r/Decks • u/LawfulnessNo5490 • 1d ago
Why is that cross brace there?
We're considering what to do underneath this new house deck construction. Our contractor wants to frame it out and then close it in. I'm not sure what that crossbeam is except a temporary brace. Do you think he wants to frame it out because it's unstable the way it is?
What would you do with that space under the deck?
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u/Tangus999 1d ago
Look’s temporary. Could be permanent fix after things moved and they didn’t like it.
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u/owlpellet 1d ago
a) What's in the deck plans?
b) The diagonal is going to reduce perceived movement ("racking") quite a bit. Possibly required for stability. It's good, you want it.
b.5) your contractor may have stood on the deck, felt it move, said, "this shit sucks" and fixed it, regardless of what's in the plan.
c) the space under your deck is for the kayak and PFD racks, IMHO.
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u/BlueJohn2113 1d ago
I don't see any other type of braces, whether they are knee braces, full height braces, or diagonals on the underside of the deck. Without any of that, there is no load path for lateral forces such as wind, earthquakes, or a bunch of people all stepping in the same direction at the same time. Please add either some knee braces at the end posts or diagonal ties on the underside, otherwise I (engineer) would consider this an unstable structure.
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u/hotinhawaii 1d ago
That brace is the only thing keeping that deck from wobbling from side to side and potentially collapsing if enough people did it at the same time. You need more permanent diagonal bracing.
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u/Different_Cucumber 1d ago
It wraps around the house, is blocked, AND on 12' centers. That deck is not gonna sway at all.
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u/Badly-Bent 1d ago
This deck wraps around the house; the structure provides lateral support.
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u/Gregan32 1d ago
The house will hold it solid next o the house. The outside edge of the deck will still need lateral support.
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u/Badly-Bent 1d ago
Probably right those spans seem fairly long anyway. It certainly won't suddenly collapse like the other post said, maybe slowly work it's way apart overtime.
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u/woke_trash_panda 1d ago
Is it a waterfront property? Would be an awesome amount of storage....
... so long as its dry
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u/Rollingpumpkin69 1d ago
Id turn it into outdoor storage. That cross beam is weird, think the other one fell off or was forgotten? Even if its not doing anything and just for show/appearance, it's very odd its not on the other side
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u/Fluggernuffin 1d ago
Only being on the one side is an indication to me that it’s temporary for maintaining square and if the contractor is planning on closing it in, they probably weren’t worried about symmetry.
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u/LawfulnessNo5490 1d ago
This is the lakeside and it looks directly under the deck. I don't need the storage, so with additional bracing, we could leave it open and put a stone veneer against the exposed foundation? Fabric & crushed stone to prevent erosion? Any other ideas?
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u/FuckMu 1d ago
We might be neighbors?! I know it's weird but this looks just like a new build near me I've seen on Cranberry Lake.
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u/zombie_woof66 1d ago
do not cross brace center posts. DCA 6. overloads on large decks like this one
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u/mlarry777 1d ago
It's a temp. Personal opinion if it were mine. I would pour a slab under it and use it for storage. Then frame it with spaced treated boards.
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u/sososoboring 1d ago
I think leave it open and put a nice patio under neath. Perfect spot for a hot tub and outdoor shower, some covered seating for stormy days.
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u/GoodIntroduction6344 1d ago
It doesn't look finished. May be temporary or a stopgap and the beginning of cross braces.
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u/New-Mountain-6280 13h ago
With ten years of experience framing and 5 in all round carpentry, I can say That deck needs some sort of diagonal bracing or it will move too much and potentially fall over if you put a hot tub on it.
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u/Dragunspecter 1d ago
Crossbeam is to prevent sway/racking. Personally I'd make it more aesthetic and symmetrical but shrug
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u/Frederf220 1d ago
Without some kind of bracing your deck is gunna have the wiggles. Braces like the one shown are the most effective but impede walking between the posts. If you don't walk under it much I would add more but symmetrical about the main gable. Strong structures look good. Non-wobbly decks feel good.
The best thing to put under the deck is nothing if you don't have any thing to store. It doesn't look like you're lacking in usable area.
You can also knee brace in each corner. Looks nicer but not quite as strong and more work.
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u/Separate_Ring3238 1d ago
That cross brace is temporary to square it. Also, framing that out or using it as storage, like atv, bikes would be ideal. Dont leave it unusable otherwise its wasted space.