How deep should footings be on a deck in MA?

How deep should footings be on a deck in MA?

Not Installing Proper Footings and Piers Here in New England deck footings are supposed to go down at least 4 feet. This ensures the footing is below the frost line and will prevent any significant heaving of the deck structure.

What size footing is needed for a deck?

FOOTINGS: – Poured concrete footings should be a minimum of 8” wider than the posts (4×4 post – 12” min. width, 6×6 post – 14” min. width), a two level deck or deck with roof – 24”x24”. – The bottom of the footings must be a minimum of 36” below finish grade level.

How deep and wide do deck footings need to be?

For most deck applications, in most jurisdictions, the width of a footing should be 20 inches round and a minimum of 24 inches deep. It is important that the base of the footings be solid, and in many cases you will need to keep digging until you reach undisturbed soil.

How do you build a deck without digging holes?

OZCO Building Products’ OZ-Deck Foundation System is one of the best ways to build a deck without digging holes. It’s a hot-dipped galvanized plate that when combined with OZCO’s post anchors creates a solid foundation so you can build a solid deck without digging holes or pouring concrete.

What is code for deck stairs?

The rise of the stairs should be between 125 mm (5”) and 200 mm (8”). This is measured from top of a tread nosing to the top of the next tread nosing or landing. The run should be between 210 mm (8 ¼”) and 355mm (14”). Treads should be between 235 mm (9 ¼”) and 355 mm (14”).

How many footings do I need for a 12×16 deck?

A standard deck will need four footings parallel to the house, but they will need to be temporarily braced by 6 inch-by-6 inch posts. Using doubled boards, you will then need to build beams on the top row of the posts to frame the edges of the deck. These must be topped with adjustable post caps.

How many footings do I need for a 12×12 deck?

For an attached 12 x 12′ deck, you’ll need at least 3 footings, plus at least 2 more if you’re planning on building stairs with it. If your deck will be a different size, it’s easy to figure out how many you’ll need.

Can I use deck pier blocks instead of footings?

Pier blocks can be used instead of footings for a ground-level deck not requiring permits. Any decks higher than 24” require concrete piles 10” in diameter and 48” below grade. These footing size requirements are to ensure enough soil bearing to prevent the joist from sinking in the ground.

How far apart should 4×4 posts be on a deck?

For Building a Deck Railing, Deck Frame, or Fence The maximum spacing of 4×4 deck posts should be 6 feet on center, while the maximum spacing of 6×6 deck posts should be 8 feet on center.

Can 4×4 support a deck?

In the past, many decks were built with 4×4 support posts (also called structural posts). But these can bow seriously, even if a deck is only 3 feet off the ground. For that reason, we strongly recommend that you use 6x6s instead, even if your building department does not demand them.

How big of footings do you need for a deck?

The table assumes and is limited to a total deck load of 50 psf (40 live and 10 dead). A comparison of the footing sizes I calculated for the example deck resting on 1500 psf soil in the Sizing Deck Footings article and DCA 6 Table B3 shows an almost identical result.

What are the Massachusetts State Building Code requirements for decks?

Decks The 8th edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code provides a prescriptive table for ledger board attachment of decks. Here is a summary of some of the requirements: If positive connection to the primary building structure cannot be verified during inspection, decks shall be self supporting. The deck ledger must be a 2×8 minimum

How is tributary area calculated for deck footings?

A section on Tributary Area Calculations and example figure go into deeper detail of the calculation than what I covered in the July 2014 article ‘ Sizing Deck Footings. ‘ The detailed calculation description and illustrations show precise points where dimensions for tributary loads are measured from and the math. Table B3 from DCA 6 – 2012.

How to calculate the load of a deck?

For example, if you are building a 10×10 deck attached to a house with two footings on the corners, you could calculate the loads for the footings in the following way. First, draw a line dividing the deck into two halves between the house and the footings.