I’ve seen a few porches similar to this and wondered if the roof load isn’t a problem for the deck.
http://www.landmandan.com/images/Cabins/Shady%20Lake%20Cabins%20021.jpg
Surely this is some sort of optical illusion, right? Else, why would they use this pic for advertising on the website?
I’m just wondering, because I need to rebuild my own deck soon, which supports a similar (but lighter) roof, and wonder if I need to beef it up so it doesn’t look like this later down the road.
Replies
It looks pretty poorly thought out to me, and the band board appears to be showing some sag already.
It might work O.K. if the posts weren't offset too far form the supports underneath. But it would depend on the roof loading and a lot of other factors.
I noticed the sag too. Improper load path.
I have a rental that had a similar problem. As we were fixing it it became quite apparent that when they built the porch they changed plans mid-construction for asthetic purposes. Once we rebuilt it the roof line straightened right up.
Gotta run the load path all the way down to the ground people.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
"Gotta run the load path all the way down to the ground people."Where do you run them to, if you have no ground people ?
Signed: Bubba Hussein Obama.
What a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power, to reason away
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
You can use crushed gravel if you run out of ground people but the latter is recomended.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
You must be the shortest person ever, if you need a latter to reach your ground people, or your gravel.
Signed: Bubba Hussein Obama.
What a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power, to reason away
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
Dont tell me, "you're here all week", right?
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
How else would I get eggs and rotten tomatos into my diet ?;o)
Signed: Bubba Hussein Obama.
What a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power, to reason away
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
>>Surely this is some sort of optical illusion, right?
I doubt it - it's stupid construction.
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
Coleridge
Those are not posts they are logs, ever try and lift a log yourself? One of two things should of been done a proper, concrete pier should of been set on a footing at the correct depth depth and brought up to the base of the roof post or just below to give enough room for the porch rim board. to be attached to the roof logs ah posts. Best if in snow country.
Or the logs should of been brought down to just above the ground and set on the same correct concrete pier and footing system, of which the pier should be at the correct hight above the soil surface.
Its what happens sometimes when thiere are no inspections or building codes.
Wallyo
Edited 9/2/2008 2:36 pm ET by wallyo
"ts what happens sometimes when there are no inspections or building codes."or brains on the part of the builder!He totally ignored any need for point load transfer. All he needed to do is to place his foundation piers in the same locations the posts.And yes, they are posts. Doesn't matter t5hat they are made out of logs. From a structural POV, they are posts.
And yes I have placed such as those alone.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I have done things equal to placing posts like that my self that should require two or more people, does not mean it was a smart thing for me to do. The Point I was trying to make was the whole thing is under designed and the weight of the post alone are probably enough to make the porch sag, with out even putting in the weight of roof framing, snow load and live load.The whole thing looks like it was assembled from a mail order kit. That says "owner/builder will the provide correct foundation designed by a professional architect or engineer". initial here.You have to admit that log post are a bit heavier then 4x4 or 6x6's and when they take on moisture.Wallyo
I had same thought that it was a kit home with foundation provided by HO
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If you take a look at the rest of that web site it seems that 'builder' is more in tune with placing premade units (majority of the pics I saw) than building from new so a kit seems logical.
What was you first hint? Hehehe, check out how that railing for the stairs dies into the post. Oh man, good stuff there.
"...check out how that railing for the stairs dies into the post. Oh man, good stuff there."Hey, lighten up. He probably has it securely fastened with an #8x3" drywall screw; maybe two of 'em.I like the stair balusters too.
BruceT
The porch posts should be lined up with the columns. It takes a very heavy beam to carry the point load imposed by the columns-a beam totally unnecessary since there's no reason the porch column can't be lined up.
Combination of poor planning and ignorance.
John Svenson, builder, remodeler, NE Ohio
Thanks everyone.
When I get around to rebuilding my similar porch, I believe I'll be aligning the posts ... and being really sure about the stability of the deck they stand on.
Now I've just got to figure out the reason whoever originally built my porch decided to not space the posts equally ...
Point loads interrupted, and those posts on the bottom should be 6x6.
I'm with Bob. No illusions at all, just stupid construction.
I would go concrete in a 8" tube at least with rebar on a footing instead of 6x6 which even if pressure treated could have problems.
With out adding it all up you have the weight of the posts the weight of the roof framing, if snow county a few tons of snow on the roof and twenty or thirty people out side on the porch new years eve watching some fireworks or having a good time. Even with 6x6 post the framing for the porch is undersized ( it looks like 2x6 beam rim joist) also that shows in the photos and there is no extra loads on the porch.Wallyo
Edited 9/2/2008 5:28 pm ET by wallyo
yeah, what everyone else said.
The columns above should line up w/ columns below ... or you get the optical dillusion that you did a good job. Someone didn't have on their thinking cap ... although that is a relatively easy fix.