didn't show it on the video.
I dont agree with spacing your deck ledger board 1" off the the house (of what ever structure you are attaching the deck to) this puts all the stress on your bolts. In this case you used all threads which are not as strong sheer value. If you flash and seal the ledger to your structure properly and water/vapor barrier the building being attached to, then you will never have to worry about water getting in there. The bolts are designed to hold the desk from falling outwards not vertically. You should be using a 16D or greater nail or equivalent deck screw (concrete all threads in your case here) to secure it vertically to the structure.
Also wondering up north in the winter where areas get freeze thaw freeze winters. Water gets behind there, doesnt drain, freezes and expands. Realize in Texas thats probably not an issue, but alos shows there is more than one correct way to build adeck
Willis Cooper P totally agree. The pressure of the ledger against the structure its connected too helps distribute the weight and a lil construction adhesive helps too... As long as you putthe flashing in rite with a lil clear silicone..... Its the best method by far
I was thinking the same thing. Even 1/8" of spacing puts added torque on the hardware. The epoxy holding those bolts has me a little concerned. I would still probably bolt from the ledger thru into the structure.
Willis Cooper the sheer strength of the fasteners is much greater than any live or dead loads that be applied. I’ve built decks for 20 years and this is the only way I prefer to build my decks as well. I have pulled MANY decks from homes where the flashing was correctly placed but the ledger board and the band joist had retained water in between them. No one ever thinks that ground water can cause damage but it can. It just takes longer.
TSizzle; I agree..Also, the picture of the “ledger board” is shown going in backwards. Should always be “bark side up” so the board curves toward the home-structure. Same for band boards, deck boards. Look at the end grain and imagine the board coming from a tree..It’s easy to see which way the board will cup over time ;-) I’ve seen way too many failures because people don’t know..
Thanks for the info video. I live in NC and on the process of replacing my house 2x 10 outer band and even replacing the second inner 2x10 in some area ! My deck is 12x60 ft long 🙁 they rotted from the ledger board flashing
Nice deck, you should however buy your guys a string line and show them how to use it. A keen eye will spot the bows in the installed deck boards (Pause at 7:17 and look at the furthest end, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th boards from the outside edge are installed like bananas).
Replacing my rotted siding and ledger board now. The idiot that built the deck nailed the ledger board to the house and never flashed or anything. These are all great tips that I plan to follow. Especially the Deck to Wall 5/8” ledger spacers.
I am going to hang LUS46 hangers off my fascia board, do I: 1) Apply deck tape sandwiched between the fascia and the backside of the hanger? (will be using SDS screws) or 2) Wrap the 4x6 beam in deck tape prior to setting it directly inside the hanger?
I live in upstate RAIN DOOM AND GLOOM New York, and I built a pressure treated 12x20 deck with 4x4's planted into the ground at the frost line (almost 3 feet deep) with 2x8 pressure treated joists 1 foot off the ground with pres treated 1x6x12 deck boards and they were NAILED with twist nails treated 2" and guess what? 34 years later, outside of normal fading to gray.....the deck looks like the day it was built. Not one board had to be replaced, no sagging, had enormously huge phat.....aunts and uncles all over it over the years, no "edge taping sealing", not extra treating over the years of the deck boards, no railings warping or getting loose, stairs look the day they went in. Nothing. Plain, old fashioned carpentry. OH, and 16" on center joists. No special "Yellawood" sold here or back then. Just...whatever Lowes was selling. Go figure.
chivone21 that’s how I build shit these guys building decks like this now days are paying way to much money for materials no one can afford this shit for high end inspections
The pressure treated wood you used 34 years ago is not the same that we use now. It was better back then. In 2004 the EPA banned the chemicals used to treat the old wood which is why these newer decks rot faster. Also, Yellawood is not some new company - they have been in the pressure treated business since the 70's.
I’ve actually used roofing tar on my post and painted on heavily and then let it set up on it so that it’s almost dry then I put it in the hole And poured concrete around it and made sure that the concrete was below the top of the roof and Tara my posts and that’s given me over 20 years of life already counting what are your thoughts on that if you ever seen it?
I’d love to see some fence tips. How would you set posts if not the standard hole with concrete? I’m debating between doing a fairly large fence by myself or paying for some of the work.
Going 12" oc is so little extra money to have a deck with no bounce. Most decks you are talking 3 extra joists. Glad to see you show the joist tape in higher rain and snow conditions this is another inexpensive product with longevity. I have seen pressure treated framing rot in 2 years using above grade contact. I would only frame a deck with a ground contact product.
The chemicals and or salts from the pool will splash over the edge onto the galvanized hangers and bolts and cause them to deteriorate pretty quickly. They definitely will not last the 30-40 years you claim.
This is a very important point that really needs addressing.I have seen many near pool structures affected by corrosion that have obviously been built to normal standards with no thought given to the corrosive environment.
Ryan Mader You’ve never been in a salty pool before? I’m not sure what that even means? You’ve never heard of them? Where I’m from salt pools & chlorine pools are 50/50. And yes, this guy should absolutely not have used gal hardware near a pool environment.
@doc hall you got that right! the guy who builds the thing is the most important engineer of all, because he's the last guy that makes the final decision on the specific material and hardware before its permanent, if you want shit done properly, do it yourself.
I've been watching several videos related to how built a deck , and you put all of them in one great video , nice job CAMO ( from old house great school) also one guy use deck spacers for the ledger
Any tips for making plumb supports to bottome plates that are anchored, I just cannot see how the measurements are presice enough to be able to tighten the plate down, without having to kick it around to get it plumb, and hammering the dam tekko nails thrown it off two
How do you recommend attaching a deck to a brick veneer home. I have seen the simpson strong tie brackets designed to prevent loading of the veneer. What other options are there or can you recommend?
For mine I opened not to attach it to the house at all. No matter what you do it will want to move with the frost heave and I want to allow for that free movement instead of possibly pulling out bricks or something.
I hope you address stringer split. Every deck stair I see have the stringers split where to treads are screwed on typically splitting down to the riser portion. I suppose you could use end grain sealer on both cuts as well as joist tape under the tread. Anything else to keep the stringers/treads solid?
Worst timing ever... just yesterday I finished extending my current 6x24 deck out to 18x24. Now Matt tells me how I should have done it 😭. If only this video had dropped last week... The good news, the first 3 of the 5 tips I did anyway, and while I agree in theory with putting peel and stick on top of the joists I think it’s probably overkill (the existing 6x24 deck I built in 1988 without any joist protection and it’s still in excellent shape) and while 12” centers may be needed for Trex-like products, I’m using real wood decking and 30 years experience shows that 16” centers are fine in this application. Not saying that either tip is a bad idea, just that I’m ok with the fact that I didn’t do it. The more I think about it, I suspect I *will* use joist protection if I ever build another deck...
John Early from my past 40 years experience in deck framing and tearout John is that if your deck is one that is in an area where water escapes quickly and your not in s rainforest type of environment meaning your not like my buddies deck on his cabin I just rebuilt that is in the Appalachian Mountains under a large canopy of mountains and it rains nearly ever day and it is literally a rain forest. In that application, following all of Matt’s recommendations really makes sense. But if your building a deck outside of San Antonio Texas and there is no tree cover close by and you only get 12” of rain a year then it’s not going to be as critical that all steps are followed so it sounds like your gonna be fine brother. You have the experience and knowledge to build a sound structure but it is nice to have Matt in our corner because he constantly makes us think and he brings awareness to new products that may take us another 3 years to hear about from our local lumberyards. I wish he would have been doing this 20 years ago but I, like you, always overbuild and go to the extreme and my projects still stand tall!! Keep driving those nails john and thank you Matt for all the awesome info each week, homeowners all over the country are benefiting vastly because of you Matt, thank you!!!
16" centers feels bouncy with most decking products if you weigh over 180lbs. It's safe, nothing wrong structurally, but if you want a firm feel when walking, especially with guests, I'd recommend 12"
My deck uses joists on 16" with Timbertech composite and it has a *tiny* amount of bounce, but it's only noticeable to me because I built it. Everyone who comes over thinks its rock solid. If you're using solid wood, you're absolutely fine. The issue comes if someone wants to run diagonally - then 12" OC is needed.
Actually, I can think of one reason why it might not necessarily be a good idea to use the more heavily copper impregnated, ground- contact lumber for all parts of a deck. I suspect that the ground-contact Lumber , with more than double the copper content, might be more corrosive and likely to interact with the Fasteners used. It might be best to use stainless fasteners everywhere if the entire deck is built of ground- contact rated, pressure-treated lumber. I foresee a problem with that approach as well, which is that your Simpson Strong-Tie joist hangers and other similar joist hangers for building decks are made of galvanized steel, so now you've got stainless Fasteners being used on galvanized steel joist hangers with heavily copper impregnated decking. Especially in a damp climate, this could be quite a recipe for hastening galvanic corrosion and leading to eventual structural weakening.
I am curious about your thoughts regarding fence installation with pressure-treated wood. Would you simply stick the fence posts in the ground and surround them with concrete or fasten them to a concrete pier that’s been put in place? Is it overkill? Is it not going to give you the rigidity you need in a fence?
There are a few methods for wood fence. Tried and true is setting into concrete, preferably encapsulating the post bottom completely. If possible, crown the concrete just slightly above ground level. If not, then a very shallow layer of soil, approximately 2" is plenty for grass to grow. There are companies that make steel channel posts with custom brackets for mounting your 2x rails on. We have used they handful of times but mostly the ol' 4x4 is the customer's choice. A Fence post is usually much easier and less cost prohibitive to replace than a direct buried deck post, plus the fact that a deck will support the weight of your family so it needs to be sound for a long time. Been around the Fence business since I was knee high to a grasshopper and doing home remodeling for about 10 years now. It's always interesting to see new methods and new products to better serve our customers. So never stop learning!
@@baltimoreace for a deck, setting the post like you would a fence is NOT the accepted common practice. The longevity of the most important part of the deck structure must be much better than a fence. Plus, decks can stay damp underneath it, I know it does under mine facing the North. Yet a fence post unless shaded by trees will see much more airflow and dry much quicker than deck framing. Generally a Fence post available now will last here in the Midwest will last 10-15 years easy, closer to 20 really. It's usually the rest or the frame work (when using treated material) that will give up sooner than the 4x4. If a person is really concerned about longevity, the steel channel post with brackets or even a round tube steel fence post with appropriate brackets would be the way to go. Or there are products out there like this too. www.jeften.com/products/versapost/compare.php. But it ultimately comes down to how much someone is willing to spend
Hey Matt! Love your content, thanks for sharing. We moved into a home in the Wimberley area and have a second floor deck with suspect framing. Do you have any recommendations for a local company that services Hill Country to inspect and reinforce a second-floor deck with a primary focus on safety and sound construction principles?
What if the end grain sealer seals up the moisture at the bottom of the post, not allowing the water and moisture to drain out of the bottom, causing premature rot? So many possibilities. Thanks for this video and making us think outside the box
Would have loved to see that space under the deck made usable. Imagine a sloped pavement, LED lighting from the stone to deck joint seam, a couple of beanbags, a small spiral stair on the side of the deck from above to down below, and a bottle of wine overlooking that view.
I think of all the decks I've f'd up over the years lol. I've never used joist tape and I work in Seattle! Yikes!!! Although rot only occurs if it dries out so since it's always rainy I might be okay
Would you recommend just using posts instead of attaching a deck to a house? I am thinking for sealing a house about not attaching it to the house and just use the posts and footers. Any thoughts?
Matt, what do you think about 2x6’s for decking boards vs. regular decking boards... Obviously, if they can afford the composite, that’s the ultimate better way to do it...
You kill me Risinger. Lol "Onnnnn! The Build Show!" Lol Great video. Thank you for the input! Would not have thought to put the spacers between the ledger and deck frame so that wood can air out. That definitely makes sense.
You can treat wood as much as you want it still will rot away in the end. Had it with my deck which became a death trap before I rebuilt it. Used recycled plastic wool and composit decking material. Seen plenty backyard fixes with wood on TV. Want to see what they look like in 5 years. Guaranteed not the same.
Thanks for the helpful video! It is my understanding that stainless steel washers on galvanised bolts will cause some pretty nasty galvanic corrosion, and rust stains. Why not just use galvanised washers?
Hey +Matt Risinger quick question... What tape would you advise? I used Grace Vycor in a section of my deck 2 years ago and wasn't impressed with the sticking ability. I was at Lowes the other day and ran into the normal Zip Flashing Tape that it's used to tape the Zip board seams and that thing seemed to be sticky as hell. As you would say "tenaciously sticky" ... I was wondering if one could use that? it seemed to be a good alternative and actually cheaper.
Question, When using 12" on center spacing do your carpenters use a track saw to make sure the joist don't have to high of crowns causing uneven floor decking.
In nz we would use stainless steel everywhere for that deck it close to ocean and will get wet from pool water with its chemicals.. really like the joist tape would a dpc plastic stapled on do the same? Thinkn cost 👍 nice tips cheers
Yeah I'm building a deck right now in Dunedin, NZ. Was thinking to use DPC plastic on the joists, its a bit foreign for builders here to do that on a deck. Maybe our weather isn't rainy/consistenly damp enough to warrant it. Only difference I can see between DPC plastic and the decking/flashing tape is that if you make a penetration (i.e. nail/screw) the tape will seal up against the screw, whereas the DPC might just split a bit and let water sit between the joist and bottom of DPC... Where are you building in NZ?
Others have pointed out that he should have used SS because of pool chemicals, but rest assured...Matt's working in the Austin, TX area. That "ocean" is Lake Travis. Not salt water. :)
Matt, When i google on iron deck post i can’t seem to find them? where can i order the iron deck posts? And did you ever use helical piles? Thank you! You’re channel is awesome👊🏻 🙂
Nice, clean workmanship. But did you use deck hold downs, or a deck tension device? Or do the steel post columns mitigate the possibility of the deck pulling away from the structure?
Matt, I have important questions for you that are on my mind. Firstly, thanks for the tutorial You provided a couple great tips which I hadn't known about. As the son of a mechanical engineer and myself a micro-mechanical engineer (virtually the same principles) I'd always been a builder and would just for educational purposes and fun would often bat the ball back and forth with my dad about all kinds of builds. However, again I have a question for you, a specialist in the field and not some know-it-all weekend warriors, whom I'm sure will feel compelled to weigh in on nonetheless. My question for you Matt, and for Matt alone, revolves around that I have never believed in the wisdom of tying in a deck into the inner beams of a house where you can't see the nature of how they're holding up over the many years lifetime of a properly, well built tie-in deck. Where I live there are indigenous aggressive termites well known about by the home builders before they built but not by me since I came from another town. However, here you put the deck tie-ins into the admittedly robust walls of a swimming pool on a hill. Beside what little that we could see of the exterior of the bolts what type of terminal ends were anchored into the side of the swimming pool walls, was the bolting system made of a non-rusting material, how deep did they go in and what do you think of the wisdom of putting stress concentrating points in a vital pool wall which previously was uniform (as much as it can be) in a swimming pool where each gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds. The weight of the water and the pull on the wall of the deck represent quite a bit of potential energy. If the deck should be used for purposes unplanned for, eg. too many people crowding on it, their jumping up and down such as at a fourth of July display (yes, I've seen this filmed and the deck collapsing) and or the owners (or next owners if sold) deciding to build on it, eg. a stone hearth or cooking grill, etc.will all the tie-ins embedded hold up against that degree of extra pull and especially not combine with the weight of the water at new stress concentrating points? Beside the loss of aesthetics, would you not do better by adding vertical 6x6 inch supports next to the pool and possibly adding some under deck cross bracing between 6x6's proximal to one another? If you don't have time to answer all these questions, I'd very much appreciate knowing the mechanics of the bolt tie-ins to the pool wall and if they're not merely galvanized but rust proof. Also, how would you calculate the number of tie-in bolts needed? I'd greatly appreciate it if you could shine some light on the parts of the build which you didn't cover in your otherwise very good presentation. Thanks!
Most of the weight would be down wards , so it's more a question of sheer strength of the fasteners. Wall looks pretty thick, and would have re-bar/ trimmer bars.
Matt, I noticed the finished deck board layout is picture framed and has a mid span design to it... was this design driven or product driven? I seem to have noticed more builders doing this with composite decking due to the inherent movement. Another great video.
butt joints on decks is ugly.... hence the picture frame. also with new deck products coming in only a couple length options the picture frame reduces waste
Not Matt but but joints never ever ever ever line up in at least one plane. If nothing else I think it looks like a custom job, not we used cut off and scabbed it together even if it is top of the line work.
@@scottbledsoe6918 not at all. It could be as simple as you tighten one side a little more than. The other or that joist underneath has developed a bow or one of the boards are longer so expand at different rates or one side is in the sun........ I think mostly I just don't like but joints. Anytime I see one I say to myself to bad they didn't plan that better. My personal pet peeve is siding with a vertical board every so often. Just looks cheep to my eye.
Allen Stein At what point would you put guard rails up for workers? I think with the pool next to them, each worker should have a scuba mask and oxygen tank just in case they were to fall in 😉
I'm definitely favoriting this video. I've seen soooo many decks that after just 4-5 years are already in need of some TLC.
Thanks for watching! Best, Matt
How to rack walls on a house
give a guy a hammer....
That's why it's Green looking!
Soaking the end of post in "end sealer" solution is new tip to me. I like it!!! Thanks for sharing.
I'm surprised he did not do such on all the lumber that is exposed to being wet. I do and never ever have any issues. The time to do it is before the wood is fastened up. Minimal cost (Relative)
Victor Eous, So I can wrap my head around this, are you saying you would put "end sealer" on the end of every board in the deck? I could see where that could be a wise suggestion.
You can also buy green treatment (a wood preservative) that does this as well. I treat all the ends, even the decking. Soaking is best; brushing requires two or three coats.
Every cut end, yes. Although I don't soak it, I just put it on with a foam brush, though the stuff I used wasn't white - it looks more like coffee. I put it on every cut - including stair stringers, blocking, joists, beams, ledgers, etc.
Yes Mark. . . . As others above have mentioned. On posts I set them in solution overnight, all other ends/cuts get a foam brush hit twice. Better safe than sorry. I really do want the customer happy and tell them of the extra steps we take in getting it right for them. As a result we've not advertised for about 20 years.
Great job. Years ago I had my local aluminum guy make me caps for the top of my deck joists. 2" X 1 5/8" X 2". I held them in place with a couple of galvanized roofing nails until the deck boards were installed. 35 years later and no signs of water damage. The other idea I had was to apply an aluminum "L" shape fascia piece on the backside of the ledger board against the wall side. It provides a continuous cap and moisture protection when affixing it to the wall. I finish it with a silicone bead where the aluminum meets the wall. Again, 35 years later and the ledger board has no sign of any type of water damage.
What about breathability under deck? No issues against ledger board.
Like the idea of the spacers. Worked homeowner claims for 30 years. Literally saw hundreds of rotted ledger board which in turn rot out the sills. Nice job.
I have been doing the joist tape for year using ice and water menbrane, I always get good complements from the inspectors .I like your method
Does the sunlight create any kind of damage to it?
I did not know about copper in treatment and the joist tape. Learned something today. Thanks,
Thanks Joe! Always appreciate your comments buddy!
that is one beautiful deck you have built there. I noticed that flashing was not needed due to a pool application. and the lack of a rail system. I never liked relying on the structure for support, which I have done in the past. now I always have posts two or three feet from the structure. thank you for the video.
Great job on that deck. It was a good bit of extra work but it looks like it got hammered out with ease. Appreciate the tips
I just put a 12X24 deck on the back of our house -- and it's awesome! We decided to spring for the cool powder coated aluminum balusters that bow out and look like wrought iron. They look so cool.
Great vid, Matt. Always love your advice.
My deck are 12" on center or less and did it in 1993. The deck is the most solid deck I ever stepped on. Standard deck feels bouncy and flexes too much. It's a pain to put in the nails for the brackets back then with a hammer... not enough room to swing your hammer. Today, just use the pneumatic palm nailer or impact screw gun if you opt for screws designed for joist hangers. Great tips on ground contact lumbers and others. Syrprised you didn't mention roofing membrane and aluminum flashing against the house for water protection.
You can never go wrong with a palm nailer
Well said and so over looked
How awesome. I am literally starting my deck framing for my dream home after Labor Day. 12” OC and joist tape will definitely be on mine! Thanks, Matt!!!
Some of the nicest clean built decking I've seen 👍
Matt,
Not trying to be Bob the builder here, but we primarily focus in roofing and decking. Mfm peel and seal is a great product that can be used to flash a ledger board. This is our go to Product. We will also cut down grace peel and stick.
I like how at 6:15 you said its a little bit optional talking about the tape, while showing joist hangers without the nails being driven all the way.
On ledger boards up against a house I put galvanized flashing that tucks up under the siding and then goes over the joists like an L. Under it is self healing peel and stick window tape and a bead of roofing tar. The boards on top might eventually rot, but they seem to dry out pretty quickly and there's no damage to the ledger/house.
Breathing protection probably good when cutting and making dust with high copper content, I've seen a lot of folks no being careful when removing antifouling bottom paint off boats on other social media feeds
Matt, you should do a video comparing the different types of pressure treated material.
I had to rebuild a section of my deck a couple weeks ago. When I saw this video pop up I was like, "Oh no, what am I going to regret that I did or didn't do"
I actually did all these things. Thank you so much for your videos.
I don't know if this knowledge was from other videos I've seen of yours or if you've just taught this guy to fish. I do know I was thinking moisture control first.
Thanks and keep them coming!
I have personally built decks going on 25 years now, no issues, except for wood decking and railing spindles warpage. Framing, for the most part, is all good. Never used joist tape, or spaced boxes, and sunk all my 4x4's. There is nothing wrong with what you are doing, it's just you have to also give the other side of the coin too. 25 years, and counting, is pretty damn good. Always put ice and water behind my boxes and tamped gravel in the hole, before concrete.
climate is important i think. where im from with snow the posts wouldnt last in the ground any longer than my 2nd marriage
Beautiful deck and I love the view from it, but isn't there any code regulation for a safety railing, due to the height of the deck above the ground?
I’m sure they are gonna add railing next, that is way to high not to.
Code says you have to add railing to any deck that stands more than 30 inches high. Railing is done last, so I am sure they did it but just didn't show it on the video.
Great video. That some heavy and expensive framing. What a solid deck. I'd love to see it 100% complete.
Coming soon!
I dont agree with spacing your deck ledger board 1" off the the house (of what ever structure you are attaching the deck to) this puts all the stress on your bolts. In this case you used all threads which are not as strong sheer value. If you flash and seal the ledger to your structure properly and water/vapor barrier the building being attached to, then you will never have to worry about water getting in there. The bolts are designed to hold the desk from falling outwards not vertically. You should be using a 16D or greater nail or equivalent deck screw (concrete all threads in your case here) to secure it vertically to the structure.
Willis Cooper gotta love forti flash 😂👍👍
Also wondering up north in the winter where areas get freeze thaw freeze winters. Water gets behind there, doesnt drain, freezes and expands. Realize in Texas thats probably not an issue, but alos shows there is more than one correct way to build adeck
Willis Cooper P totally agree. The pressure of the ledger against the structure its connected too helps distribute the weight and a lil construction adhesive helps too... As long as you putthe flashing in rite with a lil clear silicone..... Its the best method by far
I was thinking the same thing. Even 1/8" of spacing puts added torque on the hardware.
The epoxy holding those bolts has me a little concerned. I would still probably bolt from the ledger thru into the structure.
Willis Cooper the sheer strength of the fasteners is much greater than any live or dead loads that be applied. I’ve built decks for 20 years and this is the only way I prefer to build my decks as well. I have pulled MANY decks from homes where the flashing was correctly placed but the ledger board and the band joist had retained water in between them. No one ever thinks that ground water can cause damage but it can. It just takes longer.
@2:44 except building codes (IRC & DCA6) do not allow for brick like that to carry any load except for the weight of the bricks above it.
How come you didn’t install a flashing over top of the ledger board to prevent water from getting in there in the first place?
TSizzle; I agree..Also, the picture of the “ledger board” is shown going in backwards. Should always be “bark side up” so the board curves toward the home-structure. Same for band boards, deck boards. Look at the end grain and imagine the board coming from a tree..It’s easy to see which way the board will cup over time ;-) I’ve seen way too many failures because people don’t know..
Thanks for the info video. I live in NC and on the process of replacing my house 2x 10 outer band and even replacing the second inner 2x10 in some area ! My deck is 12x60 ft long 🙁 they rotted from the ledger board flashing
Nice deck, you should however buy your guys a string line and show them how to use it. A keen eye will spot the bows in the installed deck boards (Pause at 7:17 and look at the furthest end, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th boards from the outside edge are installed like bananas).
Yeah horrendous
Replacing my rotted siding and ledger board now. The idiot that built the deck nailed the ledger board to the house and never flashed or anything. These are all great tips that I plan to follow. Especially the Deck to Wall 5/8” ledger spacers.
Great work, that deck is going to last a lifetime!
Thanks for your show Matt and thanks for the research you do on best products and practices
I am going to hang LUS46 hangers off my fascia board, do I:
1) Apply deck tape sandwiched between the fascia and the backside of the hanger? (will be using SDS screws)
or
2) Wrap the 4x6 beam in deck tape prior to setting it directly inside the hanger?
That’s a mighty fine looking deck!
Matt, I am building a second floor deck and want dry space underneath without doing a under deck solution. Do you have a video for insulation. Thanx
Great building UA-cam channel that I pass on to family and friends!
I live in upstate RAIN DOOM AND GLOOM New York, and I built a pressure treated 12x20 deck with 4x4's planted into the ground at the frost line (almost 3 feet deep) with 2x8 pressure treated joists 1 foot off the ground with pres treated 1x6x12 deck boards and they were NAILED with twist nails treated 2" and guess what? 34 years later, outside of normal fading to gray.....the deck looks like the day it was built. Not one board had to be replaced, no sagging, had enormously huge phat.....aunts and uncles all over it over the years, no "edge taping sealing", not extra treating over the years of the deck boards, no railings warping or getting loose, stairs look the day they went in. Nothing. Plain, old fashioned carpentry. OH, and 16" on center joists. No special "Yellawood" sold here or back then. Just...whatever Lowes was selling. Go figure.
chivone21 that’s how I build shit these guys building decks like this now days are paying way to much money for materials no one can afford this shit for high end inspections
The pressure treated wood you used 34 years ago is not the same that we use now. It was better back then. In 2004 the EPA banned the chemicals used to treat the old wood which is why these newer decks rot faster. Also, Yellawood is not some new company - they have been in the pressure treated business since the 70's.
I’ve actually used roofing tar on my post and painted on heavily and then let it set up on it so that it’s almost dry then I put it in the hole And poured concrete around it and made sure that the concrete was below the top of the roof and Tara my posts and that’s given me over 20 years of life already counting what are your thoughts on that if you ever seen it?
Easy to tips and tricks etc etc That’s a great tip. I always do that to. Submerged posts have WAY less flex than than using those post stirrups
Joist tape here in Australia is code. Great video.
I’d love to see some fence tips. How would you set posts if not the standard hole with concrete? I’m debating between doing a fairly large fence by myself or paying for some of the work.
See my reply just above your comment on Robert Stark for some information
Awesome video Matt. Just in time for me and an upcoming deck we'll be building. I look forward to all your videos.
Going 12" oc is so little extra money to have a deck with no bounce. Most decks you are talking 3 extra joists. Glad to see you show the joist tape in higher rain and snow conditions this is another inexpensive product with longevity. I have seen pressure treated framing rot in 2 years using above grade contact. I would only frame a deck with a ground contact product.
If it's composite deck boards you'll need it
it's one extra board for every 4 feet of deck.
it depends on the width of the board. It's better to have 2x10 16OC than 2x8s 12"OC ... way stronger the first one.
The chemicals and or salts from the pool will splash over the edge onto the galvanized hangers and bolts and cause them to deteriorate pretty quickly. They definitely will not last the 30-40 years you claim.
This is a very important point that really needs addressing.I have seen many near pool structures affected by corrosion that have obviously been built to normal standards with no thought given to the corrosive environment.
huh, never been in a salty pool before
Ryan Mader You’ve never been in a salty pool before? I’m not sure what that even means? You’ve never heard of them? Where I’m from salt pools & chlorine pools are 50/50. And yes, this guy should absolutely not have used gal hardware near a pool environment.
@doc hall you got that right! the guy who builds the thing is the most important engineer of all, because he's the last guy that makes the final decision on the specific material and hardware before its permanent, if you want shit done properly, do it yourself.
They should have all been STAINLESS
I've been watching several videos related to how built a deck , and you put all of them in one great video , nice job CAMO ( from old house great school) also one guy use deck spacers for the ledger
in a 6 x 8 shed will the doors open wide enough for a riding lawnmower?
Any tips for making plumb supports to bottome plates that are anchored, I just cannot see how the measurements are presice enough to be able to tighten the plate down, without having to kick it around to get it plumb, and hammering the dam tekko nails thrown it off two
Have two decks 30 yrs old. Posts are still not rotten.
I have used left over ice and water shield from roofing jobs to do the same thing as the joist tape.
Was rebar added to the piers? If so, how many per pier and what thickness was the rebar?
As a drafter I'm taking your tips and running with it for all future projects that I do
Thanks Man, that's really a high compliment! Matt
LOVE those Camo Edge Fasteners!!!
How do you recommend attaching a deck to a brick veneer home. I have seen the simpson strong tie brackets designed to prevent loading of the veneer. What other options are there or can you recommend?
For mine I opened not to attach it to the house at all. No matter what you do it will want to move with the frost heave and I want to allow for that free movement instead of possibly pulling out bricks or something.
Matt...beautiful project!
Do you have any tips for not being on the "fix " the build crew, where someone took it to gaptown....
Have done a video on building decks using pedestal systems like Eurotech or Bison?
I hope you address stringer split. Every deck stair I see have the stringers split where to treads are screwed on typically splitting down to the riser portion. I suppose you could use end grain sealer on both cuts as well as joist tape under the tread. Anything else to keep the stringers/treads solid?
Worst timing ever... just yesterday I finished extending my current 6x24 deck out to 18x24. Now Matt tells me how I should have done it 😭. If only this video had dropped last week...
The good news, the first 3 of the 5 tips I did anyway, and while I agree in theory with putting peel and stick on top of the joists I think it’s probably overkill (the existing 6x24 deck I built in 1988 without any joist protection and it’s still in excellent shape) and while 12” centers may be needed for Trex-like products, I’m using real wood decking and 30 years experience shows that 16” centers are fine in this application. Not saying that either tip is a bad idea, just that I’m ok with the fact that I didn’t do it.
The more I think about it, I suspect I *will* use joist protection if I ever build another deck...
John Early from my past 40 years experience in deck framing and tearout John is that if your deck is one that is in an area where water escapes quickly and your not in s rainforest type of environment meaning your not like my buddies deck on his cabin I just rebuilt that is in the Appalachian Mountains under a large canopy of mountains and it rains nearly ever day and it is literally a rain forest. In that application, following all of Matt’s recommendations really makes sense. But if your building a deck outside of San Antonio Texas and there is no tree cover close by and you only get 12” of rain a year then it’s not going to be as critical that all steps are followed so it sounds like your gonna be fine brother. You have the experience and knowledge to build a sound structure but it is nice to have Matt in our corner because he constantly makes us think and he brings awareness to new products that may take us another 3 years to hear about from our local lumberyards. I wish he would have been doing this 20 years ago but I, like you, always overbuild and go to the extreme and my projects still stand tall!!
Keep driving those nails john and thank you Matt for all the awesome info each week, homeowners all over the country are benefiting vastly because of you Matt, thank you!!!
16" centers feels bouncy with most decking products if you weigh over 180lbs. It's safe, nothing wrong structurally, but if you want a firm feel when walking, especially with guests, I'd recommend 12"
That also depends on what kind of post spacing you've got. Posts more closely spaced means 16" OC is firm as a rock.
My deck uses joists on 16" with Timbertech composite and it has a *tiny* amount of bounce, but it's only noticeable to me because I built it. Everyone who comes over thinks its rock solid. If you're using solid wood, you're absolutely fine. The issue comes if someone wants to run diagonally - then 12" OC is needed.
@@burtosis it also depends on what type of 2x lumber are you using for joists. 2x10 spaced 16OC is way stronger than 2x8s 12"OC
That a really nice change of pace on the insulation show
Stay tuned for a framing walk through on Friday!
Have you ever put stone or tile on the surface of a deck with a water proofing material under the tile over plywood?
Ditra system
What materials did you use for that invisible rail? 100% air or is it a mixture?
the homeowners probably already fell off....
In my opinion azek makes one of the best deck products I’ve ever seen
Actually, I can think of one reason why it might not necessarily be a good idea to use the more heavily copper impregnated, ground- contact lumber for all parts of a deck. I suspect that the ground-contact Lumber , with more than double the copper content, might be more corrosive and likely to interact with the Fasteners used. It might be best to use stainless fasteners everywhere if the entire deck is built of ground- contact rated, pressure-treated lumber. I foresee a problem with that approach as well, which is that your Simpson Strong-Tie joist hangers and other similar joist hangers for building decks are made of galvanized steel, so now you've got stainless Fasteners being used on galvanized steel joist hangers with heavily copper impregnated decking. Especially in a damp climate, this could be quite a recipe for hastening galvanic corrosion and leading to eventual structural weakening.
I am curious about your thoughts regarding fence installation with pressure-treated wood. Would you simply stick the fence posts in the ground and surround them with concrete or fasten them to a concrete pier that’s been put in place? Is it overkill? Is it not going to give you the rigidity you need in a fence?
There are a few methods for wood fence. Tried and true is setting into concrete, preferably encapsulating the post bottom completely. If possible, crown the concrete just slightly above ground level. If not, then a very shallow layer of soil, approximately 2" is plenty for grass to grow. There are companies that make steel channel posts with custom brackets for mounting your 2x rails on. We have used they handful of times but mostly the ol' 4x4 is the customer's choice. A Fence post is usually much easier and less cost prohibitive to replace than a direct buried deck post, plus the fact that a deck will support the weight of your family so it needs to be sound for a long time. Been around the Fence business since I was knee high to a grasshopper and doing home remodeling for about 10 years now. It's always interesting to see new methods and new products to better serve our customers. So never stop learning!
risinger said putting the post incapsulated in concrete isnt good. so maybe a small footer and a post bracket on top?
@@baltimoreace for a deck, setting the post like you would a fence is NOT the accepted common practice. The longevity of the most important part of the deck structure must be much better than a fence. Plus, decks can stay damp underneath it, I know it does under mine facing the North. Yet a fence post unless shaded by trees will see much more airflow and dry much quicker than deck framing. Generally a Fence post available now will last here in the Midwest will last 10-15 years easy, closer to 20 really. It's usually the rest or the frame work (when using treated material) that will give up sooner than the 4x4. If a person is really concerned about longevity, the steel channel post with brackets or even a round tube steel fence post with appropriate brackets would be the way to go. Or there are products out there like this too. www.jeften.com/products/versapost/compare.php. But it ultimately comes down to how much someone is willing to spend
look for pressure treated wood rated for soil ground contact.
Hey Matt! Love your content, thanks for sharing. We moved into a home in the Wimberley area and have a second floor deck with suspect framing. Do you have any recommendations for a local company that services Hill Country to inspect and reinforce a second-floor deck with a primary focus on safety and sound construction principles?
What if the end grain sealer seals up the moisture at the bottom of the post, not allowing the water and moisture to drain out of the bottom, causing premature rot? So many possibilities. Thanks for this video and making us think outside the box
Matt, can you please add the link for those spacers you mentioned?
Sorry. Links in Description now.
ynpmoose home cheepo 😂
Matt Risinger sorry matt..Greay work tho thank you!
Would have loved to see that space under the deck made usable. Imagine a sloped pavement, LED lighting from the stone to deck joint seam, a couple of beanbags, a small spiral stair on the side of the deck from above to down below, and a bottle of wine overlooking that view.
But at the very least, make it look attractive from the water.
How did you get away with no railing? Does it basically count as a dock?
Agreed but not with ledger spacing! Vinyl flashing and drip cap done right works great 👍
I think of all the decks I've f'd up over the years lol. I've never used joist tape and I work in Seattle! Yikes!!! Although rot only occurs if it dries out so since it's always rainy I might be okay
I noticed you used joist hangers on the end of the deck. Is it not better to have them sit on top of the end beam?
should i use pressure treated for a cabin foundation?
Great deck tips, but is there a security fence for the deck?
What’s that tool ur worker used to keep screws firmly still while drilling it in?
camo
I found this video super interesting and helpful. Thanks
Would you recommend just using posts instead of attaching a deck to a house? I am thinking for sealing a house about not attaching it to the house and just use the posts and footers. Any thoughts?
That deck is amaze-balls but I can not imagine how expensive it was
Matt, what do you think about 2x6’s for decking boards vs. regular decking boards... Obviously, if they can afford the composite, that’s the ultimate better way to do it...
I really like a 2x6 Cedar or Redwood deck. Fells and looks awesome. Some of the composite decks feel fake to me.
You kill me Risinger. Lol "Onnnnn! The Build Show!" Lol Great video. Thank you for the input! Would not have thought to put the spacers between the ledger and deck frame so that wood can air out. That definitely makes sense.
He's like a 12 year old when he says that and its getting really old!!
What is the tool they are using for the hidden screws?
I would guess Camo fastening, or something similar
You can treat wood as much as you want it still will rot away in the end. Had it with my deck which became a death trap before I rebuilt it. Used recycled plastic wool and composit decking material. Seen plenty backyard fixes with wood on TV. Want to see what they look like in 5 years. Guaranteed not the same.
Thanks for the helpful video! It is my understanding that stainless steel washers on galvanised bolts will cause some pretty nasty galvanic corrosion, and rust stains. Why not just use galvanised washers?
If using the dry decking material for a under the deck dry install how do you keep the water from getting behind the ledger board?
Dude, you were awesome in Hi-de-hi! And you developed an American accent... and moved to America... and got younger.
Hey +Matt Risinger quick question... What tape would you advise? I used Grace Vycor in a section of my deck 2 years ago and wasn't impressed with the sticking ability. I was at Lowes the other day and ran into the normal Zip Flashing Tape that it's used to tape the Zip board seams and that thing seemed to be sticky as hell. As you would say "tenaciously sticky" ... I was wondering if one could use that? it seemed to be a good alternative and actually cheaper.
Question, When using 12" on center spacing do your carpenters use a track saw to make sure the joist don't have to high of crowns causing uneven floor decking.
Is it sad that I watch this channel sooo much...that I already knew all of this?
Do you use NADRA certified contactors for your deck builds? The statistics on injury and death from deck, porch and railing collapse is staggering.
In nz we would use stainless steel everywhere for that deck it close to ocean and will get wet from pool water with its chemicals.. really like the joist tape would a dpc plastic stapled on do the same? Thinkn cost 👍 nice tips cheers
Yeah I'm building a deck right now in Dunedin, NZ. Was thinking to use DPC plastic on the joists, its a bit foreign for builders here to do that on a deck. Maybe our weather isn't rainy/consistenly damp enough to warrant it. Only difference I can see between DPC plastic and the decking/flashing tape is that if you make a penetration (i.e. nail/screw) the tape will seal up against the screw, whereas the DPC might just split a bit and let water sit between the joist and bottom of DPC... Where are you building in NZ?
Others have pointed out that he should have used SS because of pool chemicals, but rest assured...Matt's working in the Austin, TX area. That "ocean" is Lake Travis. Not salt water. :)
min 5:59 what kind of tool is that
Great tips and great work with the video! Very well explained.
Whats the name of the tool you use to secure the deck boards on a 45 degree angle on the sides?
Matt, When i google on iron deck post i can’t seem to find them? where can i order the iron deck posts? And did you ever use helical piles? Thank you! You’re channel is awesome👊🏻 🙂
What was that screw guide tool for toe nailing the decking boards down?
That's a CAMO deck fastener. We are working on a fastener video to follow this video up and we'll be showing off the Camo system. Stay tuned!
Nice, clean workmanship. But did you use deck hold downs, or a deck tension device? Or do the steel post columns mitigate the possibility of the deck pulling away from the structure?
1) Ground contact PT 2) Ledger board spacer 3) Concrete pier above grave w/ metal post base 4) Joist tape though optional for dry climates 5) Joist spacing 12"
When attaching a ledger to a house, if you use flashing over it should you still use a spacer?
Matt, I have important questions for you that are on my mind. Firstly, thanks for the tutorial
You provided a couple great tips which I hadn't known about. As the son of a mechanical engineer and myself a micro-mechanical engineer (virtually the same principles) I'd always been a builder and would just for educational purposes and fun would often bat the ball back and forth with my dad about all kinds of builds.
However, again I have a question for you, a specialist in the field and not some know-it-all weekend warriors, whom I'm sure will feel compelled to weigh in on nonetheless.
My question for you Matt, and for Matt alone, revolves around that I have never believed in the wisdom of tying in a deck into the inner beams of a house where you can't see the nature of how they're holding up over the many years lifetime of a properly, well built tie-in deck. Where I live there are indigenous aggressive termites well known about by the home builders before they built but not by me since I came from another town. However, here you put the deck tie-ins into the admittedly robust walls of a swimming pool on a hill. Beside what little that we could see of the exterior of the bolts what type of terminal ends were anchored into the side of the swimming pool walls, was the bolting system made of a non-rusting material, how deep did they go in and what do you think of the wisdom of putting stress concentrating points in a vital pool wall which previously was uniform (as much as it can be) in a swimming pool where each gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds. The weight of the water and the pull on the wall of the deck represent quite a bit of potential energy. If the deck should be used for purposes unplanned for, eg. too many people crowding on it, their jumping up and down such as at a fourth of July display (yes, I've seen this filmed and the deck collapsing) and or the owners (or next owners if sold) deciding to build on it, eg. a stone hearth or cooking grill, etc.will all the tie-ins embedded hold up against that degree of extra pull and especially not combine with the weight of the water at new stress concentrating points? Beside the loss of aesthetics, would you not do better by adding vertical 6x6 inch supports next to the pool and possibly adding some under deck cross bracing between 6x6's proximal to one another? If you don't have time to answer all these questions, I'd very much appreciate knowing the mechanics of the bolt tie-ins to the pool wall and if they're not merely galvanized but rust proof. Also, how would you calculate the number of tie-in bolts needed?
I'd greatly appreciate it if you could shine some light on the parts of the build which you didn't cover in your otherwise very good presentation. Thanks!
Most of the weight would be down wards , so it's more a question of sheer strength of the fasteners. Wall looks pretty thick, and would have re-bar/ trimmer bars.
🤦🏻♂️ 😆
Matt, I noticed the finished deck board layout is picture framed and has a mid span design to it... was this design driven or product driven? I seem to have noticed more builders doing this with composite decking due to the inherent movement.
Another great video.
butt joints on decks is ugly.... hence the picture frame.
also with new deck products coming in only a couple length options the picture frame reduces waste
Thanks ...Matt???
I think the viewpoint on but joints are relative.
Not Matt but but joints never ever ever ever line up in at least one plane. If nothing else I think it looks like a custom job, not we used cut off and scabbed it together even if it is top of the line work.
Haha. If the cut ends never line up wouldn’t that mean the material itself is irregular in widths?
@@scottbledsoe6918 not at all. It could be as simple as you tighten one side a little more than. The other or that joist underneath has developed a bow or one of the boards are longer so expand at different rates or one side is in the sun........
I think mostly I just don't like but joints. Anytime I see one I say to myself to bad they didn't plan that better. My personal pet peeve is siding with a vertical board every so often. Just looks cheep to my eye.
What’s the brand and color of these deck boards? Thank you.
yellawood
What about fall protection? Guard rails and FAS for workers.
Allen Stein At what point would you put guard rails up for workers? I think with the pool next to them, each worker should have a scuba mask and oxygen tank just in case they were to fall in 😉
PFD would work
Marvelous video! Thanks man
Do you put any space between the top boards?