Positioning Vinyl Posts How Far From Edge On Wood Deck

We recommend attaching the posts to concrete footers above the ground.

Positioning vinyl posts how far from edge on wood deck.

First off mark where deck posts will stand in the yard. Attach them to the posts following the ground contour. Beams sometimes called girders should be two wood boards or steel posts of the proper thickness consult your local building code and plans. Typically this is 16 inches on center measured from the center of one joist to the center of the next.

Starting with your perimeter mark the location of each deck post to locate the fitting position. Some builders position them every 4 feet for a completely rigid frame. With posts outside the joists the simplest approach is to use two posts at each corner held back far enough to line up with the second joist about 12 to 16 inches from the corner. Deck railings must be a minimum of 36 inches high from the deck floor to the cap rail.

Set footers a minimum of 6 below the frost line for your area to prevent movement during freezing temperatures. Affix the boards together and use a waterproofing membrane for wood along the top edge to keep water from between the boards. Longer stringers can span two or more posts. The maximum distance between footings is determined by the size of your joist material.

In this situation the soil under each deck footing may be called upon to support 3 000 plus pounds. There are several ways to set deck posts. In general posts should be spaced no more than 8 feet apart. Most backyard decks using wooden posts rely on the 5 to 8 feet average for the post spacing but modern advancements in deck building now allow for metal posts as well as composite posts to be used in place of traditional wood.

Be sure to alternate joints on different posts and not have any joints on the gate posts. The type of post you use can also affect the spacing between posts. Posts on the outside set back from corner. As with any deck remember that any deck that is 2 feet or more above the ground must have a railing system.

Typically you ll need one for each 2 feet of post height. This helps to prevent wooden posts from rotting. The top rails extend beyond the posts to meet at the corner see detail below left. Lay the beams on top of the posts in the beam brackets.

If you re installing parting boards in the middle of the deck start marking the joist spacing from the center of the beams working toward the end joists. They draw the baluster up closer to the deck edge and make a slightly firmer joint than surface mounted posts. If the balusters will run horizontally along your deck the 4 by 4 railing posts cannot be more that 6 feet apart.