Help with deck post & beam connection
kevreh
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m kind of stuck and don’t know how to proceed. How can I mechanically fasten the corner of my deck to the 6×6 posts? Its a beefy set of rim joists (3-2x12s on the front and 2-2x12s on the side). Engineer specd’ this because its supporting a screened porch.
My two options are-
– Use a Simpson product. Problem is this will be a special order product.
– Rig something with metal strapping. Not sure what the “sound” way to do this is.
– Add a beam under the rim joist and attach to post with of the shelf Simpson brackets from Home Depot. Would like to avoid this since I’ll have 2 sets of 2x12s stacked, may be ugly.
Thoughts?
Thanks-
Kevin
Replies
I would have notched the post on the two sides with the joists, and ran the top of the post flush with the top of the beams. Then you could have ran bolts or lags through the joists and post. At this juncture, I'd consider putting a bottle jack under the joists and lift them a hair. Yank out the existing post and replace with a post that is notched on two sides to accept the joists. Simple
(3) 2x12s and (2) 2x12s is only going to leave him a 1"x 2 1/2" sliver of post sticking up after he cuts two notches in a 6x6 post. Not much meat left to resist any racking movement.
Dinosaur nailed it. I would also add the knee braces and maybe notch them to run up the inside of both beams.
Dave
THANK YOU everyone.... I have plenty of options now. I guess I'll do them all and have a franken-porch!! just kidding.
To follow up...
"(3) 2x12s and (2) 2x12s is only going to leave him a 1"x 2 1/2" sliver of post sticking up after he cuts two notches in a 6x6 post. Not much meat left to resist any racking movement."
Exactly... thats why that option got nixed.
"Virginia isn't known for earthquakes, so I don't really see your issue. "
I just want to firm things up, there's a little shake to the deck now. HOWEVER, I haven't put all the joists in so that will help.
"Use the same Simpson connector you used in the photo, just a shorter version, 3" on the double side and a longer one on the triple side,or cut some of the type you already used, mount them under the beams and against the post. How is your 6x connected to your footer? "
I'll probably do that and once the deck is built add the diagonal knee braces as dinosaur mentioned if things are still too shakey. The photo doesn't show the Simpsons post stand-off well....but its there.
Thanks again......
Bolt a 24x2x6 sister with a 3" notch next to that 1" sliver. Then you can thru bolt both beams. Miter the bottom edge of the sister cleat.Put the top bolt of the 3x beam above the top bolt of the 2x beam.SamT
I'm with Dino and Dave, notch in a couple of braces. It'll be rock solid.If you didn't have time to do it right the first time, how come you've got time to do it over again?
Virginia isn't known for earthquakes, so I don't really see your issue. The 'rimjoist' your engineer specified is strong enough to act as a beam, so why think of adding another?
All the load is already on the posts; all you have to do is keep them from kicking out sideways. Just toenail to the posts with some 4-inch commons. If you're neurotic (like me) you could nail in 4x4 knee braces on each side of each post to counter racking forces.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
I'd just use a skinny thicker strap alongside the post and coming up over part of the hanger.
You could drill some holes through the existing hanger where the skinny strap goes on top of it.
You don't need much.
What sort of uplift loads are you looking at? If the uplift is not too great you might consider Simpson H2.5 (commonly used to tie rafters and trusses to wall top plates) ties which are rotated straps and could be fastened so they are essentially hidden from sight.
Use the same Simpson connector you used in the photo, just a shorter version, 3" on the double side and a longer one on the triple side,or cut some of the type you already used, mount them under the beams and against the post. How is your 6x connected to your footer? Looks like there's no mechanical connection, but hard to tell for sure from the photo. The best would be RedfordHenry's idea, but this way is adequate, either way you should make sure you have a good connection to your concrete pier.
Geoff
Here's how we've done it in the past. Assuming one of those beams has the joists framing into it, that beam gets full bearing on the post and is connected with a post cap. The second beam, if running parallel with the joists, frames into the first beam with a top flange hanger. The image is for double members, but could work for triples as well.
I've worked on several screen porches with at least 3 different engineers and they're always concerned with wind uplift. The mechanical connections help to address that concern.
Use a Simpson connector, or do what tek suggested, or have a fabricator make you up a post seat.
Forget toenailing - very little uplift capacity.
Braces couldn't hurt, unless aesthetics is a concern, but I would still want some kind of positive attachment from the rim joists to the post.