Need help with deck design

[looper]

Hey guys,

Finally getting my deck project going, and while designing it in SketchUp, I realized that I am running into trouble with the rim joist closest to the pool. I can't find any good examples of how other people deal with this, and I'm not getting many answers when posting on other deck-building related forums. Hopefully someone here can give me a few tips:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/231214/pooldeck_1.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/231214/pooldeck_2.jpg

older version (but includes some measurements incase you want them):
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/231214/pooldeckA.jpg

Your thoughts please.

 

[PKGuy]

I'm not a structural engineer, but I do rely on sound building practices and common sense. Your second picture looks like the deck boards will run mainly "parallel" to the pool wall. I constructed mine to run "perpendicular" into the pool. Obviously, if you go too far around the pool, you will have both situations.

I added some cripple joists to form a frame close to the pool wall using metal joist hangers. My decking hangs over this by not more than 5" at any point and not enough to feel springy or spongy.

 

[looper]

I wanted to run the decking perpendicular, but this would mean digging more 4' holes.

 

[PKGuy]

I think you should take the extra time and effort to make it the way you want it. Sinking a few more posts now sounds unatractive, but will not seem like a big deal when spread over the lifespan of the deck.

 

[WCunha]

I work for a home builder and I had our carpenters build mine. I figured the money spent having them build it worth having it done in two days and I could enjoy it sooner. Take a look at the picture and you will see how they framed it. I hope this helps.

 

[looper]

Great looking deck!

The problem with digging more holes is that I have to mix more concrete, and I am dealing with a bad back injury already, so add that with a limited budget, I don't think I can adapt the design for the deck boards to run perpendicular.

 

[PKGuy]

Too bad about your back. For sure don't overdo it. Maybe hire a high school kid to dig the holes for $50 and use no mix concrete. Also, check out the post "Deck is finished..." to see the skeleton of the deck.

I ran my deck boards flush with the top of the pool rail, not under like these. So my cuts are visible where these are hidden.

 

[cramar]

I ran mine parallel to the pool and there's no structural issue with that approach and no reason it can't be done. Actually it's beneficial in that that if you have to remove boards to get the pool railing off, the parallel approach means only a few boards come off while the perpendicular approach could mean a lot of boards coming off.
You can check out the my build link to see what I did.

Why not add a few more joists like I've drawn in red and then continue on in the same top board approach, scribe the edges and cut with a jig saw.

 

[PKGuy]

That's really cool! Wish I was tech savvy enough to draw that -- that's what I tried to verbally get across when I called them "cripple joists." Hope that's not offensive to anyone, but that's what my carpenter dad used to call them. Of course, he was from a much different era.

 

[looper]

I'm just using SketchUp to design this, very easy to learn!

I just finished updating my plan, I was actually working on those 'cripple joists' figuring that's what you meant, but I'm not sure how to attach them, since here isn't much room that close to the pool (angled joist hangers is all I can think of).

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/231214/pooldeck_3.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/231214/pooldeck_4.jpg

 

[cramar]

That will work, their a little tricky to get angled properly and screwed in, but it will work.