I Have framed a 12′ x 14′ screened porch. Construction consists of 2×4 bottom plate bolted to deck framing. Side walls (14 feet) have 5 4×4 posts toenailed to the bottom plate. The posts at the house are bolted to the house framing. Wall away from house( 12 feet) has 4 posts. The corners posts are shared between the side walls and the end wall. There is a 2×4 single top plate with a double 2×6 with 1/2 spacer built up header on top of that. At the corner, the headers intersect in a herringbone manner. Inspector advised, vaguely, that I add stapping reinforcement to the intersections to 1) tie the intersecting headers together 2) tie the header/top plate assembly to the post and 3) tie the posts to the deck. Plans were approved without specification for strapping/post-beam connectors at the corners.
What I did is shown in the pictures below. There is also an 18 inch strap at each corern post going down to the deck to tie them together.
Questions for you are:
1) is this sufficient or do i need to tie every post in to the header with a post-beam connector or stap? and
2) similarly, do i need to strap each post to the deck like i did at the corners?
My hopes, from a cosmetic standpoint, were to only have to do it at the corners.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Rob
Replies
I would be concerned with uplift from wind causing structural damage with only the corners anchored down. But I don't do that kind of work for a living, so I tend to overbuild rather than risk failure. Your method may be sufficient. Simpson stuff is unattractive, so I see your point.