« Store It All | Main | Supply Chain »
May 12, 2008
May is Deck Safety Month
The easiest disaster to prevent is the one that never happens.
But deck disasters do happen. And with loads of decks reaching the end of their useful lifespan -- and spotty building codes for decks -- there could be more of them.
If the stats on deck failures below don't make the case, check this video -- It'll make your teeth sweat. http://youtube.com/watch?v=2sXY6u1liJ4
According to the National Deck and Railing Association -- www.Nadra.org -- between 2000 and 2006, there have been:
- at least 30 deck collapse-related deaths reported.
- more than 75 percent of people on a deck are injured or killed when it collapses.
- There are 40 million decks in the U.S. that are over 20 years old. At a conservative 1 percent, that means 40,000 decks are currently in need of repair or replacement. Taking that estimate to 10 percent brings the total number of unsafe decks to 4 million.
It is also estimated that many deck collapses -- if not the majority of them -- go unreported because permits were never pulled to build the deck in the first place and the homeowner or builder wants to avoid notice.
The danger is in the details -- or lack thereof: There's no redundancy in most deck structural design. Everything else in residential framing has redundancy -- walls have interlocking double top plates, sheathing and shear panels, and hold-downs for example.
Oh, and they're not outdoors.
We bolt decks to the house's siding -- penetrating the building envelope and allowing water and snow access to the home's framing -- then stick the joists way out on posts and beams. Then it rains. And snows. You get the idea.
In a pursuit of well-built, safe decks NADRA has deemed May National Deck Safety Month and is a good resource for homeowners and deck builders.
What's your deal with deck-building? Do you have a best practice for ledger connections? Post sizing? Does your local code give you the guidance you need to build decks that last? Is your deck falling off your house?
Post a comment. I want to know.
Posted by Mark Clement at May 12, 2008 3:53 PM
Comments
One of the main things we homeowners face is the cost to replace a deck. I have a deck that desperately needs to be replaced. I am in construction and can easily replace it myself, but the cost is just too much right now. Do you have any ideas on cheaper ways to get materials? What are some longer lasting deck materials I can use? Thanks for your help.
Posted by: Jason Hegge at May 14, 2008 3:25 PM
Jason--#2 framing lumber and PT 4/4 decking are pretty much commodity items, so I'm not sure how one would get them more inexpensively. But if you measure cost over the long haul, wood products often need to be cleaned and sealed while composites--more expensive at point of sale--typically need less care. Then there's re-sale value of your house. Are you in a topical hardwood market or PT market. Will cedar help you sell your house faster? There are a lot of directions you could go depending on how you measure the cost.
Posted by: Mark at May 15, 2008 10:11 AM
I have a Idea for you ! Contact your Local Phone Company many times they need to dispose of Old Telephoone Poles and they are FREE you need to buy Lag BOLTS and Rods Cut the Poles to Length they are all ready pressure treated and you are Recycling materials...I build a Retaining Wall 65Ft long for FREE...added Number 1 cement and Voila for chinking ...........
Posted by: Annette at May 15, 2008 10:45 AM
