Floor Joist Close To Ground

How do i support them.

Floor joist close to ground. In some places the joists will actually touch the soil. 1 the higher up above ground your house is the less ground moisture is a problem though uplift and wind wash become bigger issues. If the floor of your house is close to the ground if you need to keep a deck low to avoid an overhead obstacle or if you just want to create a dry flat freestanding surface away from the house the techniques on these two pages should offer a solution. In any area where there is wind simpson ties are important to join the beam to the post and the joists to the beam.

I want to build a deck close to the ground. For a simple rectangular ground level deck all you may need to visualize it is to lay out a string line with stakes to get the sense of the size. So he has two rot fighting tips for deck owners and builders. I realize that the joists can t just rest on the ground.

Ground level decks are known to stump. First they allow the wood to get wet over and over again as rain drips through the deck boards over the joists and into the drainage system below. Do try to leave at least a few inches of clearance though th facilitate air flow so it doesn t get too soggy underneath. Should i install a vapor barrier under the deck.

Under deck drainage systems that are mounted below the joists cause damage in three ways. You can bury concrete post piers to act as your actual piers as well. With some structures floor joists are required to be 12 or 24 inches apart on center. The distance between the centers of the tops of two adjacent joists.

Wood joists stay wet when a deck drainage system is installed below the joists. To find the actual distance between the inside edges of each adjacent floor joist subtract 1 inches from either 12 or 24 inches. He sees it all the time. Joist hangers would be fine.

But when building a deck that low i d suggest you also consider a patio instead. This sample table gives minimum floor joist sizes for joists spaced at 16 inches and 24 inches on center o c for 2 grade lumber with 10 pounds per square foot of dead load and 40 pounds of live load which is typical of normal residential construction. Builders can adjust their choice of lumber size and spacing depending on circumstances. Deck joists rotting from the top edge down because the deck boards and debris keep them damp for weeks after rain.

When measuring keep in mind that the typical deck joist spacing is 16 o c. What are the best decking fasteners to use. Low decks are sometimes a choice and other times a necessity.