How to inspect a deck. Deck Inspections, Illustrated. Please proof this new article.

You should make that a course. The article is 35 pages long if you paste it into WORD.

I know, I lost my head with it. Before I knew it I had written a book on the subject. :roll:

Lisa Vega’s graphics turned out really nice IMHO.

Yes, kudos to her…they look very nice/professional.

The text “Ledger boards should not be attached to brick veneer” is broken by an image.

“Decks greater than 2 feet above grade should have diagonal bracing from posts to girder, and from posts to joists.”

Greater than **two feet **high requires cross bracing???

Great article.

One recommendation: define the difference between a deck and a balcony.

Good catch Joe, the 2 should be 12, fixed. Thanks.

Nick, loosing his head? Go figure :mrgreen:

Don’t forget the ledger board flashing.

Make a course about it. This knd of infor is long overdue.

Send the book to the Chicago Building Dept. They are clueless and people have died as a result.

Hope this helps;

And, between a deck and a porch.

Chicago, you know.

Porches are provided for ingress and egress ONLY.

Decks are places that silly people meet to barbequeue and jimp up and down.

And kill themselves, sad to say.

Some areas allow posts to be 4x4’s if less than 8 ft and the overall design is within reason. 6x6 is the best practice for sure.

Some areas require cross bracing when height exceeds 4 ft, others say 8 ft, others say 10 ft. 12 feet is wrong for sure.

The ledger bolts should be staggered vertically.

Ledger bolts should have nuts visible on other side, lag bolts are un-inspectable and not recommened.