Elevated Decks El Dorado AR

Engineering, slow work conditions, and safety issues add up to high bids for high decks

by Bobby Parks



This past year, the company I work for in North Atlanta, Ga., built several elevated decks, two of which were 28 feet high. Because of the height involved, caution and planning are critical when building these decks.

The basic types are stacked multilevel decks (photo, left) and single upper-level decks (Figure 1). Loading and footings are more complex with stacked decks, but single decks can be more difficult to start building because their columns are frequently taller. Both are often built over sloping ground, which complicates footings.


Figure 1. Elevated decks require more thought than ground-level decks. Difficulties of working at a height, safety concerns, increased footing loads, unfamiliar materials such as steel, and a greater need for lateral bracing all contribute to — and justify — significantly higher pricing.

Consulting both a geotechnical and a structural engineer is crucial. It's not cheap, but the more details you can provide the engineers for review, the less their charges will be. The alternative, risking a deck failure 20 feet in the air, could cost you everything.

Designing for Height
It's important to remember that an elevated deck isn't simply a regular deck on stilts; the large distance from the ground dictates a number of special design considerations.

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