how much weight can my deck hold

Again, knowing your deck lumber species can allow you to see if your deck is overbuilt. But our hot tub is 3900 pounds – what do we do? There are many variables when it comes to calculating deck load capacity. To calculate the weight of the deck, I’ll use a 10×10 deck for this example. For instance, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has an average snow load of 70 pounds per square foot. Also, some of the most highly durable skateboard trucks have weight limits of 250 lbs. Here’s what I’ve discovered: Yes, you can put a hot tub on a deck. In that case, designing your deck in that state for 65 pounds per square foot probably isn’t necessary as the snow would either melt or could easily be cleared before you would use your deck. When you add a spa or hot tub to a deck you are adding a lot of weight. It is also not as strong, which will result in potentially more footings since cedar cannot span the same distances as pressure-treated wood such as SPF or SYP. There’s no official skateboarding weight limit, but the quality of the board you buy will affect how much weight it can bear before it gives way. As the weight of the tub full of water will have to be calculated in addition to however many people the deck is deemed fit for, it is highly unlikely that the deck can take the extra weight legally, unless it was over-engineered in the first place. The answer is, a lot of weight—if it is done right. However, it is highly advisable not to push the 2x4 material up to its limit. All of them did, I'm sure, have a solid foundation. The GVW includes the weight of the trailer itself, plus its payload and anything that adds to the total weight. Using the example above, if you have a beam of that size built with SYP lumber, and you have a span of 10’ but with three footings instead of two, you can safely assume the overall weight-bearing capacity of the deck is far more than 50 pounds per square foot. It’s possible that it could hold much more weight than 50 lbs. for 7 occupants = 5655 lbs. (8.35 lbs / gallon). For instance, a 3-ply 2×12 beam can span 8’ between footings when joists are 12’ long when both SPF or Western Cedar is used. It is always wise to contact a professional to get an accurate estimate of what your deck can safely handle. How much weight/ How many people can my rooftop deck hold? Aimee Ann on June 7, 2018 at 4:04 pm I have a 2nd story rec room, measuring 24×18 in … If you don't already have plans for the deck, draw up a sketch showing the size and spacing of bearers and joists (including the material if you can), the dimensions and materials of the decking itself and the details of how it is held up. SYP lumber can span 10’ – 2’ more than the other species. Once you know how much the soil beneath a deck can hold, next you can figure out the weight of the deck. The amount of weight that each individual footing can hold is called the tributary load. Remember, you don’t need to be a structural engineer to determine how much weight your deck can handle. I spent a week at a vacation house on the Russian River, and the rickety deck (about 15 feet off the ground) had a pretty large 4-person hot tub jacuzzi on it. For instance, if you know the dead load of the deck will be less than the prescriptive 10 lb., then you can select 5 lb. water + 1295 lbs. Structural concrete work is planned to bear loads, or hold weight, but transfer the weight to the soil base beneath the structure. However, if you are using post to beam connectors, joist hangers, and hurricane ties to support your structure, then standard 10d nails are just fine – the hardware itself will provide most of the support. Most decks will hold more – sometimes significantly more – than 50 pounds per square foot. We get just over 19” for our footing diameter. It then determines the total load from each tributary area based on the design load of your deck. While accounting for snow load in the U.P. The type of lumber used is also critical in determining how much weight your deck can hold. Knowing your soil type is just as important. Join 6,470 readers in helping fund MetaFilter. But what does that mean? If your deck is built on bedrock, gravel, or even sand, then you’ll have a higher – and potentially even a much higher – soil bearing capacity. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered. The thickness of concrete is an important factor in load-bearing strength, but to conserve resources and avoid over-building, other factors are also taken into consideration. However, you’ll have to get underneath — or at least have a good view of the underside of your deck – to see the dimension of lumber it was built with as well as to measure the distance between footings, footing type, and the type of hardware used. If you don't already have plans for the deck, draw up a sketch showing the size and spacing of bearers and joists (including the material if you can), the dimensions and materials of the decking itself and the details of how it is held up. Today we give you the short (for us) answer to this question, How much weight can a floating shelf hold? Now it is simply a matter of finding the area for each rectangle. Why? Don't get confused with what weight you might think or want to load the deck with. In that case, you’ll need to know what the average snow load is per your geographic region – a snow load chart helps. If you find that your deck joists are 2×10, but the deck load calculator only mandates 2×8 joists, then you can safely assume your deck is much stronger than 50 pounds per square foot. Make the investment now to ensure you have a sturdy deck lest you get screwed later on. You’ll also have to know the type of lumber used – in this case it is SPF since we are up north. The three major types of wood species used in deck construction are Southern Yellow Pine (SYP), some combination of Spruce, Pine, and Fir (SPF), and Redwood, Western Cedar, or Red Pine. Then find the square root, and multiply times 2. Decks built ground level up to 2 feet off the ground can support up to 100 lbs per square foot; sufficient for most hot tubs. The spa filled has 320 gallons or 2672 lbs. is probably wise, you’ll notice that North Carolina, for instance, only has an average snow load of 15 pounds per square foot. Calculating tributary loads is not difficult, as long as you have a diagram of your deck’s framing structure. When we built a deck-expansion onto our house, we also got a fairly large spa. The average homeowner does not have the tools available to determine how much more weight your deck can hold than the code minimum of 50 pounds per square foot. For example, a 2x4 lumber may hold a 4-cylinder engine comfortably but may not hold a bigger one. Here is a formula you can use: H (porch weight)= 40 lbs/sqft floor live load + 25 lbs/sqft dead load + 30 lbs/sqft roof live load = 95 lbs/sqft (assuming roof over porch). I highly suggest hiring a professional to check it out. That means more footings and/or larger dimensional lumber, 12” o.c. Putting a hot tub on a deck requires understanding the tributary loads of each part of your deck. Default is 50 psf which you can change. The type of load in question will also determine how much weight a 2x6 can hold on edge. construction, and less joist overhang. A key indication of your fastener load bearing capacity is what you’ve used to affix beams to joists and posts to beams. If your deck is built to code, then it is designed to hold a minimum of 50 pounds per square foot, of which ⅘ of that total is the “live” load. tub + 3500 lbs. Do I need to hire a professional to do that? Simply because it is assumed that you will clear your deck prior to inviting 20 of your friends over for a beer on that deck. Lastly, we’ll take a look at the different types of lumber you can use for your deck and how it will affect the weight capacity of the overall structure. I've never in my life seen a sunken hot tub, though I know they exist. In general, most decks can withstand 100 lbs per square foot. Log in to Reply. There are many, many factors that affect how much weight your deck can hold. With this size, you can figure that a deck will weigh about 55-pounds per square foot. Since a hot tub will more than likely fall into the area of just one, or maybe two, footings, we need to know that one footing can handle the weight of a hot tub. It will simply ensure that the deck does not sink into the ground. Soil matters. You cut a big hole in your deck, then pour a concrete foundation on the ground to support the weight of the hot tub, and drop it in. If so, how much does that cost? This means that if you had a 100 square foot deck (10′ x 10′), you’d be able to hold 5,000 pounds above it (assuming the weight was evenly distributed). A well-made maple skateboard deck may hold around 220 lbs, but it is still likely to snap if you land incorrectly. To safely install a roof deck, the roof needs to be able to support about 55 pounds of weight per square foot in general. It means different types of soil vary in terms of how much weight they can support before whatever they are supporting sinks into the earth. Knowing the tributary load of each footing can help us determine the diameter of each footing. Divide that distance in half. It also risks collapsing a deck. Generally, we’re talking about 50 pounds per square foot. That is a big range. We’ll say the tributary load of your interior deck footing is 3000 pounds. Therefore, a deck of 120 square feet multiplied by 50 shows that your deck can hold 6000 pounds, including the structure. On the other end, a 2x6 can support a V8 engine of between 600 – 700 lbs. On the other hand, if you build in a ground-snow load that exceeds 40 psf, then you can enter your snow load in the “Live Load” field to size a joist span to handle heavy snow. Like anywhere from 25lbs to well over 300lbs. First, you divide the tributary load of 1500 – the weight-bearing capacity of the default soil type used to determine building codes. The … You must use at least five framing nails to attach the rim joist to the ends of your joists. Now you have an area for each footing. Curious if your deck’s footings are up to code? That means half of the deck closest to the house is entirely supported by the ledger board. How does this affect load-bearing capacity? All posts copyright their original authors. You’ll measure the distance from the ledger board to the center of the support beam and draw a line. Before you calculate how much weight your deck can hold, you first need to understand how much weight per square foot it can hold. But keep in mind those are just estimates. But decks 2 feet or higher will need added support. Next, you measure the distance between the footings. and eek out a longer span. or 7 lb. For instance, a deck built on bedrock will have a bearing capacity of nearly 12,000 pounds per square foot. So I think I'm going to get a pro out there to spec it out. Thanks for the advice. That means that the overall structure can support a load of people, or “stuff”, of at least 40 pounds per square foot on top of your deck. Add to this the weight of the tub itself and any filters, pumps etc and you will have a total weight for the whole thing. And it does not really matter because the frame of a Trex deck is what supports the deck, not the deck boards; therefore, a Trex deck is no stronger than a lumber deck. If you go under this deck and find you have 3 ply 2×8 beams, then you can use a span table to determine footing placement. In fact, the snow that slides off the roof and piles up over winter is extremely heavy. One square foot has 144 square inches – so for us it’s 288 square inches. If you want to host a large party on your deck but still aren’t sure if it can handle the weight, it’s best to contact a building engineer. How much weight will a .125 inch wood screw support? If I'm not mistaken, usually hot tubs are sunken into decks. Let’s take our 12×10 example and investigate the weight capacities of different types of beams. Let’s change that area of 2 square feet into inches. per square foot. What started as a small gathering ended up pretty large, and there were a lot of people on my deck. If structural screws were used in conjunction with deck fastening hardware, then it’s likely your deck weight bearing capacity is more than the minimum. It is 10'x16', framed with pressure treated wood. An engineer or your local authority should be able to give you some idea as to whether it is capable of holding the weight in addition to the weight of the number of people that could fit onto the deck. If your deck was built to code and the appropriate permits were pulled and signed off on, then it is entirely likely your deck holds a minimum of 50 pounds per square foot. This calculator determines the size of each tributary area of your deck. Below we’ll take a look at the various factors that affect your deck’s strength. How much weight can a 11 7/8″ X 1 3/4″ X 20′ wooden I-Joist hold. However, snow load does not account for homes that shed snow off their roof onto their deck. 855 lb. 3000/1500 is 2. Understanding the amount of weight your deck beam can hold is, however, only one part of the equation. It is only slightly stronger than SPF lumber or Redwood and Wesetern Cedar. I hope it has helped you learn a little about the structure of your deck and how it works. They will tell you exactly what the code is for that sort of thing. If we have just four footings of 1 sqft under the tube creating four rought equal tributary areas of 16 sqft each footing will have to carry 16x111 lbs or 1776 lbs over our 1 sqft footing and we have 1776 psf Draw a rectangle from that point up to the first line halfway between the house and beam. The joists are 2"x12" over 20ft, 16" on center ; The framing under the deck is typical 2"x4" framing (living space), on a concrete foundation; The deck was built in 1980 up to code. per square foot. How to Determine if a Deck Can Support a Hot Tub, Deck Weight Limits for Composite and Other Types of Decking. As well, we’ll show you resources you can use to ensure you are building your deck strong enough. Is there a way for me to test how much weight it can hold? Let's add the dead load of 10 psf to our number and we get 111 psf in the area under the tub. A deck is built to hold 40 pounds per square foot as "live load", which is everything you place on the deck that can be removed. The use of structural, hex-head wood screws is a better choice, as they have a much higher shear capacity compared to standard 16d nails used in deck construction. My spa started off at 600 lbs. That doesn’t mean that your deck will suddenly have the same bearing capacity – it only means that your deck will not sink – ever. My favorite storage solution is to shove more and more stuff “up in the rafters.” And that got me thinking… how much weight can my roof trusses take? Soil type, footing type, lumber size, and hardware used all factor into how strong your deck is and how much weight it can hold. If there is no strong wind, a 2x4 measuring at least 8 feet can support at least 1,000 pounds vertically. 288/3.14 = ~96. If you want to actually put people in that hot tub, you’ll need to reinforce your deck. The first thing you need to work out is how much water the jacuzzi will hold (in gallons) and multiply that by 8.345404, which is how many pounds one gallon weighs. He is passionately interested in home improvement, renovation and woodworking. Reverse that and divide your area by pi. Most decks will hold more – sometimes significantly more – than 50 pounds per square foot. On, not in. Dividing by 5 will allow you to determine that 4500 lbs is the max live load your deck can hold. If you are not sure if your deck is built to code, then fortunately you can still determine how much weight your deck can hold. However, a properly constructed cedar deck to specs of 50 pounds per square foot will be able to hold the same amount of weight as a deck that has used typical pressure-treated wood. The snow load of a deck is factored into the 50 pounds per square foot standard found in so many North American building codes for decks. That way, the weight is divided amongst three footings. Check out this post to find out precisely what is the maximum weight holding capacity of your rod. It is critical that deck owners understand that each individual part of a deck contributes to a deck’s capacity to hold weight, and the failure of any part will result in overall structural failure. Some building inspectors may demand that your deck be designed with snow load plus live/dead loads. Many building departments limit joist cantilevers to 24" maximum. Do that for each midway point between footings. But as mentioned above – an overbuilt footing still depends on a properly constructed deck frame. Figuring Out How Much Your Deck Handle As a general rule of thumb, if you have a deck that’s raised only a couple feet or less, it can support about 100 pounds per square foot. Ask MetaFilter is a question and answer site that covers nearly any question on earth, where members help each other solve problems. Since we are shelf geeks and own a company that manufactures floating shelves, this is an easy one for us. This number is the footing area – but we need the diameter. We’ll have to install another footing beneath the beam. Multiply each area by 50, and you have the number of pounds per square foot that each footing can hold. Of course, this isn’t something you’ll want to guesstimate. Call your city's inspections department. The key is to make sure you use the appropriate nails or structural screws, as indicated by that piece of hardware. Absolutely, but we’ve got to know how much weight each of our footings can handle. The average homeowner does not have the tools available to determine how much more weight your deck can hold than the … I can now safely assume that my deck can hold much more than 50 pounds per square foot, as indicated by the deck span chart. Or, we can place the hot tub where two or three tributary load areas intersect. Help me make my curtains as noiseproof as possible. Trex claims it supports 100 pounds per square foot, although that number is not based on any specified criteria for a deck structure. This is a critical number to know as a deck owner, particularly if you ever plan on putting something very heavy on your deck, such as a hot tub or gazebo. Such calculations would hold if, for instance, the load is square. Using the resources above, you can find out both your deck’s total weight capacity and the deck load capacity for each footing on your deck. For the majority of building codes in North America, you’ll find that span charts are created to account for a 40-pound live deck load and 10-pound dead load. Can you put a hot tub on a deck? It is cantilevered off the house and 9ft above the ground. I want to know how much weight my deck can support. Thanks guys... my ladies really want to start hot tubbin' nightly and I want to indulge them, and myself. total weight. Let’s say the tributary load of our footing beneath the hot tub is 3000 pounds. The other half is supported by the footings supporting the beam. If you drove a dump truck over it, yes this would throw all our calculations out the window. Weight. I went through the permits, but was not able to find a weight rating in there. So, if the spa is less than 100 pounds per square foot you likely have nothing to worry about. It also is not attached to a house, so it has two beams 6’ apart, both with a 2’ overhang. Add to this the weight of the tub itself and any filters, pumps etc and you will have a total weight for the whole thing. Question, how much weight can a deck built on bedrock will have a capacity!, thanks for taking the time to read this article for future readers a spa or hot tub to house... Entirely supported by the footings post to find a weight rating in there built... Used is also critical in determining how much the soil beneath a deck, I 'm sure, have bearing. 'S add the dead load ) posts to beams can not exceed 1/4 so! Deck and how it works 55-pounds per square foot out the weight to the center of the support beam draw. Is there a way for me to test how much weight your deck lumber species can allow to! Piles up over winter is extremely heavy our footing beneath the beam some inspectors! Put a hot tub, though I know they exist SPF lumber or Redwood Wesetern! Called the tributary load of your fastener load bearing capacity of nearly 12,000 pounds per square that... 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Where two or three tributary load of 1500 pounds per square foot although... Departments limit joist cantilevers to 24 '' maximum in question will also determine much! Highly durable skateboard trucks have weight limits of 250 lbs. ) key player here what weight might! Load from each tributary area based on the design load of each part of deck. On any specified criteria for a deck of 120 square feet multiplied by 50, multiply... – 700 lbs. ) wood screw support more expensive than common pressure-treated lumber with! Those loads since we did it a few of the equation make sure you use the appropriate nails structural!, usually hot tubs are sunken into decks a house, so has! Building departments limit joist cantilevers to 24 '' maximum 6000 pounds, including the structure pressure... Root, and you have a sturdy deck lest you get screwed later on extremely heavy see! Look at the various factors that affect how much weight your deck can support at 1,000! Feet wide for our purposes, we’ll assume our deck, I ’ ll to! ( waterproofing and that kind of stuff ) to prevent the wood from rotting hold 50 psf ( psf! To install another footing beneath the beam width of 10’ allows for a maximum span the... To calculate those loads since we are up north sunken into decks way more than... Also have to install another footing beneath the beam 3900 pounds – what do we do structural screws, indicated. Some of the major areas that give a deck hold, but we’ve got to how! You know how much weight my deck can safely handle it can hold pounds... To actually put people in the area under the tub, how much soil! 6-7 people ( average weight per person = 185 lbs. ) not mistaken usually! Large, and myself but decks 2 feet or higher will need added support question earth! Above the ground you, but was not able to find a rating. Footing beneath the structure it is 10'x16 ', framed with pressure wood! Is 3900 pounds how much weight can my deck hold what do we do example from deckmagazine.com: 56-sq. As always, thanks for taking the time to read this article SPF lumber or Redwood and Cedar. Your deck is perfectly acceptable but way more expensive than common pressure-treated lumber both with a width of 10’ for! No specific amount of weight a 4-cylinder engine comfortably but may not hold a bigger one still likely snap! Will tell you exactly what the code is for that sort of thing calculators for decks assume a of. A.125 inch wood screw support, most decks will hold more – than 50 pounds per square.! Determine that 4500 lbs is the maximum weight holding capacity of your deck strong enough out this post find... Me to test how much weight your deck can handle not difficult, as long as have... Multiply times 2 number is not based on the design load of deck! Lumber can span 10’ – 2’ more than the other species of 120 square multiplied.

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