Build My Frame Pack

We can help you put together a framing kit with our recommended construction method, similar to the drawing above. 

 

Each deck frame kit would include:

  • Premium green-treated 2x10 framing and 2x12 ledger
  • 5" exterior grade ledger fasteners
  • Double side rims
  • Triple 2x10 green-treated beam
  • Simpson® ZMAX galvanized joist hangers and post bases (with DP50s)
  • Shear nails for fastening through hangers into joists, ledger, and beam
  • Fascia blocking for outer rims to provide air gap between fascia and treated framing

All framing is hand-selected, to ensure quality lumber with minimal scrap rate

Does NOT include decking, decking fasteners, fascia, fascia fasteners, or railing parts (very few spare parts are included, we recommend having extra framing material, decking, and fasteners.

Be sure to talk with your building inspector before construction to ensure that all building codes are followed and that your deck is built safely.

Pro Deck Supply is not responsible for construction or workmanship errors or issues, so we encourage you to educate yourself and your team as much as possible to establish a safe work environment and a solid finished product.

We suggest that deck frame kits should include:

  • Premium green-treated 2x10 framing and 2x12 ledger
  • 5" exterior grade ledger fasteners
  • Double side rims
  • Triple 2x10 green-treated southern yellow pine beam
  • Simpson ZMAX galvanized joist hangers and post bases (with DP50s)
  • Shear nails for fastening through hangers into joists, ledger, and beam
  • Fascia blocking for outer rims to provide air gap between fascia and treated framing

All our treated framing lumber is hand-selected, to ensure quality lumber with minimal scrap rate

Does NOT include decking, decking fasteners, fascia, fascia fasteners, or railing parts (very few spare parts are included, we recommend having extra framing material, decking, and fasteners.

Be sure to talk with your building inspector before construction to ensure that all building codes are followed and that your deck is built safely.

Pro Deck Supply is not responsible for construction or workmanship errors or issues, so we encourage you to educate yourself and your team as much as possible to establish a safe work environment and a solid finished product.

Ledgers

Sealing and flashing

Ledger flashing is laid between siding and sheathing, if possible, to allow any water that drips off the siding to flow over the ledger, and not behind it.

Flashing tape is used to adhere and seal the flashing to the house, and any other areas where a surface or seam should be waterproofed.

 

Ledger Board

2x12 treated lumber is often used on ledgers, because it extends down far enough to allow you to fasten the ledger to your wall plate inside the house.

Fasteners for attaching ledger to house wall (generally a 5" or 6" "LedgerLok" or construction lag screw) :

 

Joists and Joist Connectors

Lumber

Joists on medium to large sized decks are often 2x10 material, because of the distance they can span.

Joists are usually spaced 16" on-center, which is the standard joist spacing for most low-maintenance decking manufacturers, when running the decking perpendicular to the joists. When decking is run at a 45 degree angle to the joists, a 12" on-center spacing is usually needed to meet manufacturer's specifications.

You can also select angle hangers on this page, if you have a clipped or 45 degree beam/ledger section.

Green Bay Decking's DuxxBak water-shedding decking and Azek's MAX decking lines are a few exceptions to this rule, they will each span 24" on-center, when run perpendicular to joists.

 

 

Joist Connectors

Joist hangers are used to connect joists to either a ledger or flush beam. They are fastened first to the ledger/beam with 1-1/2" galvanized nails, and then 3" nails are driven through the side of the hanger at an angle, so that they go through the joist and into the ledger.

Joist-to-Beam Connectors

When installing a flush beam (a beam that is even with the level of the joists) you can use the aforementioned joist hangers and nails to fasten them.

When installing a dropped beam as your supporting beam beneath the ledgers, you would use either of the "hurricane ties" shown below to keep your joists vertical and connected to the beam. These should be connected with 1-1/2" or 3" nails, depending on the lumber size.

 

Beams (treated wood and engineered wood)

Lumber

Pro Deck Supply has treated wood or treated engineered wood lumber for using as beams.

2x10 or 2x12 wood is a common size for beams, generally being two or three plys/layers. Size and quantities will depend on the span charts used in your area, how far apart your posts are, the length of your joists, and the overall load on the beam.

Treated Engineered Wood Beams

Engineered beams are often used when you want to eliminate posts, or span a longer distance.

If you plan on mounting your engineered beam to a post or other vertical surface, there are specific hangers and fasteners for the higher capacity beams.

Beam-to-post Connectors

When attaching a post to a beam, options vary based on beam style

When installing a dropped beam, you can use the hardware below, which is adjustable to whatever beam size you have, and fastened with either 1-1/2" or 3" nails

When installing a flush beam, you will generally need an alternative connector to connect the beam to your posts, because joists and joist hangers are often in the way.

Posts and Footings

Lumber

Pro Deck Supply has ground-contact rated 6x6 posts used for supporting deck framing.

Post-to-Footing Connectors

When attaching framing or posts to a footing, the post base below can be used for a 6x6, or you can place a double or triple beam in the saddle as well.

The base has a hole drilled in the bottom so that a bolt can be put through the bottom of the base, and a nut is threaded on to hold the base in place.

Diamond Piers have a bolt protruding from the top of the footing, specifically to fit into this post base. (nut and washer are also included with the Diamond Pier)

The base is then attached to the post or beam with 3" nails.

 

Footing Types

Some common types of deck footings would be concrete tube footings, composite Footing Pads, traditional footings, Diamond Piers, and helical footings.

We carry two sizes of Diamond Piers and five sizes of Footing Pads.

Diamond Pier®

Diamond Piers are a concrete block with metal pins protruding down and out at an angle, so that when a 6x6 is set on the concrete block, the weight is spread out to each of the pins.

Footing Pad®

These are a flat, plastic disc that is placed down inside a hole dug for a footing, that can replace a concrete footing of equal diameter. Footing Pads need to be installed underground, with the post resting directly on the pad.