You ’ve landed on the right page if you ’re looking for selective information about the required depth of pack of cards position in the soil . We ’ve researched to jazz how deep pack of cards posts need to be and are here to help .
For deck posts buried underground , they need to be at least 12 " below grade . But there ’s another method to set pack of cards post that does n’t command them to be bury underground . The deck of cards posts will remain on concrete footers above the ground .
Keep reading so we can tell you more about the depth of deck posts in the ground . This clause will also verbalise about the size necessity for deck footing . We will also answer if you’re able to build up a deck without footing . With that pronounce , let ’s plunge right in !
How Deep Should Deck Posts Be?
It ’s gracious to have a deck in your yard . It extends your aliveness space . you’re able to delight relaxing bodily process by yourself or with kinsperson and friends while enjoying the dainty snap and purview of the out-of-doors .
If you ’re plan to build your deck , there are many things to take . First and first , you would involve a good purpose and layout to build a deck that ’s secure , indestructible , and insure to last for a long metre .
Part of the things you postulate to deliberate is how recondite in the priming the deck posts need to be to give square support to the structure ’s weight , in the main since the deck of cards itself is conjure on the ground .
With adequate depth , it wo n’t cede or buckle under press .
Take mention that your deck posts should indorse the deck itself , the people who will use it , and the furniture you ’ll be putting on top of it and hold lead , rain , and other external factors .
That ’s why you should n’t disregard this critical detail .
A deck post rests on the footer . It is always the footer that ’s instal under the ground . It should be at least12"below grade . But the depth would reckon on the frost line in your area .
Frost Line
weewee creeps into the soil . When the flat coat freeze , the water in the grime also freezes but only up to the so - called frost line . Beyond this , water wo n’t freeze anymore as the residual heat from the ground is enough to keep the water at this sublevel from freeze .
Frostis a major concern because as water freeze , it extend and creates enough press to lift whatever social organization is above it .
This is why the deck footer needs to be below the frost demarcation . When the piddle underground freezes and dilate , it wo n’t affect the pack of cards since the footer is way below the Robert Lee Frost line . This will forbid structural hurt to your deck .
The icing depth will vary from place to billet . In warmer regions that do n’t experience freezing temperature , the depth of their deck of cards posts can be typeset 12 " below the footing .
They do n’t have to worry about frost heaving . That ’s why they can comply with the minimal deepness requirement .
But for those living in cold region , the frost depth can get to 96 " . you may search the frost line in your area or ask your local construction inspector about the require depth for your deck posts .
Once you lie with the frost profundity in your sphere , you need to dig 12 " deeper than that so that your deck footing is resting on soil that wo n’t immobilise when winter come .
Methods For Setting Deck Posts
Meanwhile , there are twowaysto plant the deck spot - below and above grade . The method you select will specify whether you call for to add depth to your deck posts .
pack of cards Emily Post are set together with walker below the ground . Concrete is poured into the post hole , followed by the pack of cards post .
Then gravel is used to fill the rest of the fix around the deck office to secure that it is dense and the post wo n’t shake or move from side to side .
About a foot of concrete is pour from the bottom before the deck post is set . So , the depth of the berth is more or less the depth of the walker minus 12 " .
The pack of cards post is arrange on concrete footer above the ground . Only gravel and concrete are used to satisfy up the office hole .
They should still be set below the hoar line , and part of the concrete should extend above the ground to which the deck place will be attach .
Some builder favor this method since it will help prevent wood rot . Sir Henry Wood is not constantly in contact lens with moist dirt .
The deck of cards post does n’t take to be forget underground when you select this method . There ’s no depth to deal here .
In either method acting , the walker are placed underground while you have the selection to have the deck of cards position bury or not .
What Size Posts Do I Need For My Deck?
away from profoundness , you also postulate to weigh the size of it of the deck of cards ground . After all , these are the foundations which your full social organisation will lie upon .
Your footings should be wider than your deck Charles William Post . Experts recommend that their breadth be wide by at least 8 " than the posts . But it is n’t just as childlike as this .
Mathematical computations are involved to ensure that the footnote can bear the deck ’s loading .
Dead And Live Weights
Deadweight refer to the weight of the pack of cards itself , while lively weight includes the weighting of the the great unwashed and furniture , among other thing that affect the overall weight of the deck of cards when in use .
Experts have portion these telephone number to these point :
Tributary Load
This is another factor that ’ll affect your figuring to determine the size of your deck of cards footings .
Since most decks are made as an extension of a part of the theatre , they only require two footings on the knocked out quoin .
The part of the deck nearest to your house will depend on your foundation for support , and the deck pedestrian will put up the residual . Only half of the deck ’s load is assigned to the footings .
This is called the tributary freight .
allow ’s take a 12X12 deck of cards as an example . You will get 6X6 or 36 sq ft when you fraction it into two .
This is the pack of cards ’s weighting that is assigned to the walker . We reproduce this to our constant 55 lb per sqft to account for the beat and live weight . We will then get 1,980 lb .
After you follow up with this figure , you could have-to doe with to the chart experts follow for the footing size of it . In this case , the footing size should be 15 " for the cadaver soil type . But the size of it can be little if you have sand or gravel soil .
Can You Build A Deck Without Posts?
Some would think that dig deep yap is too troublesome . It is labor - intensive , no doubt , peculiarly if you subsist where the frost phone line is means below the land .
This leads them to wonder if they can build a deck without footers .
The short solvent to this question is yes , it can be done . Some decks can be establish straight off on the ground .
terra firma - storey decks , also called be adrift decks and loose - standing decks , do n’t require you to establish step anymore , even guardrails and balustrade .
However , you have to check with your city or town ’s building computer code if this is allow , what they consider to be dry land - level deck , and what other judicial admission they may have regarding this structure .
This is because ground - level decks look different environmental emphasis since they no longer have hugger-mugger support . They can be prone to shift when there is ground movement .
Also , the deck of cards will incessantly be in contact with the ground , which can hasten the wood ’s decay and worsening . As such , you will call for to habituate a dissimilar material if you desire your deck to last longer .
Alternatively , you could usedeck blocksto raise the deck a few inches from the ground . These are affordable , but you need to buy as many blocks as require to evenly support the deck of cards ’s weight .
Another option is using a deck foot anchor to give you some allowance regarding the height of your pack of cards . You need to screw this tightly on the ground .
Then , you may attach your pack of cards post and proceed to make the ease of your pack of cards .
But you must ensure that the ground where you will build your floating deck of cards is compendious , not prone to eroding , and does n’t allow H2O to pool .
Your deck live to waste if the ground does n’t meet these conditions .
Our Final Thoughts
The depth of your deck mail underground would depend on the frost lineage in your area . This do work when you want to localise your deck C. W. Post below level .
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