Floor Joist Spans Wood Deck

Recommended or allowable joist beam spans.
Floor joist spans wood deck. If you will run decking at an angle you might need to put the joists closer together. Even when using the strongest wood to build joists for a deck that wood is still subject to the elements and can bend bow or warp with time. This article explains typical spans for deck joists deck beams and deck flooring giving both standard span tables and a quick rule of thumb that works pretty well. The larger the deck the larger the joists.
Floor joist span tables for various sizes and species of wood. View joist rafter tables. Plus unlike floor joists decks needs to be able to support the extra weight of pressure treated wood handrails as well as snowfall during winter. The spans of joists varies based upon several factors.
Joist span table use these tables to determine floor joist spans based on grade of lumber size of joist floor joist spacing and a live load of 30 lbs ft 2 or 40 lbs ft 2 these tables can also be used to determine deck joist span. Listed are 46 tables based on common loading conditions for floor joists ceiling joists and rafters. Decking made of 2x4s or 2x6s can span up to 24 inches. Here s a helpful chart covering the most popular wood framing species and their maximum allowed spans.
Section r507 5 notes that deck joists can cantilever up to 1 4 of the joist span. If you use 5 4 decking joists must be no farther apart than 16 inches. Joist beam spans sizes. In typical deck construction with a ledger on one side of the joist and beam on the other the size of the joists is driven by the size of the deck and based on the general maximum spans mentioned above.
Steel joists offer a stronger straighter and potentially safer alternative to wood. Steel joists such as trex elevations are machine made making each joist an identical twin. The deck joist span chart below is based on the updated codes from the international residential code 2015 which for the first time specifically addressed these deck design considerations. For best results refer to our wood and composite deck joist span table.
Framing tables for decks. The proper deck joist span distance between supporting beams below the joists for your deck should be known before you start building and is needed to draft your deck plan. Decking boards span from joist to joist. But you ll notice when you look at the portion of the span table for joists with cantilevers that the joist span for decks with a cantilever is often less than the span for the same sized joist without cantilevers.
Simplified maximum span tables for selected visual and mechanical grades of southern pine lumber in sizes 2 4 thru 2 12.