I built a 16x16 raised deck using 2x10 x 16' joists connected to the ledger
and running across two beams at about 7' and 15'. The beams are made of 3
(2x10 x 16') screwed together and rest on three 4x6 poles which are on top
of concrete piles. The deck is perfectly square and leveled with a slight
slope. Once I had it squared and completely framed I screwed the joists to
the beams. I noticed after that a lot of the joists aren't resting on the
beams. I can see the three screws that I toescrewed in at an angle. Some
of the joists are 1/8" above the beam. The deck feels really solid now and
I haven't put the decking on yet. Will the joists eventually settle onto
the beams? Could this cause any problems in years to come?

Thanks,
Brendin

Will the joists eventually settle onto the beams?

Maybe. Did you use treated lumber fresh from the store? If so, it's going
through a drying out process and hasn't stabilized yet.

I can see the three screws that I toescrewed in at an angle

Might be good idea to back them off in case the joist tries to move down. Try
stacking your deck material in this area to help the joist gap and be sure to
separate the stack layers to encourage drying. Good luck.

Joe

"Hovercrafters" wrote in message news:Gj9zc.40259$%i1.23416@edtnps89...
I built a 16x16 raised deck using 2x10 x 16' joists connected to the ledger
and running across two beams at about 7' and 15'. The beams are made of 3
(2x10 x 16') screwed together and rest on three 4x6 poles which are on top
of concrete piles. The deck is perfectly square and leveled with a slight
slope. Once I had it squared and completely framed I screwed the joists to
the beams. I noticed after that a lot of the joists aren't resting on the
beams. I can see the three screws that I toescrewed in at an angle. Some
of the joists are 1/8" above the beam. The deck feels really solid now and
I haven't put the decking on yet. Will the joists eventually settle onto
the beams? Could this cause any problems in years to come?

Thanks,
Brendin

No, it is unlikely IMO tthat they will settle down, your three screws
per joint will prevent it. How straight are your beams?? Did you
alternate the crown in the 2x10 beams before nailing? did you begin
nailing at one end straightening as you went or just lay them down and
start nailing? How straight and well cured were your deck joists?
Did you lay them all with crown up?

Those are all questions that could have been a cause of the problem.

Harry K

I used treated lumber that sat in the rain in my driveway for a week or so
after being delivered. I suppose I could back off the screws and do as you
say. I would probably need to remove the blocking from the middle beam
joists as it is over the beam and could be interfering with the joist
sitting on the beam. I hate to dissassemble at this point... What issues
could I face by leaving the joists sitting on the screws on top of the
beams?

Thanks,
Brendin
"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
Will the joists eventually settle onto the beams?

Maybe. Did you use treated lumber fresh from the store? If so, it's going
through a drying out process and hasn't stabilized yet.

I can see the three screws that I toescrewed in at an angle

Might be good idea to back them off in case the joist tries to move down.
Try
stacking your deck material in this area to help the joist gap and be sure
to
separate the stack layers to encourage drying. Good luck.

Joe

My beams were straight as an arrow I used clamps and assembled them on a
flat 16' workbench. If crown means the curvature of the rings on the end
then I paid no attention to which way they were facing. I screwed the beams
together. The deck joists were straight pressure treated 2x10 x 16's. They
were fresh from the store and had sat in front of my house for a week in
which time it rained a couple of days. I deck slopes slightly toward the
house ledger now because of them not sitting on the beams. When I say
slightly I mean the bubble on the level just touches the line (does not
cross it). I am using millenium composite decking for the deck surface. I
suppose I could back out all the screws attaching the joists to the two
beams and stack the millenium composit decking between the two beams to get
them to sit down. I might also have to remove some blocking over the middle
beam as it might be riding a little low in some spots preventing a beam from
touching. Should I go to the trouble to do this? What consequences could I
face by leaving a number of the joists ride on the screws?

Thanks,
Brendin


No, it is unlikely IMO tthat they will settle down, your three screws
per joint will prevent it. How straight are your beams?? Did you
alternate the crown in the 2x10 beams before nailing? did you begin
nailing at one end straightening as you went or just lay them down and
start nailing? How straight and well cured were your deck joists?
Did you lay them all with crown up?

Those are all questions that could have been a cause of the problem.

Harry K

Hovercrafters wrote:
My beams were straight as an arrow I used clamps and assembled them on a
flat 16' workbench. If crown means the curvature of the rings on the end
then I paid no attention to which way they were facing. I screwed the beams
together. The deck joists were straight pressure treated 2x10 x 16's. They
were fresh from the store and had sat in front of my house for a week in
which time it rained a couple of days. I deck slopes slightly toward the
house ledger now because of them not sitting on the beams. When I say
slightly I mean the bubble on the level just touches the line (does not
cross it). I am using millenium composite decking for the deck surface. I
suppose I could back out all the screws attaching the joists to the two
beams and stack the millenium composit decking between the two beams to get
them to sit down. I might also have to remove some blocking over the middle
beam as it might be riding a little low in some spots preventing a beam from
touching. Should I go to the trouble to do this? What consequences could I
face by leaving a number of the joists ride on the screws?

Thanks,
Brendin



If I understand your description, the 16 foot long joists butt against
the ledger board and rest on two beams which are parallel to the ledger
board and located about 7 and 15 feet out from the house.

I wouldn't spend much time worrying about some 1/8" gaps here and there,
it's *wood* fergosh sakes and the connections between the joists and the
beams are in compression, so they're not in any danger of "falling apart".

A 1/8" gap where the joists cross the beams could be caused by a warp of
as little as 1/16" in each piece. That's a deck you're building, not a
piece of furniture.

If you haven't yet put on the decking you could get a couple of 3/4"
pipe clamps, back out those screws you put in and try and snug down
those gaps with the clamps before replacing the screws.

If it were me I'd consider any further effort to correct this condition
to be just "gilding a turd" and get on with finishing the job so those
gaps will be out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.

Good luck,

Jeff


--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying."

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

I wouldn't spend much time worrying about some 1/8" gaps here
and there, it's *wood* fergosh sakes

INDEED!

A 1/8" gap where the joists cross the beams could be caused by a
warp of as little as 1/16" in each piece. That's a deck you're
building, not a piece of furniture.

YEP!!!!

If you haven't yet put on the decking you could get a couple of
3/4" pipe clamps, back out those screws you put in and try and
snug down those gaps with the clamps before replacing the
screws.

If it were me I'd consider any further effort to correct this
condition to be just "gilding a turd" and get on with finishing
the job so those gaps will be out of sight, and hopefully out of
mind.

Yes, but you apparently have more than 1/8" gap between the
east and west ends of your sphincter. Don't know if we can
say that for sure about the, uhhh, other guy!

--
Ha'i D-suhlami
filling in for I-zheet M'drurz
(He's out front raising the gas prices again. Wooohooo!)

Jeff Wisnia wrote in message ...
Hovercrafters wrote:
My beams were straight as an arrow I used clamps and assembled them on a
flat 16' workbench. If crown means the curvature of the rings on the end
then I paid no attention to which way they were facing. I screwed the beams
together. The deck joists were straight pressure treated 2x10 x 16's. They
were fresh from the store and had sat in front of my house for a week in
which time it rained a couple of days. I deck slopes slightly toward the
house ledger now because of them not sitting on the beams. When I say
slightly I mean the bubble on the level just touches the line (does not
cross it). I am using millenium composite decking for the deck surface. I
suppose I could back out all the screws attaching the joists to the two
beams and stack the millenium composit decking between the two beams to get
them to sit down. I might also have to remove some blocking over the middle
beam as it might be riding a little low in some spots preventing a beam from
touching. Should I go to the trouble to do this? What consequences could I
face by leaving a number of the joists ride on the screws?

Thanks,
Brendin



If I understand your description, the 16 foot long joists butt against
the ledger board and rest on two beams which are parallel to the ledger
board and located about 7 and 15 feet out from the house.

I wouldn't spend much time worrying about some 1/8" gaps here and there,
it's *wood* fergosh sakes and the connections between the joists and the
beams are in compression, so they're not in any danger of "falling apart".

A 1/8" gap where the joists cross the beams could be caused by a warp of
as little as 1/16" in each piece. That's a deck you're building, not a
piece of furniture.

If you haven't yet put on the decking you could get a couple of 3/4"
pipe clamps, back out those screws you put in and try and snug down
those gaps with the clamps before replacing the screws.

If it were me I'd consider any further effort to correct this condition
to be just "gilding a turd" and get on with finishing the job so those
gaps will be out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.

Good luck,

Jeff

Yep, the only other comment I have is that you apparently tried to
build the deck dead level. It should have had -some- slope away from
the house for drainage, especially if the decking will be solid, not
very important if there are gaps between boards.

Harry K

Jeff Wisnia wrote in message ...
Hovercrafters wrote:
My beams were straight as an arrow I used clamps and assembled them on a
flat 16' workbench. If crown means the curvature of the rings on the end
then I paid no attention to which way they were facing. I screwed the beams
together. The deck joists were straight pressure treated 2x10 x 16's. They
were fresh from the store and had sat in front of my house for a week in
which time it rained a couple of days. I deck slopes slightly toward the
house ledger now because of them not sitting on the beams. When I say
slightly I mean the bubble on the level just touches the line (does not
cross it). I am using millenium composite decking for the deck surface. I
suppose I could back out all the screws attaching the joists to the two
beams and stack the millenium composit decking between the two beams to get
them to sit down. I might also have to remove some blocking over the middle
beam as it might be riding a little low in some spots preventing a beam from
touching. Should I go to the trouble to do this? What consequences could I
face by leaving a number of the joists ride on the screws?

Thanks,
Brendin



If I understand your description, the 16 foot long joists butt against
the ledger board and rest on two beams which are parallel to the ledger
board and located about 7 and 15 feet out from the house.

I wouldn't spend much time worrying about some 1/8" gaps here and there,
it's *wood* fergosh sakes and the connections between the joists and the
beams are in compression, so they're not in any danger of "falling apart".

A 1/8" gap where the joists cross the beams could be caused by a warp of
as little as 1/16" in each piece. That's a deck you're building, not a
piece of furniture.

If you haven't yet put on the decking you could get a couple of 3/4"
pipe clamps, back out those screws you put in and try and snug down
those gaps with the clamps before replacing the screws.

If it were me I'd consider any further effort to correct this condition
to be just "gilding a turd" and get on with finishing the job so those
gaps will be out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.

Good luck,

Jeff

Yep, the only other comment I have is that you apparently tried to
build the deck dead level. It should have had -some- slope away from
the house for drainage, especially if the decking will be solid, not
very important if there are gaps between boards.

Harry K