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Posted by G. Filicetti on May 28, 2007, 4:14 pm
Hey guys,
I just had Home Depot out to look at putting an 7' x 18' deck up
against part of my above ground pool (in New Hampshire).
They talk about how their decks aren't built in the traditional
fashion, how they are all free standing decks with no load placed on
the ledger board, how their posts are 3 2x6s fastened together in the
factory, not 4x4s, how it they are designed like a bridge where all
loads are distributed through the structure instead of the typical
shearing load placed on the ledger board on my traditional decks, yada
yada yada.
I'm an engineer... and yes, most of their ideas and methods do seem
ultra beefy and very solid. It makes a lot of sense, and it has to,
since they have a lifetime guarantee to support.
My question is... the thing is extremely pricey. We haven't gotten
other quotes, but I guarantee they'll be less than this deck assuming
a traditional build.
I just wanted to see if anyone out there has had one of these decks
put in and what they can tell me about them. Is it worth the extra
cost?... is it all a lot of hype?... are traditional builds really
that much worse?
Thanks,
G
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Posted by G. Filicetti on May 28, 2007, 4:37 pm
Oh, and I forgot to mention.. the work is all done through U.S.
Remodelers which was spun off by US Home Systems... two pretty large
and reputable companies.
G
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Posted by aemeijers on May 28, 2007, 5:25 pm
> Hey guys,
>
> I just had Home Depot out to look at putting an 7' x 18' deck up
> against part of my above ground pool (in New Hampshire).
>
> They talk about how their decks aren't built in the traditional
> fashion, how they are all free standing decks with no load placed on
> the ledger board, how their posts are 3 2x6s fastened together in the
> factory, not 4x4s, how it they are designed like a bridge where all
> loads are distributed through the structure instead of the typical
> shearing load placed on the ledger board on my traditional decks, yada
> yada yada.
>
> I'm an engineer... and yes, most of their ideas and methods do seem
> ultra beefy and very solid. It makes a lot of sense, and it has to,
> since they have a lifetime guarantee to support.
>
> My question is... the thing is extremely pricey. We haven't gotten
> other quotes, but I guarantee they'll be less than this deck assuming
> a traditional build.
>
> I just wanted to see if anyone out there has had one of these decks
> put in and what they can tell me about them. Is it worth the extra
> cost?... is it all a lot of hype?... are traditional builds really
> that much worse?
>
Funny- we always used 6x6 or steel posts wrapped with 1x. 4x4, unless every
4 feet with angle braces or something, is just too flexible for anything
more than a couple feet tall.
You're an engineer- run the numbers. What load does this deck need to
support? (People, furniture, snow, sail load and lift from wind, etc.)
Design to 120 per cent or so of that. Someone on here will jump in shortly
with references to beam deflection tables, footings, frost lines/heave, etc.
No competent deck builder loads up the ledger board- it is only supposed to
be a belaying point, so people don't get queasy walking from house to deck
and back, and to dampen the deck vibrations. The inner ear picks up on stuff
like that real quick. (When house shopping, I walked some decks that scared
me, and I grew up in the construction business. These things felt like badly
rigged scaffolds.)
But having said all that- my gut inclination would be to go with a local
guy, unless the chain had a big price or value advantage. If something goes
wrong, I wanna be able to look the owner in the eye, not some designated
problem handler. The chain probably subs the scut work out to local crews
anyway. By any chance are they offering to finance the thing for you? If so,
I'd run like hell. Half the window and siding companies I had out for
estimates turned out to mainly be in the business of loaning money, with
their half-ass installed product lines merely the hook to get you in the
tent.
aem sends...
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Posted by Toller on May 28, 2007, 7:25 pm
> Funny- we always used 6x6 or steel posts wrapped with 1x. 4x4, unless
> every
> 4 feet with angle braces or something, is just too flexible for anything
> more than a couple feet tall.
>
I just got back from looking at a cottage where a room was built over a
patio, supported by 4 4x4s. I didn't stay under it any longer than I had
to, and certainly didn't go in the room.
They would probably argue that it was cantilevered out, and the joists were
the real structural element, but why not use 6x6s?
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Posted by Evan on May 28, 2007, 6:00 pm
Comments inserted:
"G. Filicetti" wrote in message
> Hey guys,
>
> I just had Home Depot out to look at putting an 7' x 18' deck up
> against part of my above ground pool (in New Hampshire).
>
> They talk about how their decks aren't built in the traditional
> fashion, how they are all free standing decks with no load placed on
> the ledger board, how their posts are 3 2x6s fastened together in the
> factory, not 4x4s, how it they are designed like a bridge where all
> loads are distributed through the structure instead of the typical
> shearing load placed on the ledger board on my traditional decks, yada
> yada yada.
The first question that comes to mind is: Where in the heck would someone
fasten a ledger board on a pool?
Building a free standing deck is nothing new, and is definately _not_ a
patented technique!
Something else, if no weight is going to be placed on the ledger, why the
heck would a company want to install one?
Building with 3, 2"x6's as post, instead of using 6"x6's, sounds like an
utterly foolish idea, and more costly, let alone to mention they compare
this to 4"x4"s.
Why the odd number of "7' x18'"? Lumber comes in 2' increments, seems like
a lot of waste of an eight footer.
Lastly, they mentioned nailing 3, 2"x6's at the "factory". I've never heard
of a "factory" that mills, or sells lumber. Sounds like a garage type
operation.
Me thinks you're about to be taken for a ride.
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