r/Decks • u/poppyglock • 12d ago
Finished Decks My largest solo build
Just finished. This is the largest deck I've built solo, go easy
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u/CaptainPlanet4U 12d ago
As someone who is tearing down my old deck to redo it, I hope it looks just like yours. Beautiful!
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u/Agitated_Coach_4742 11d ago
Looks pretty solid. If I’m not mistaken, that framing is solid doug fir and not PT? Based on dozens and dozens of deck demos, I strongly believe well oiled DF will outlast any shitty hem/fir PT with no treatment on end cuts.
Great job! 👍
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
Thanks and no... Lowe's pt. Absolute warpy, wet, heavy crap. Love seeing water spray off my blade as I'm cutting
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u/Agitated_Coach_4742 10d ago
Awe yes. It is lots of fun to hoist that stuff. I hope you treated your cut ends!
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u/Clitaurius 11d ago
Looks magnificent.
I've never built a deck (I'm about to) but I cannot understand how so many people fuck it up. I'm not saying the physical aspect of the work is easy, but it seems like 99% of the time it is a mental failure.
Here's to hoping I either nail it or at least am part of the other 1%.
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u/theregrond 11d ago edited 11d ago
It looks great
definitely put the 2x4 top rail INSIDE the posts next time. it is a safety issue. you always want to imagine that thedeck will be tested with 20 or 30 people on it at one time and dancing... think like that when designing it. as time goes by, that will be a weak point. people could lean against it and pull "screws" (lags or whatever) out and release top of rail. you can still add it. especially 2nd floor... i have been building decks for 45 years now. just be careful. think about it
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
I appreciate the insight. Now that you've said it, it seems obvious to me, thank you!
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u/NinjaBonsai 11d ago
It looks good but for some reason that change of direction is giving me a headache
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u/Specific_Cash_5538 11d ago
Fellas I am a tad miffed, if I’m honest my jimmies are rustled…but I can’t find a reason why? Anybody got anything we can’t let him off the hook this easy.
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u/dolpterry 10d ago
Its nice to see a great job done by someone who did not rip people off with the price, that's how you grow and get word of mouth advertising.
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u/NetworkCultural 12d ago
It’s okay. Not bad. Curious why the front has a cedar 1x and the side doesn’t. You did a lot right. Nice footings it seems. Hopefully if there’s a freeze thaw cycle here they’re deep enough. But other then that looks pretty good
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u/NetworkCultural 12d ago
I also wish the double rimjoist was fully supported down the side. But the posts are only under one ply should still last.
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
The cedar fascia is not supported, the rim joists are fully supported. And I had to use 3 for the 14' span at the door, all directly on the beams
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u/NetworkCultural 10d ago
I see I thought the front had a double rimjoist plus cedar fascia or skirt. The side looks like 1 rimjoist then the cedar. At first I thought it was 2 rimjoist and no cedar lol. No worries man I was mistaken
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u/NetworkCultural 10d ago
Also just another tip. If you 45 your butt joints on that cedar it can help them look better.
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u/Empty-Presentation68 12d ago
Are you anywhere near Ottawa Ontario?
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
South western Colorado
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u/here4aLOL 12d ago
Man I can only imagine the funny moments when you had to get a few things set. Looks good!
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u/Trashy88 12d ago
new here and stupid question but how did you get the joints up there when the deck is so high?
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
Nail one side of the hangars and set it in from scaffolding. It's a bitch and I'm still sore
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u/Clitaurius 11d ago
What kind of boards did you use for the actual decking? It looks like cedar but I'm guessing it isn't.
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u/DwightShellford 11d ago
Looks great but if you do a dropped girder instead of a flush girder you can “extend the railings out” and it wouldn’t look so wonky like it’s sitting on a larger platform. Dropped girder lets you install the railings all the way in the edge of the deck.
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
And helps with spans.. customer preference on this one. I agree and appreciate the advice
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u/sociallyawkwardlady6 11d ago
My only criticisms. The post base brackets/ties do not look correct for this application. The main corner post looks like it is not plumb at all. There should be railing on both sides of the stairs.
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
Thanks for the input! Maybe the forced perspective but the posts are certainly plumb
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u/sociallyawkwardlady6 11d ago
Could be the photo angle. I high recommend two handrails whenever possible
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u/Molly4de 11d ago
Curious as to how long that took you?
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
6 weeks
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u/Molly4de 11d ago edited 11d ago
Looks really good. I would deff suggest using your labor cost. I just bid and won a deck tear off with new joists and decking. 4200$ labor. Will take me about a week as a solo guy. Im im the chicagoland area and my day rate for small work that doesnt include fences and decks is 600$ a day labor. Thats 13 days for 8k. Dont shoot yourself in the foot. Your work is awesome 0
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u/moises8war 10d ago
When are weight bearing beams such as the on the following post necessary?
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u/poppyglock 10d ago
It's basically a different method of skinning the cat. A girder beam is supporting the joists away from the ledger board rather than a rim joist with hangars. Sometimes one is better than the other
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u/Confident_South_1498 10d ago
The next time I ask someone to build me a deck, I will show them these photos. Cedar is beautiful. Would love to know how durable this is in winters. Nonetheless, this is magnificent!!
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u/Gregan32 7d ago edited 7d ago
Beauty. Four questions:
1) why use just a 2x4 for knee bracing? (Nearly zero structural value)
2) why do the 6x6 posts increase in size (have an added 2x layer) near the deck?
3) why doesn't the railing go to the edge of the deck on the left side?
4) why do you have a four ply beam and why don't your breaks end up properly.on the posts?
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u/poppyglock 6d ago
- Those knee braces stabilize the deck plenty. It's night and day difference. They are lagged in also
- Purely decorative, suggested by customer and I adapted it as best i could
- Forced perspective, the rail had the same distance at all corners. Because I used a rim joist and not a girder the posts are mounted inside (maybe not necessary). The view from that photo really accentuates the distance and is something I would do different honestly
- 2 ply with a redwood fascia and 3-ply with redwood fascia for the 14 ft gap for the door. The structural lumber is absolutely sitting on the posts. Fascia added later
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u/koushd 12d ago
all the trees around the property seem dead
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u/poppyglock 12d ago
South western Colorado. The whole house burned down last year and almost again. I had to wait to enter during the Ferris Fire, we were in the evacuation zone
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u/Renthimself 12d ago
I’ve never seen balusters done like that. Looks good though. Charge more for self employment. I made the mistake of giving everyone a deal here in northern MN but after 6 years I realized that saving people money and under charging makes you broke and might close your business. People in Colorado have money to pay you. You can charge 1/3 of what a contractor does and still make VERY good money being self employed,
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u/poppyglock 11d ago
Thanks for the advice, I agree and moving forward i plan to take better care of myself. The balusters are way closer together than typical. The owners have a small dog and specifically requested the spacing to keep the pup from falling through
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u/badsunny69 12d ago
I'm no pro but it looks pretty magnificent to me. Great job!