This is the last in a series of posts related to the siding and porch demolition and replacement at the Front Cabin. You can check out the demolition and the original construction here. Then, I fully replaced the board and batten siding at the front wall, and placed new concrete footings with a rat slab under the porch deck. Now, let’s lets rebuild and replace the front porch deck!
Here’s where we left off. You can see the rat slab and the new footings for the new dropped beam next to the house. I also added better footing supports below the existing dropped beam as the original supports were pressured treated blocks placed in soil! This is looking much better. Fingers crossed that the rat slab will keep the rats out from the crawlspace.
You can see I added a pressure-treated dropped beam along the house to match the existing beam. This will support the back of the deck joists instead of a house-connected ledger. I will keep a 1/2 inch gap between the house and the ledge to allow the crawl space vents to vent, and it will keep the new siding from rotting along the ledger.
I’m building this to last! So before I frame the deck joists, I installed an asphalt based flashing tape called FortiFlash along the tops of the dropped beams. This helps protect the beams from rainwater.
Here is the installed FortiFlash tape.
Porch Framing:
The porch is framed with 2×6 pressure-treated joists at 16 inches on center. They are about 5 foot long, so I was able to buy 2×6 x 10 ft lumber and cut each board in half.
You can see I used a continuous rim joist at the back. This could very well be a ledger, but I am going to keep a 1/2 inch gap along the wall. Instead of that rim joist, I could have installed blocking between the joists along the dropped beam. However, it was easier to mark the joist placement along that back rim joist and simply attach each joist with two #10 x 3 inch deck screws driven through the rim into each joist.
Once the joists were all attached to the back rim, I simply slid the whole system back against the wall, making sure to leave a 1/2 inch gap.
Now, if you look closely in the photo below, you can see a lag screw from the rim joist into the house framing. I thought I said I wasn’t going to do this?! I know! But I found what are called Deck2Wall Spacers that are 1/2 inch plastic washers that keep the ledger 1/2 inch from the house framing. They act as washers for lag screws. It’s a win-win.
So I installed a few lag screws right near the door. They are not needed for gravity support because we have the new dropped beam. I added them just in a case a heavy weight is applied at the end of the cantilevered joist section – say a large appliance and two large people. The lag screws will provide solid resistance to uplift of the joists at the house. Yes, I am also toe-nailing the joists to the dropped beam which will also provide some uplift resistance. The lag screws simply provide a really solid support.
See the thick-looking framing on the end? I screwed in a flat 2×6 joist between two joists on the end to provide bearing support for picture framing decking. Basically, the decking is going to run across the joists. But I want to frame the end with a perpendicular deck board to give it a more finished look. More on that later. But the flat framing will give the decking a full solid bearing area. Both ends of the deck are framed like this.
Joist Tape & Flashing:
The old joists had wood rot along the top. I want to avoid that if I can this time around, so I decided to use a asphalt based, self adhering waterproof tape called Joist Tape along the tops of the joists. It is just wide enough to cover the top of 2x joists, and it’s very quick and easy to install. Simply peel and stick.
Here is a roll of the joist tape I found at Home Depot.
This is the installed Joist Tape. I had some leftover ForitFlash for the wider framing at each end.
Once I started laying out the deck boards, I remembered they will need to be notched around the posts. The notched boards need proper support, so I installed 2×6 blocking on either side of the post and bridged the blocking with a flat 2x board. This gives the notched decking proper bearing, similar to the end condition. You can see that I flashed that blocking with FortiFlash as well.
Front Porch Redwood Decking:
Ok, let’s get the decking in! I am using construction grade 2×6 flat redwood boards in various lengths that I picked up at Home Depot. I got lucky and was able to pick out nice boards from a fresh delivery. Construction grade boards need to meet that grade or higher, so if you’re lucky, you can pull out those higher quality boards at construction grade cost! It helps when you don’t need a lot of boards. This deck is relatively small so that worked out here.
Hidden screw connections bring decks up to the next level, and they are really easy to install. So I will be using Camo edge deck screws seen in the photo below. The 2 3/8 inch screw is needed for the 2x thick decking.
Here’s a look inside the box so you can see the screws. The drill has the long drill bit with a T15 head that comes with the screws.
I prefer to start at the outside of the front porch deck and work towards the house because I want a full joist along the outer edge. Also, I cut the joist lengths so that a full board SHOULD fit as the last board along the house. *Fingers crossed!*
The outside edge of the decking will mimic a step from the ground, so I want to provide a lip or nosing similar to stair nosing around the perimeter. I am using a 3/4″ lip all around. You can see in the photo below that I used an adjustable combination square to set the edge board in place.
Then, I hold in steady with clamps while screwing the deck board in place. Because of the 3/4 inch lip, I am not able to install a diagonal hidden screw around the edge.
Here I am simply installing vertical screws long the edge board. However, because the screw heads are very small, the holes are hardly noticeable. I still try to space them out evenly so it looks good!
Here I am installing the hidden Camo screws at about a 45 degree angle along the corner edge of the 2x decking. You can buy tool guides to help install the screws perfectly. I had a lot of trouble getting the guides to work correctly. So in the end I simply get the hole started with a more horizontal drill. Once it’s started, I correct the screw to the right angle and drill it in. This also allow me to butt the deck boards right next to each other. This is green lumber that will shrink over time so I don’t need to provide an extra gap. The gap will show up as they dry.
The decking needs to be notched around the posts. You can see here how I cut the redwood decking on site. Measure and mark your cu on the deck board. Then clamp the deck in place to the joists below outside of the cut area. Use a jig saw to make the notch. Easy-peasy.
Here is the notched decking around the post. Looking good yeah?
I kept going until all the deck board were in place. Thankfully my measurements worked out and I was able to use a full board along the house. If need be, I could have ripped it down slightly on a table saw.
Here is the installed 2×6 redwood decking. The perpendicular boards on each edge are all that are needed now.
Mission Style Frame Deck Edge:
The deck edge I’m going to use is a little unconventional. I am not using a more common 45 degree cut at the corners. That always looks good at first, but with green lumber that shrinks, it invariably ends up with too much of a gap. Here is a photo from an old redwood deck that shows the uneven large gap at a 45 degree cut.
To avoid the weird gap at a 45 degree cut, I will keep the front edge board full length and then cut back the other boards so that I can install a perpendicular edge board that butts up to the full length board. The photo below shows what I mean.
Here I have clamped the perpendicular board in place to test fit it before I cut back the other deck boards. You can see how it will butt up against the full length front deck board.
I mark a line along the deck boards and then cut it VERY CAREFULLY lol with a skill saw. Here I am cutting back the deck boards to make room for the edge piece. I set the depth of the saw to match the depth of the 2x decking.
I finish the cut very carefully with an oscillating saw. If you look closely, you can see the tiny holes for the hidden Camo screws.
Here is the installed mission style framed deck edge. You can see I kept the 3/4 inch lip all around to match the front.
Deck Stain & Sealer at Front Porch Deck:
I’ve tried a lot of different deck stains, paints, and sealers, and, honestly, been disappointed in most. This is the best deck stain and sealer I’ve found so far. It has NOT peeled in the sun like other well-touted deck stains have.
This is TWP : Total Wood Preservative. I had to order it online and could not find it locally. But trust me, it’s great. It is an oil based wood stain and preservative works to penetrate into the wood and provide a protective coating.
5 gallons goes a long way. But you can store it for future coats. It will need recoating every few years. I am using TWP 1500 in California Redwood.
This photo shows half stained redwood deck and half bare wood. The stain is still wet and will dull somewhat as it dries, but you get a good idea of the color.
This is the wet stain at the front porch deck edge.
Wow here is the completed front porch deck and siding! The stain is still drying, but doesn’t it look awesome?
Ok, I will admit, this was a lot of work and it looks basically the same as it was before! Lol. But NO mice or rats have gotten in the house since all this was replaced. Plus, the deck is much sturdier and really pretty. Even if no one else knows, let we agree that it’s better, ok? Cool.
