what should be considered when planning for a deck system?
- Safety considerations
- BC Building Code
- Zoning Requirements
- CC&R’s Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions
what should you do before you start excavating?
what is required for empty footing holes when workers aren’t present?
Call BC One Call (1-800-474-6886) for locations of underground services
Cover all empty footing holes
what kind of preservative is used in today’s age? and which isn’t used anymore?
Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ), Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA)
CCA isnt used anymore cause of the arsenic
If a deck is used as a play surface, what kind of decking should be used?
anything that isnt pressure treated (WPC, surfaced waterproof fibreglass are alternatives)
what are the guidelines for working with pressure treated lumber?
- Wear a mask, eye protection, cover skin when cutting or sanding treated wood
- Wear gloves when working with treated wood
- Wash hands before eating any food
- Do not burn preserved wood (smoke is toxic)
- Do not used preserved wood as mulch
- Be aware that preservatives may dislodge from wood and migrate into the soil or groundwater. Care must be taken to prevent this from happening
- Properly store or dispose of any leftover preservative, brushes and rags that were used to treat end cuts
- All fasteners and hangers used must be of a type that is compatible with the preservative used on the deck material as it can be very corrosive to metal
what are you checking for, from property Land Title?
Restrictions as to styles, materials, finishes, setbacks, or heights
BC Building Code does not require a deck to have proper foundation if?
- area
- support
- grade
- structure
- is not more than than 55m^2 (592ft^2) in area
- not supporting a roof
- the distance from grade to the underside of the joists is not more than 600mm
- when attached to a structure, the differential movement of the deck will not adversely affect the structure
what are the requirements if the deck is required to have a proper foundation?
must meet the same required depth that the house foundations are required to meet
if the concrete pads aren’t spaced any farther than 3m o.c., what is the pad footing requirement?
(for proper foundation)
0.4m^2 concrete pad footings
what are the concrete pier dimensions?
for proper foundation
200mm by 200mm for rectangle pier, 230mm for a round pier are centred on the footing pads
how far must concrete columns extend above finished grade?
200mm and provide a framing attachment
when do municipalities treat decks as landscaping?
when the deck is not attached to a structure and the surface is less than 600mm above ground
how high should siding be above the surface of decking?
`2” (50mm)
What is required for ventilation if the deck acts a roof over a heated area?
Cross purlins
what is the height of the deck guardrails if the deck is below & above 1.8m?
900mm if the deck is less, 1070mm if the deck is above
when is a deck not required to be sloped?
when the decking is spaced to allow good drainage
what is the slope for a deck that is topped with a waterproof membrane?
(considered a roof)
2% slope (1/4” per ft)
how high up does BC Building Code require flashing of the deck wall intersection extend up the wall?
6” behind the sheathing paper
why is it important to check with zoning bylaws?
decks that aren’t roofed, usually not included in when calculating building area but usually included when calculating lot coverage
what will construction drawings help with?
- eliminating design errors
- calculating materials
- increases efficiency and normally results in a superior finished product
what is including in deck drawings?
- foundation plan
- cross section showing framing
- decking and railing details
- plus a floor plan showing dimensions
- guard rail post locations
- any other details such as lighting, planters, and benches
