Free Standing Deck Roof Requirements

Start here if you re building a roof over a patio or deck.

Free standing deck roof requirements.

Guards are required when then deck is 24 60 cm above grade. At the code minimum 50 lb. According to the international residential code adopted by most states a deck does not need a building permit if it is less than 200 square feet under 30 off the ground does not serve a required exit door and is not attached to the dwelling if it is freestanding. Many porches use 22 diameter corner and intermediate footings.

They have to be a bit longer than the patio. Using the irc s default soil bearing capacity of 1500 lb. Because there isn t a house to anchor one end of the deck uplift and racking forces are greater issues that must be addressed in the structural design. The bracing material must be 2 x 4 lumber and you must use a 1 2 inch through bolt at each connection point every deck higher than 30 inches whether it s free standing or not must have a railing.

To structure the roof take your 2 6 boards. The minimum height of the railing varies based on the height of the deck. Typical decks are designed to support 55 psf lbs per square foot. Since they will overhang a little bit over the patio you need to make sure that you do not cut them down at the same length as the patio.

Likewise the load that each deck foot anchor can support depends on the bearing capacity of the soil. A free standing roof needs to have posts sunk into the ground. Design load that s 30 sq. If it is next to a house or structure it should be secured to the siding or roof of that structure as well to keep it stable through high winds and lashing rains.

Porch decks require 25 additional psf for roof loads for a total of 80 psf. Free standing covered deck plans are available in abundance online. This article discusses strategies for building over an existing slab patio or over a deck and offers links to articles about the specific tasks such as pouring the footings raising posts and so forth. The footings for porch decks must be larger than deck footings.

Of deck or shed per footing. Deck foot anchor could support 1500 lb. Decks 24 to 5 10 180 cm need 36 guards and anything above 5 10 requires a 42 high railing. Freestanding decks greater than 2 feet above grade must be able to resist lateral and horizontal movement by providing diagonal bracing.

You can cut them down as needed. As a result most decks have inadequate footings to support a new porch roof.