Home & Garden

What do you think of my above ground pool deck design? (images inside)

  • Last Updated:
  • Jun 8th, 2013 11:08 am
Tags:
None
Member
Sep 9, 2007
410 posts
169 upvotes

What do you think of my above ground pool deck design? (images inside)

I'm building in the next few days a deck for my new 18' above ground pool. I've designed a deck using Sketchup, but want to have your opinion before building it / buying the lumber!

I'm looking for opinions on the design (aesthetic) and on the construction itself (against code, etc.). The joists are made of 2x6 12"cc, the exterior joists are made of 2x8. Railing height is 48". A gate will of course be added down the road. The floor and the top rails are made of 5/4x6 deck boards. Posts are 4x4 and travel from the ground to the top.

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img254/3546/capt ... 0607a1.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img585/6797/capt ... 607a1v.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img822/2100/capt ... 607a1w.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img35/3546/captu ... 0607a1.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img18/3546/captu ... 0607a1.png[/IMG]
9 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 22, 2003
15540 posts
981 upvotes
Niagara Falls
Go bigger! By the time you mount a ladder or stairs there will be very little room to actually move or store anything.
Thinking seriously about the 4 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf and ... Booked for Sept in Mexico and booked Samana DR for Jan!
Member
Sep 9, 2007
410 posts
169 upvotes
I wanted the smallest footprint possible. Don't you think it'll be okay if we just need the platform to go into the pool? I don't plan to store anything there, nor to have some party (we have another deck for that).
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 22, 2003
15540 posts
981 upvotes
Niagara Falls
What are you going to use to enter/exit the pool? Even a ladder mount is going to take up about 2 feet. You'll be surprised on how it will end up being used once everything is in. We have a deck box on ours to store stuff like pool chemicals, brush, leaf skimmer, etc. Then there is always a pile of towels up here too and pool toys/floats. If you entertain, there will be several people/kids up there at any given time. heck our annual hockey team parties, we've had 15 families here and easily at least 5 people on the deck at any given time. ;) Our deck covers 5 sections of our 21 foot round and we've thought several times over the years that it should have been at least another section larger.

edit to add: BTW, make sure to keep the 2x6's on the face a good 2-4+ inches above the pool rim. The deck will heave and settle each year on deck blocks and you never, ever want it to settle on top of the pool rail. That is asking for disaster and a yard full of water due to collapse.
Thinking seriously about the 4 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf and ... Booked for Sept in Mexico and booked Samana DR for Jan!
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 22, 2003
15540 posts
981 upvotes
Niagara Falls
LOL! A word of advice on those stairs, they will create a dead zone in the water where you will always be fighting green. Our pool store just sent a whole tractor trailer load back and are now carrying a different set that is not solid behind. We had a set on hold from the fall and instead got the new design. That set actually looks like it may not work with the deck you've designed. How much adjustment do you have on the non-handle side of those stairs?
Thinking seriously about the 4 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf and ... Booked for Sept in Mexico and booked Samana DR for Jan!
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 26, 2005
17068 posts
1830 upvotes
Thornhill
Nice - I did my deck design in Sketchup as well.

I'm not sure you're allowed to use deck-blocks as footings when you're that high up? The posts at the bottom of the stairs are in the ground, so during frost-heave, the whole staircase may rip right out?

I think the beams and joists need to sit on top of the post (with proper hardware) rather than on the side (should be done more like the middle support, but even those beams need to be on top of the posts). The platform should probably be built as a deck and then have the handrails attached. I'm not sure of the recommended way to frame a curved section.

Anyway, I'm only familiar with the Ontario Building Code, so can't say for sure of the QC version.

bjl
What we do in life echoes in Eternity... and in Google cache.
RFD discounts for Schluter products
Member
Sep 9, 2007
410 posts
169 upvotes
CSK'sMom wrote: LOL! A word of advice on those stairs, they will create a dead zone in the water where you will always be fighting green. Our pool store just sent a whole tractor trailer load back and are now carrying a different set that is not solid behind. We had a set on hold from the fall and instead got the new design. That set actually looks like it may not work with the deck you've designed. How much adjustment do you have on the non-handle side of those stairs?
The pole on the non-handle side is bigger on my steps. They just cut it so it's level. I'll watch for algae, thanks!
Member
Sep 9, 2007
410 posts
169 upvotes
t3359, I supposed using the post all the way up would make the handrail much more solid. That's the way some builders on Youtube did it. My current deck is built the way you describe it and the handrails don't seem that solid (this is the builder's deck in a 2,5 years home).

I also planned on using joist hangers on the joists.

Thanks for the comment, and I'll make sure it's all up to the code.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 26, 2005
17068 posts
1830 upvotes
Thornhill
capitainefritz wrote: t3359, I supposed using the post all the way up would make the handrail much more solid. That's the way some builders on Youtube did it. My current deck is built the way you describe it and the handrails don't seem that solid (this is the builder's deck in a 2,5 years home).

I also planned on using joist hangers on the joists.

Thanks for the comment, and I'll make sure it's all up to the code.
Hey CapitaineFritz,

Yeah, I agree that a handrail built from the post would be more solid, but I think they're more concerned about the platform itself. Someone in this forum had posted links to the AWC (sorry, forgot who) - you may want to check these guidelines:

http://www.awc.org/publications/dca/dca6/dca6-09.pdf

bjl
What we do in life echoes in Eternity... and in Google cache.
RFD discounts for Schluter products

Top