You can click on the pictures below to see a larger version of the photo.

Below are sample pictures of the latest two story deck that A-1 Construction built in Sausalito Ca. both decks are 48′ long. The upper deck is 30′ above the ground. The lower deck is 21′ above the ground and 9’6″ wide with the upper deck being 6′ wide. The upper deck uses two 6″ x12″ x 24′ long pressure treated fir beams. Supported by 6″ x 6″ pressure treated fir posts. The lower deck uses four 6″ x12″ x12′ pressure treated fir beams supported by 6″ x 6″ posts. The lower deck also has 3″ x 8″ pressure treated fir bracing.

The decks are attached to five concrete piers. Each piers is 18″ round 20′ deep with reinforcing steel and 12″ x12″ grade beams connecting each piers to one another and to the home foundation.

The deck joists are 2″ x10″ pressure treated fir. We flashed the joists with Protecto seal flashing. The deck boards are 2″ x6″ all heart B redwood. The deck boards are screwed down with 3″ stainless steel deck screws.

The railing on the upper deck use a redwood frame with 1/2″ x 1/2″ steel rods for the pickets. The lower deck use the same redwood frame and steel with the addition of eight framed in 3/8″ x 27″ x 43″ tempered glass panels. Each deck also has standard board on board lattice topped fence privacy panels. All hardware, nails and screws are either hot dipped galvanize steel, triple zinc or stainless steel per building code.

David Kallmeyer is the structural engineer that work on this deck. His contact information is below. David and his employees was extremely easy to work with. They where more than willing to answer any questions that came up and made changes to the plans as the building conditions dictated.

I was very impressed with the way they handled my questions. They where always polite and friendly. You would not go wrong by giving Framework Engineering a call for a quote.

If you are planning a two story deck replacement with new concrete footings. You will need to have a soil engineer and a structural engineer. The soil engineer will be needed to determine the pier depths and the structural engineer will be needed to do the calculations and the details of the piers, grade beams and framing. In most cases they also do the building plans. You can have a architect do the building plans but the plans will have to be checked and wet stamped by and structural engineer. The calculations form the engineer will be need to justify the loads that will be bearing on the concrete piers the lumber, posts, beams and joists.

David Kallmeyer, C.E.
Principal
Framework Engineering, Inc.
232 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Tel. 415-721-0900
Fax 415-721-0910
dkallmeyer@frameworkengineering.com

 (Top left and right) Finished product

PhotoELF Edits:
2008:06:21 --- Batch Resized
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
PhotoELF Edits:
2008:06:21 --- Batch Resized
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01

(Below right) Ready to pour the footings and grade beams on to the 24″ round by 20′ deep piers.

PhotoELF Edits:
2008:06:21 --- Batch Resized
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
PhotoELF Edits:
2008:06:21 --- Batch Resized
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01

(Above left) Demolition of the old decks. We supported the overhanging roof above the decks.