Are Your Decks Safe? Take the 6 Question Challenge!

Decks have become a necessity! These extensions of our homes have become more and more popular and are springing up in suburbs and cities in addition to the traditional mountain cabin deck we are used to seeing. It's a wonderful place to spend our time, relax with family, and entertain guests. As the changing faces of spring, summer, and fall touch us with their mists and gentle breezes, rays of sunshine play at our feet and the dew scatters as birds alight on our feeders. We drink in the forest and mountain views and the wonderful fresh air. Our guests appreciate invitations to this special place where conviviality and relaxation meet.

Ithaca Decks attached to our homes are special extensions of our home life. Outside but close to warmth and security, they play an important part in our enjoyment of our house and of the outdoors. When we're out on the deck, we rarely think about how safe we are; we feel safe, and don't consider that over time our decks might need attention beyond a coat of stain every couple of years.

There are serious problems with decks than any other part of the house! According to Don Bender, Director at the Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory at Washington State University, deck failures cause more injuries and loss of life than any other part of the home. Sometimes the decks are attached improperly to the home, risking a serious failure; often supports that keep the deck from "racking" (shearing, or twisting) are absent; and over 70% of the time I see posts that either have no footers (ground supports) or if they do, they are covered with soil.

What's wrong? After reading this article, take a look at your own deck. Answer the following questions. If you come up with more than 2 "No's" then you might want to have a licensed general contractor take a look at your decks and reinforce them. Many serious accidents have occurred because the decking was not installed or maintained properly; the last thing you want is to invite guests over and have the deck collapse.

1. Are your deck posts constructed of pressure treated wood? Sometimes you will see a stamp on the wood to indicate it is treated. If you're not sure, ask a professional to look at it. Even though pressure treated wood is designed to withstand weather and soil contact, you should inspect the posts annually for any signs of rot. YES NO
2. Are the posts that support your deck buried in the ground or are they secured to concrete footers (pads) that go into the ground below the frost line? You may need to dig down along the post to see if they do. If you can uncover the footer and keep soil away from the wood, it will last longer. The posts should be on concrete footers, especially if they support any house structure above the deck, and are they attached securely to the footers with galvanized steel brackets? YES NO
3. Take a look at the board that attaches the deck to your house. You will need to go underneath your deck to see this. Are there bolts attaching this board, called a "Ledger Board" to your house? If it's only nailed in, these nails can pull out, taking the entire deck with it. YES (WE HAVE BOLTS) NO (WE SEE NAILS)
4. Now, since you're already under your deck, take a look at the support boards, called "joists" that hold up your deck planking (the board you walk on). How are they attached to the ledger? You should see joist to ledger "hangers" or metal brackets that hold these vertical beams to the ledger, and you should see them where the joists connect to other support structure. These brackets will have nails and every hole on the bracket meant for a nail should have a nail in it. Some decks use a 2X2 strip under the joists to hold them up and this strip is nailed to the lower portion of the ledger board and to the outside rim board on the inside lower portion. Although this is a common practice, the arrangement is not as strong or reliable as using joist hangers. If you see these strips under your deck joists, consider upgrading to hangers in the future, and inspect your deck every few months to make sure the joists or the ledger strips are not pulling away from their attach points. YES (hangers) NO (no hangers)
5. Now go back up on the deck. Take a look at the railings (guard rails). Is the spacing of the pickets, or vertical posts that keep people from falling to the ground, less than 4"? This design is to prevent small children from falling through the rails. You should also look at the space between the bottom rail and the deck. This space should be no more than 6 inches. YES NO
6. Grab hold of the top railing and try to move it. It should be strong and secure, and not move against your weight. If it does, it could mean that connections are loosening up and should be tightened or reinforced. Railings should be able to withstand a force at the top of 200 pounds in any direction. All decks that are over 30 inches above the ground should have guardrails. YES (the rail is strong) NO (rail is loose, or don't have one)

Although this short list is not everything you could find wrong with a deck, it's a major portion of what we find wrong on our inspections. Experts agree that the life expectancy of a wood deck is 10 - 15 years. This is not very long. Inspect your decks every 6 months, and perform needed maintenance. Then go out on your deck and enjoy these glorious sunsets, lake views, city-scapes, or mountains!