A deck is structure including a flat surface extending from a house that is capable of serving as a floor and supporting the weight of several people. The deck floor is often elevated above ground level. The floor of the deck is typically outdoors, although in some cases the area above the deck floor is enclosed, or partially enclosed, with screens or light-duty walls having windows. A deck is typically used as an extension of the indoor living space, allowing people to go onto the deck to enjoy a more outdoor environment that is still connected to the house and easily accessible from the inside of the house (e.g. for serving food and drinks to people on the deck).
Residential building codes require connections that transfer lateral loads from the deck to the house. Without sufficient lateral connections to the house, it is possible that a deck may pull away from the house. In some cases movement of people on the deck can result in forces tending to pull the deck away from the housing. Wind and shifts in the ground (e.g., due to settling over time or seismic events) can also result in forces tending to pull the deck away from the house. Lateral movement of the deck away from the house is undesirable because it can cause parts of the deck to become insufficiently supported, which can lead to deck collapse. Thus, building codes currently require builders to install two or four connectors to connect a deck to the adjoining house, depending on the load carrying capacity of the connectors. When using four connectors, each of the connectors must be able to bear 750 pounds of tension to prevent the deck from pulling away from the house.
One example of a conventional connector is illustrated in FIG. 1. A large lag screw 10 extends from a bracket 12 attached to a deck joist 14 and connects the deck joist to a suitable anchor 16 in the house, such as a floor joist, a top plate, or a suitable header. Typically the deck 18 is positioned adjacent a band joist on the house that is not suitable for serving as the anchor for the connection to the house. Thus, the builder must identify a structure farther within the house that is suitable for use as the anchor. Depending on the framing of the house and the deck, there can be variations in the elevation of suitable anchors relative to the deck joist.
The lag screw 10 should extend generally horizontally from the anchor 16. This is not a problem as long as the anchor 16 is horizontally aligned with at least a portion of the deck joist 14 because the bracket 12 for the lag screw 10 can be mounted anywhere vertically along the side of the deck joist. The anchor 16 can also be located slightly under the deck joist 14 because the bracket 12′ can be secured to the bottom of the deck joist so the lag screw 10′ is under and adjacent the deck joist. However, in some cases the suitable anchors are too low relative to the deck joist to make this type of connection. When this happens, additional materials, such as blocks of wood, and additional fasteners must be used to make the required lateral connection between the deck and the house. This can be costly and time consuming. Also, the need to improvise can sometimes lead to ill-advised make-shift solutions that could result in the failure of the connection to resist the specified amount of tension.
The present inventor has developed improved systems and methods of making the required lateral connections between decks and the adjoining houses, which will be described in detail below.