Cross venting ipe and low deck suggestions?

17 years ago

I have spent hours leaning about ipe on this board and it has been extremely helpful, you guys are all very kind to help the newbies like myself and other out. Member of message boards on other topics tend to be much less forgiving :)

We are in the planning stages of a roughly 350 sq ft deck that will be quite close to the ground and built over a concrete patio with an 8x8 hot tub sitting on it (so removing the patio and re-grading isn't an option).

The door from the house is only 11 1/2" above the patio so it seems that we won't be able to build the deck as a direct walk out or the joists will be basically sitting on the patio, unless I am copletely missing something the best we could come up with was to build a landing big enough for a screen door to swing out and then one step up to the deck height of about 18". This door is near a corner of two walls and the deck will be built along both. There won't be much airflow under the deck in that corner. What do I need to do to vent the deck in that area to prevent cupping and warping of the ipe? Do you mean leave 1/8" gaps to cross ventilate or is there more to it than that? Does letting the ipe sit on site for a couple weeks help it cure and prevent these issues?

Oh, it's going to be surface drilled, construction adhesive, screwed and plugged with a PT frame. I live in seattle so water is an obvious concern.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

john_hyatt
17 years ago
With 11 1/2''below the threshold of the door you have all sorts of room slab or no slab. Working over a slab tap con acq blocks to the slab on a 6' span 16'' on center find grade with a 4' leval, install the 2x6 joists with 2x6 legs to the blocks. Bang Bang!! done. John
jas0n
Original Author
17 years ago
I guess i might have left out some info, I would like to do it cantilever style, at least I believe that is the correct term, basically the posts under the deck not on the corners. Doesn't that mean I need to basically have double the space underneath so I can run a beam the length of the deck to support my joists? Is that style not possible when you go that low to the ground? I would love to build it at the threshhold level if possible.
Related Discussions
Ventilation, sanding Questions for IPE deck
Q
Comments (1)
Its really pretty simple. I use floor regesters ,like inside your house, I punch out the controls and paint them black or fancy jobs get solid brass. The idea is air in air out. Put screen vents in the skirting use the floor vents close to the house. J.
...See More
Suggestions to make sure ipe deck is installed correctly
Q
Comments (1)
Face fasten ipe do not use the clips,provide cross ventalation. I use construstion adhesive on the joists. With the corect install ipe will not cup or warp. Cedar is too soft and prone to rot to be a long lasting decking choice. John.
...See More
ipe decking over a roof and pool deck - concerned about cupping
Q
Comments (2)
Your roof top deck has plenty of clearance,most of mine have the width of the stringers 1 1/2''. I would sugest using counstruction adhesive as well as SS screws be very sure the screws do not go thru the stringers be very sure as well during install you dont damage the roof...like hiting it with the edge of a board,droping a drill bit first on it,steping on a screw things like that. Your right if your going to use anything on it use the S American lumber not manmade material. With your pool deck provide cross ventalation. This can be done with screen vents in the framing if this is not completly possible install floor vents in the decking combined with the frame vents. Cross ventalation is a vastley over looked but much needed addtion to any decking project. The gap between the decking boards will have no effect one way or the other venting your project unless there is air moving under it. If possble a drain system under the pool deck might help if done corectley but do not put a ground cover like plastic sheet/tar paper under it 1'' ipe will react the same way 3/4'' ipe will under the same conditions. The life span of both is also the same. J.
...See More
ventilation low IPE deck area
Q
Comments (1)
I think that you will be fine, as long as there is cross ventilation
...See More
ron6519
17 years ago
How far are you planning to cantilever the deck?
Ron
john_hyatt
17 years ago
Totaly possible,just extend the joists, make sure the conection to the posts/ plates is very secure. J.
jas0n
Original Author
17 years ago
We decided to do two levels, one at threshold level and the other 1 step higher than that. This plan works out better anyway because we will now clear the 8 crawlspace vents that were going to be in the way of the ledger board.

The question I still have is how much ventilation is enough and how to I provide it where the deck meets the corner of two walls (house walls)?
john_hyatt
17 years ago
solid brass floor vents,same thing used inside the house, remove the control operation down below and flush mount. J
jas0n
Original Author
17 years ago
You mean the ones that just drop into a hole and are removable? I'm not a big fan of brass, any other options? How about putting vents on the fascia boards? I think i've heard of that here before, maybe not, i've read so much stuff it's hard to remember.
john_hyatt
17 years ago
If I am understanding the Jas you need ventalation in the area next to your house walls,to do this vents of some kind have to be placed in the decking,I do this with floor vents solid brass can be used or the cheeper vinal,or the really cheeper metal one painted black,or have some made up out of ipe.

Screen vents in the skirting combined with the deck vents will give you Cross Ventalation. J
jas0n
Original Author
17 years ago
I gotcha, here's more background:

the deck will be very close to the ground, about 18" so we probably won't do any skirting. The sod has been removed and replaced with landscaping cloth and stone pitched away from the house. My understanding is that i'm probably ok everywhere but the corner near the house, it seems like that wouldn't get as much airflow as the rest.

There are 5, 6" x 16" crawlspace vents on that wall right below where the deck will be, some in the corner, a good amount of air flows through the crawlspace at any given time, might that cover me?
john_hyatt
17 years ago
If the other vents around the house are not closed in the winter time and the ones under the deck are locked open that sounds like it will work. J
jas0n
Original Author
17 years ago
Sounds good, there are probably almost 2 dozen vents around the house and they are only open, can't be closed. I'll be sure to get pictures up when we get to that point, thanks again!