RockyMtnBlue

Building a 16x24 deck, 16' joists attached at ledger and supported by 2 beams at about 7' and 14' from ledger. I currently have solid blocking at about 4' and 11'. Do I need more blocking?

Wuzzat?

Here's a starting point
http://www.bestdecksite.com/introJoistsPg1.htm

RockyMtnBlue

Thanks for that reference... Seems I'm OK.

inspectorD

Looks good! So what's goin on for the decking material?

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Wuzzat?

". . .blocking is also required every 8 feet for 2x10 and taller joists."

Your joists don't look like they're 10" or higher, so for shorter joists do we need more or less blocking? Shorter joists may be less likely to twist, but that's just a guess. I'd like to see a rule or a formula.

RockyMtnBlue

Wazzat.... Like you, Im assuming that smaller joists would be less liable to twist and that blocking every 8 feet is adequate.

RockyMtnBlue

InspectorD, 5/4 x 6 treated is the plan.

RockyMtnBlue

Hmm, I can get 5/4 x 6" cedar for a little more than PT. I like the looks of cedar and the fact that it will take a stain better than PT.

I plan on re-treating the decking every two years... Whether its PT or cedar.

What comments/experiences do others have related to these two decking choices?

inspectorD

I prefer the cedar cause it just looks nicer. The railings are a bit more stable and have a softer look and feel. My deck is cedar, it holds up just fine to furniture and traffic. I used stainless fasteners on all the railings so it did not get the black marks through the boards. The screws I hid underneath for the decking called blind screwing(leave it alone Oldog).

There are plenty of materials today, I still like plain Ol, inexpensive cedar.
Treat or seal all ends of all cuts no matter what material you use.
Good luck.

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BridgeMan

Your joists do not look like they are pressure-treated lumber in the photo. Are they? If not, it's a bit of a gamble on their long-term performance, isn't it? I don't know where you live, but anywhere in the Rocky Mountains (as inferred from your screen name) will be subject to rain and (lots of) melting snow. If you're planning on flipping the property, so be it. If you plan on being there a while, you might consider applying some heavy duty preservative, like copper napthanate, to the joists before installing the decking.