Building a deck onto a multi-story tower or a shingled turret is a completly diferent beast than your standard backyard platform. Most people underestimate the weight load when you're wrapping around a vertical structure with weathered wood or historic siding. You have to ensure your ledger boards are rock solid against the main frame, expecially if you're dealing with older architectural details like gables or arched window frames. I learned the hard way that if you don't account for the wind shear at that height, the whole thing will creak like a ghost ship. When you're designing the staircase for a tower deck, keep the footprint tight but the support heavy. Use galvanized hardware for every single joint becuase those exposed heights get hammered by the elements way more than a ground-level porch. If you're working with a structure that has unique stained glass or custom trim, leave a small gap for expansion so you don't crack the casing when the wood swells in the humidity. It takes more patience to cut those angles, but the view from the top is worth the extra labor. Just don't rush the flashing around those shingles or you'll be chasing leaks for years.
Tips for building turret decks that nobody talks about
Aug 16, 2026
Last reply: 21 hours ago
4 Replies
I did a wrap-around on a Victorian turret three years ago and the wind shear you mentioned is no joke. We used Simpson Strong-Tie DTT2Z tension ties to relly pull that ledger into the rim joists becasue those old 1890s studs can be brittle. I found that instead of a tight staircase, we had to go with a custom spiral steel frame to save weight. The load on those Victorian cantilevered sections is terrifying if you don't distribute it right. On the flashing, I ended up using Grace Vycor Pro around the shingle transition. It took forever to layer it right against the curved wall, but it’s the only way to sleep when the rain hits those high gables. One thing I’d add: watch the spacing between the deck boards and the turret siding. I left about a half-inch gap and filled it with a high-flex sealant so the expansion didn't pop the cedar shingles. It wasn't the easiest project, but looking out over the valley with a coffee makes the three weeks of head-scratching feel like a win.
This sounds like such an epic project! I'm just starting to plan my first small platform, so reading about Victorian turrets and wind shear is blowing my mind. The view must be incredible from that high up. Does anyone here have experiance with built-in lighting for these types of heights? I was wondering if those fancy recessed LED strips hold up against the crazy wind and rain you guys are talking about, or if they just flicker out after the first big storm.
You kids and your Simpson catalogs. Back when I did the Miller tower in '88, we were trough-bolting with 3/4 inch galv bolts and custom 6x6 steel backing plates inside the wall becuase you couldn't trust those old balloon frames to hold a modern screw. For the curve, we didn't have flexible composite; we’d soak cedar 1x12s in a makeshift trough for two days just to get them to wrap that radius without splintering the grain. As for the lighting, skip the fancy LED strips. They'll flicker out after two winters at that height. I always preferred low-voltage copper lanterns bolted straight to the posts. They age with the wood and actually handle a gale without snapping off.
Quick update—I decided to go with the trough-bolting and steel backing plates that were mentioned. Those brittle 1890s studs realy didn't like the tension ties as much as I hoped. It’s way more solid now, but it got me thinking: for those of you working with balloon frames, are you adding extra blocking inside to prevent the wall from bowing under the load?
Join the Discussion
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask the community — no account required