Residential decks have become increasingly elaborate to include covered wood-framed structures one or more stories in height. Unfortunately, the model building codes have been slow to adopt comprehensive prescriptive deck construction guidelines, with the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) continuing ...
The 2021 edition of the IRC does just that. Three different categories of wood species with similar specific gravities are included, allowing southern pine posts to extend taller than redwood or cedar posts, for example. The previous tables were based on only a 40-lb. live load, but the new...
The torn remains of the deer netting can be seen on the left side of this photograph. Continuing from from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction (Steve Bliss, J Wiley & Sons) : Under the IRC, the infill or balusters must resist a concentrated horizontal load of 50 pounds applied...
Additional modern fasteners like the LedgerLok, ThruLok, and HeadLok from FastenMaster - an American-based manufacturer helping the PRO contractor strengthen his or her business - are critical to the proper construction or repair of any deck. This series of high-tech, advanced, code-compliant...
Of course, one pathway for a homebuilder to accomplish a safe deck ledger connection to a cantilevered floor system is to pursue an engineered solution based on the IRC’s “Alternative materials, design, and methods of construction” provisions. Recently, we explored options for connecting a de...
The IRC provides two optional methods for resisting deck lateral loads pulling on a house, but they aren't based on the actual design of the deck. Though a good start to addressing something long overlooked, connections alone do not make up a complete lateral load design. Imagine a braced ...
approach that will satisfy the new code requirements. Most jurisdictions haven’t adopted the 2021 IRC yet, so now is a good time to prepare, by trying out different approaches for guardrail post connections that will comply with the new code section and seeing which construction details work be...