Related Photos of Deck Support

[John Evans]

Same deck with the acrylic roof previous post. Support posts are 3 2x4's nailed together on a footing no more than 6" wide. Considerable load for the support posts.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Looks like a pretty good head banger coming out of the basement too!

[Richard A. Hetzel]

My guess is that the maximum load on an interior post is about 1800 pounds, so a footing of less than a square foot would be sufficient assuming 2000 PSF soil bearing capacity. The corner posts carry maybe 2/3 that amount. The footings are the least of the problems with this creative masterpiece.

[John Evans]

Yes, the footings are only one of the issues. Local codes require min. 24" dia. footing @ 30" depth for decks with a roof. It was diificult to view the joists due to a screen attached to the underside. From what I could see, 2x4's were also used for joists. Must have found a good sale for 2x4's.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

John, that requirement must be for the footing only, which I call a donut pier base. The pier requirement might be more in the line of 8" or 6" round or square. JM

[John Evans]

Marcel,

I believe you are correct and it is difficult to know the actual footing size without digging to the bottom of the concrete. For this reason, I seldom comment on deck footings. There was enough concern about this particular deck construction to ask for confirmation of the proper footing, in addition to other structural issues. When a deck is constructed like this one, I try to cover all bases. Bottom line, it could not have been constructed with a permit. As always, thanks for your input.
Local construction guideline for footings:

Concrete footings are required under all support posts. Footings must extend a minimum of 30 inches below the final grade, have an average thickness of 8 to 12 inches and be a minimum of 16 inches in diameter. Where the footing is to support both a deck and a roof covering, footings shall be a minimum of 24 inches in diameter. Larger footings may also be required for decks with large spans between posts and/or extend more than 14 feet out from the house. All footings must be placed on stable compacted soil. Footings shall be independent of all concrete patios that are not protected from frost heave.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

John, I have to admit, this is one good photo of your inspection to talk about. And yes, like you said, I would not have assummed that anything was right by looking at that photo.
Good job and don't blame you a bit for questioning everything.
Definitly not done with a permit.

My god, this thing has Harry written all over it.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

I have often had to verify footing sizes for decks constructed without a permit, in the process of legalizing them. I use a 3/8-inch diameter steel rod, which I drive into the ground and feel for footings. It often tells the tale, even if it's a dog to pull out of the ground sometimes. Poke a few holes around a pier, and the footing size often becomes apparent.