Do they make 6 inch concrete blocks?

[Harry K]

Yep. 23 posts and I am the only one who even answered his question. From Post 2 on it is all criticism of how he "screwed up".

Harry K

[jamesgangnc]

Go outside and look at the difference between your front porch or steps and the door transom. It's often several inches. People deal with it. They don't even know they are dealing with it, it's just instinctive.

[jamesgangnc]

Decks are not required to be attached to the house. Some people prefer to build them that way as it avoids opening the house siding to attach the deck frame. Again you don't know what you are talking about.

Even if he lives in a location that requires tie downs he can simply get some tie downs and add them to comply with local code. Without changing his deck at all.

[The Daring Dufas]

In the case of a deck, things might be different because many people use their back deck for entertainment, outdoor cooking, etc and the deck is often pretty much level with the door which is often a kitchen door. My front door has a drop of 6" to the top step of 7. My back deck/porch is level with the interior floor on the other side of the sliding glass door. I'm glad because there is less chance of me tripping when I carry a big pan of pieces of lifeless animal carcasses to the grill. ^_^

TDD

[hallerb]

I want a cite that decks dont need to be attached to the building.....

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

am I reading this correctly; p1- #5 "Decks off cantilevered houses require deck joists to either be run to the bearing wall or be supported independently"

Sounds to me like a deck can be independently supported.

Jim

[jamesgangnc]

Sure, if you have a sliding glass door. But if you have a hinged exterior door that opens outward and you live in the north you better have a few inches of drop or you will have the problem that the original poster came here with. Before you accused him of having a shoddy deck without having any facts.

[The Daring Dufas]

Excuse me?! I didn't accuse anyone of anything, you may be getting your posts mixed up there feller. I would appreciate it if you would point out where you think I may have been nasty to the OP which is something I never do, even when arguing politics. :-)

TDD

[jamesgangnc]

What can I say, I mix up the two of you up. You had the heat tape idea.

[hallerb]

#6 deck ledger boards must be bolted to the home and footer must be at least 42 inches deep to minimize freeze heaving.....

[Harry K]

Yep, when I had my front stoop/steps poured I made the mistake of making it level with the 'entry'. Big mistake. I for sure was smart enough not to do that on the patio side.

Harry K

[Jim Elbrecht]

independently"

>

Only the inspector knows for sure- but I think #5 is saying that 'independently supported' is a possibility.

*If* there is a ledger board involved, it must comply with #6.

Jim

[plharris]

1. Its a trailer house
2. The deck is attached to the house with two L-brackets, one on each side.
3. The deck cant pull away from the house because the bottom steps in front have eye bolts under the bottom step with rebar driven in the ground.
4. I'm not worried about resale value. I dont plan to move.
5. I'm not woried about inspections, it's a farm house and when this trailer first arrived I only had concrete block steps. The inspector only checked to see if I had a smoke detector, said they dont inspect trailers any more than that.
6. How could I put heat tape in treated 2x6 deck boards.
7. The deck is still too high. I built it level with the house floor. The threshold is an inch above the floor. Deck lifted a little during the winter. Ice dripped off awning above door, froze on the snow, I could not get out the door. Had to use rear door.
8. Deck is only 7x10 feet. I built it on the lawn and set it in place with the tractor. Steps were added later. I can lift with tractor again, or just jack it up an inch to change blocks. Step stringers will have to be cut off 2" on bottom. Not a problem it's all screwed together.

[plharris]

WOW, a 24" fall. Damnit, I could be killed I better spend $47,569.99 to rebuild it so it cant fall off the 3 stacked blocks which cant move anyhow, and the bottom block is halfway in the ground, with cement pad under that. Oddly enough, my whole traielr house sets on stacked concrete blocks, which is how they are installed by the pros.

At least I'm not like my neighbor who had a bad floor in his trailer and both he and his wife are very large. While having sex, their bed went thru the floor..... Two legs on the headboard end went right down thru the floor. Then the bed boards came detached from the headboard. Now that's something to FEAR !!!!! When he called me to come and help him fix the floor, and said his bed went thru the floor, I cracked up laughing..... He didnt think it was so funny !!!

[plharris]

As soon as I get a check from you for $47,569.99, I'll do just that....

When can I expect this check?

[hallerb]

actually the cost to disassemble it and rebuild properly wouldnt be that much money.

new hardware mostly and add footers

[Ed Pawlowski]

independently"

>

So, if I wanted to build a deck in the middle of a field, I'd have to built a house along side to support it?

[hallerb]

no then it would be a free standing structure, but would still require proper footings

[Harry K]

Nice try but the backbiters will find something else to nit pick :). You did see my post? Yes, they make 6" block.

Hard to believe that there are 43 posts and only one answered your question.

Harry K

[Harry K]

Facts really suck for you don't they?

Harry K