When not to build a deck weather temp wise in E-Indiana??

[Spookrider]

I got a little monster of an project that need to be done but, the few I have talk to say it is to cold to do it. In lue of the contraction and expanding problem come spring & summer.
How cold is to cold to do an deck with an ramp??
This Sun. will be in the 50's during the day and 30's by night.
The deck will be an simple square of 6'w
by 8'L with an 6' ramp attach.
It is very small indeed.
The plan is to lay Treated 2x4 flat on concrete and attaching by tapcon screws to the pad.
Then simple build practice from there on out.
I'm very limited on height of door to con. pad height.
I want to build it right the first time. I don't need not it to moving and warping come spring.
How cold is to cold to any outdoor project in Eastern Indiana??



There is a long story to why I'm asking this ponder.

 

[IDASHO]

Unless you are seeing a hard freeze, low 20's at night, I see no reason to worry.

 

[BLUBAYOU]

me neither

 

[idoine in toronto]

Builders work year round here in Canada. Shouldn't be a problem as long as you take the proper steps with your footings and keep yourself warm.

 

[Spookrider]

My footing is the concrete pad/sidewalk like that serves as current access to the inside of house.
All I going to do is add 2 or 3 inches of thickness of wood and an ramp. to rise the level of the current "walk way" So a wheel chair could go up on to level plan to the inside.

 

[BLUBAYOU]

sounds like someone doesn't like working outside

 

[Spookrider]

sounds like someone doesn't like working outside

No!

I do Civil War reenacting.

I don't want the darn thing to warp or heve when it get warm. Then I have spend more money to redo some thing again with money that is hard to come by.

 

[BLUBAYOU]

Thought you meant others you asked didn't want to do it in the cold, not yourself

 

[BooUrns!]

I myself wouldn't lay treated 2x4 on flat if warpage was my concern. You're just asking for trouble that way. Look into finding some treated 2x2 or use the 2x4 on edge.

 

[tfi racing]

It is routine to frame new houses in sub zero temps in most of Canada,most guys will only stop work when the air tools freeze up!I would be more concerned with excessive moisture due to rain or snow,than the temp.Another consideration is that the workmanship can suffer because the guys really don't want to be out there.

 

[Spookrider]

I myself wouldn't lay treated 2x4 on flat if warpage was my concern. You're just asking for trouble that way. Look into finding some treated 2x2 or use the 2x4 on edge.

I'm very limited to the thickness of it. I got four inches more or less make a ramp. It is ether a 4x4 with and layer of deck boards on top of that. I think that would put level to the door. But attaching it to the con. pad is one thing, if I use 2x4 I can use tapcons screws to make it harder to shift, but the 4x4 is thicker and increase the budget by the way of metal bracket of such.
I not to sure of how to attach to the con. pad for 4x4?
I Figure that some tapcon in key spots and good number in the first 2x4 would prevent from shifting when a wheelchair would be apply to the ramp and landing pad.
If I use 4x4 I'm seeing bigger hole in the con. pad and fasteners being needed to hold it down. Plus it is 4 inches soild wood instead of 2 inches. That mean more thing that could fail and or be mess up by my limited craftsmanship.
The design I first came up is like a giant sandwich, layer board to get my thickness , then lay my flat area. With the 4x4 I can't really screw it side way like we do in stick building and have it work right. It would need to be straight in for the strength.

 

[Torque1st]

Since you are probably working with ACQ treated wood the Tapcon screws will rust quickly. Ground/concrete contact will accelerate the corrosion caused by the chemicals in the ACQ. Use 1/2" heavy galvanized bolts or stainless steel fasteners only with ACQ! You could also look around and find some TimberSil wood which has no corrosion problems and will last even longer than the ACQ. TimberSil should be more stable also. Never use ACQ treated wood around aluminum flashings etc either.

 

[Spookrider]

Since you are probably working with ACQ treated wood the Tapcon screws will rust quickly. Ground/concrete contact will accelerate the corrosion caused by the chemicals in the ACQ. Use 1/2" heavy galvanized bolts or stainless steel fasteners only with ACQ! You could also look around and find some TimberSil wood which has no corrosion problems and will last even longer than the ACQ. TimberSil should be more stable also. Never use ACQ treated wood around aluminum flashings etc either.

I belive they make lag bolt expanding anchors. So I would drill the wood then con. pad apply anchor then tighten. Then the anchor would expand as tighting and it also prevent any upward movement to.
Seams simple?
So I need an 1/2 hammer drill bit for doing some thing like this.
Is there any "L" bracket route out there??

 

[Torque1st]

I belive they make lag bolt expanding anchors. So I would drill the wood then con. pad apply anchor then tighten. Then the anchor would expand as tighting and it also prevent any upward movement to.
Seams simple?
So I need an 1/2 hammer drill bit for doing some thing like this.
Is there any "L" bracket route out there??

I do not know of any L-bracket solutions. Drilling and using anchors would be cleaner.

 

[Bigger Hammer]

I would be more concerned about building a deck on a sidewalk than the temperature when it is built. The deck really should be on posts set in concrete below frost line which is around 36" here in Indiana. If it is on the sidewalk only then the sidewalk will move with the seasons and the deck will move right along with it. The material is going to expand and contract no matter when it is built, sounds to me like your builder is a bit of a nancy.

And btw, Tapcons are approved for use in ACQ lumber.

 

[kbs2244]

You can do carpentry in any weather that you can stand to be in.
The temp dosn't affect wood.
For what you a thinking off I would be sure to use treated wood.

 

[Torque1st]

And btw, Tapcons are approved for use in ACQ lumber.

Not in my opinion, especially not in this application. The manufacturer may say so but they won't warranty it when it fails except to hand you some more screws.

 

[Spookrider]

I would be more concerned about building a deck on a sidewalk than the temperature when it is built. The deck really should be on posts set in concrete below frost line which is around 36" here in Indiana. If it is on the sidewalk only then the sidewalk will move with the seasons and the deck will move right along with it. The material is going to expand and contract no matter when it is built, sounds to me like your builder is a bit of a Nancy.

And btw, Tapcons are approved for use in ACQ lumber.

The "Nancy builder" is me.

Why I seem to be a little "dum" on the subject, I'm pretty new to the attaching deck to a con.-pad theory of building.
That is why I'm here asking ones that did it before, so when it is built it is built right in a small way and I won't have griping to me say I should hired some pro to do it. Plus I get a new tool in doing it also.
When I can do it with some gudice of other in the computer world.
I know what is needed to do the job but, applying them right is one thing.
I built a shed from the inside out, two new walls, new rafter,and new roof. I have no real training to wood working. I have watch Bob Villa and like shows since a little kid to this very day.
Infact this is the biggest job ever I have done with wood/building by my self ever.
I challenge any one to say the shed built wrong.
Shoot, I think I over built it. Most would say. I didn't spare any glue, screws and lag bolts in building it. I know one rafter triangle can support 250lbs with little flex.

((Sorry any picture will come later, I have not gone to the future of picture taking jist yet.))

I was about to post about the Tap-Con being approve for treated wood.

 

[Spookrider]

I'm limited to the where I put it. To do it the post method is to jack hammer an 8'x8' pad of concrete and some more concrete. The walk way is L with an square in the conner of L where the lines meet , that attach or sit very close the house.
I doing that I would open a can of worm that is not needed.
So that is why I'm doing the "sandwich" method of building the deck/ramp. Working with what I got. I only need it to rise at max 6" of height to make it to door so a wheel chair could come in level existing door way

 

[KustomZ]

I have another idea to throw out here. How about using pavers or brick set in mortar depending on how thick you need it? It would be much more durable than wood. Just something to think about.

 

[Spookrider]

Which is better?
4x4 Lag Shield Anchor & SS-Lags to con.-pad with "1 5/8" deck boards
Or
2x4 tapcon to con.-pad with 2x6 as deck boards

 

[Torque1st]

I have another idea to throw out here. How about using pavers or brick set in mortar depending on how thick you need it? It would be much more durable than wood. Just something to think about.

He would have freezing temps and curing concrete to contend with.

BTW, Don't use Tapcons, marginal at BEST with ACQ... Use the heavy galvanized lag screws.

 

[IDASHO]

He would have freezing temps and curing concrete to contend with.

BTW, Don't use Tapcons, marginal at BEST with ACQ... Use the heavy galvanized lag screws.

If he is using the anchors to anchor the treated to the slab, then the best bet would be galvanized all-thread, epoxied into the slab.

 

[KustomZ]

He would have freezing temps and curing concrete to contend with.

BTW, Don't use Tapcons, marginal at BEST with ACQ... Use the heavy galvanized lag screws.

Shouldn't be a problem. Cover it up to retain heat. I have seen it done plenty of times on fresh concrete in cold weather. I have a friend that is a brick mason and I have seen them work year round with no problems so I know it can be done.

 

[Spookrider]

I might be going at this wrong in some sort. The method that I'm typing is for upward movement of the deck/ramp.
But really I only need it not to move when a wheelchair is apply to the ramp then it would slide.
I can drill holes in the con.-pad and use SS-Lags as pegs of sorts. then drop it in to the hole. The two support for the ramp/pad is going to be one peice of lumber, one long 4x4x12.
Or would it be better tie in to the con.-pad in the long run?
By, not tie it down to the con.-pad it can contract & expand freely. But it can warp, that is the only problem I can see

 

[Torque1st]

If you don't bolt the wood down it can warp, tip and rock. The whole concrete pad can heave up and down unless it is actually tied into the house foundation like some porches are. There is not much you can do about the pad movement so just minimize the wood movement by bolting it to the pad.

 

[rocketman]

If it is long enough/heavy enough, you shouldn't need to anchor it to anything but the house under the door. Frost heave, expansion, contraction wouldn't be an issue then as it would be semi-floating.

 

[Spookrider]

The con.-pad was an add on. The pad is seperated from the house and some what new to the house from which it was built.
the whole deck/ramp will be resting on the con.-pad. The wood is for the making/raising of the ramp and also allowing the wheelchair go in on a level plane since the design of the walk and neighbor property line are. That won't allow a staright shot in the house. They need to hook it in to the house.
I only need to rise 5 or 6 inches, so there is little room to play.
A 4x4 and some 1 5/8x6" and I'm level to the door to where I need to be.

 

[Spookrider]

Also I have pisture for this I get done.

 

[Torque1st]

I have to raise my own porch about the same distance for wheelchair access. My porch pad is on top of extensions from my basement wall. I will be removing the porch pad and placing a new wider ADA compliant concrete pad and concrete ramp. The front door is being replaced also so the width and sill is ADA compliant. The existing walk and front door need replacement anyway.