By Ernie Sears

It is fairly safe to say that you did not receive an operating manual when your deck was built. Decks are simple structures and pretty much taken for granted, so you may have received some information on the maintenance requirements and warranty information but not anything on how to use it safely. 

About now you’re probably saying why do I need an operating manual? It’s a deck! Well maybe you don’t need a manual, but there are some basic guidelines and rules that you should follow to keep your deck a safe place to use and enjoy. 

Railings
All decks over 30” off the ground require railings that are at least 36” high. Benches and chairs have seats that are about 16” high, so if you place one next to a railing you effectively shorten the railing to 20” for anyone standing on the bench or chair. Not a problem for an adult, but how about your children? Consider pulling benches and chairs away from the railing when children may be playing on the deck. 

How about those decks that are 30” or less off the ground? A railing is not required but there are circumstances where you need something to keep people from falling off the deck. During a party or gathering someone might back off the edge without warning. Even a seated person might scoot their chair back just enough to have one leg go over the edge and toss him/her to the ground. Probably neither situation is life threatening, but it sure will spoil the afternoon for the person who falls as well as the host. 

You don’t need to build a railing to prevent this type of accident, but you do need some type of physical reminder that the edge is near. Plants are a good way to do this either in pots or as shrubs planted along the edge of the deck. They provide enough resistance to act as a warning that the edge is near. Additionally, they make the deck more attractive. Other non railing barriers include benches and planters.   

Lighting
The current national building code only requires that stairs be illuminated, however it is a good idea to add lighting around the perimeter of the deck. An easy and relatively low cost way to do this is to add low voltage lighting fixtures to the railing. If there is already low voltage lighting installed for the stairs, you may be able to add to it to for the rest of the deck. (Make sure that the transformer has enough wattage capacity to handle the additional fixtures.)

Adding lighting will make it safer to move about the deck after dark. You will be able to extend the time available to use the deck for entertaining and relaxation. In addition, it will increase the security of your home as a deterrent to criminals. 

Heavy Loads
Unless otherwise specified, your deck was designed and built to support furniture and a reasonable number of people, not large heavy objects such as hot tubs. It is not unusual for a filled hot tub to weigh 3 tons. That is close to 100 pounds per square foot! Most decks are designed for loads of 40 – 60 pounds per square foot. Obviously placing a hot tub on your deck without proper additional structural support is not a safe choice. 

Generally you cannot overload a properly built deck with people but it is possible. First of all you cannot be sure that the deck is built properly even if it was inspected by the city or county building inspector. There are several critical structural connections that are not or can’t always be inspected. The bandboard attachment to the house and footing concrete are two examples. 

A large number of people dancing wildly or suddenly moving to the railing could create loads that the deck is not designed to handle. Improper deck attachment and a crowd running to the railing caused a deck to collapse in Fairfax County several years ago. 

A good rule to follow is to allow only as many people as can move easily and freely around on the deck (And avoid conga lines.) This is particularly true if the deck is off the second or higher story of the house. 

Grilling
Fire and wood can be a great combination or a catastrophe. Grilling is an opportunity for both outcomes. Sparks, flare-ups, and high heat all need to be considered when placing a grill on the deck. It is not unusual to see scorched, melted vinyl siding where a grill was placed too close to the house. Burned spots and grease spots on the decking are also too common. 

These safety problems can be avoided by careful placement of the grill. First locate it away from all vertical surfaces such as the house or porch walls. Make sure that any overhead structures such as pergolas are high enough to avoid being burned by a flare-up. The grill should be placed on an easy to clean, noncombustible surface to minimize burns from sparks and grease spotting. An easy way to do this is to build a frame with 2 x 2’s and fill it with brick pavers. As the pavers become spotted they can be turned over or replaced when both sides are covered in grease. 

Maintenance
Finally a safe deck is one that is well maintained. Decking should be sealed or cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not let leaves or other organic matter gather on the decking. The structure should be carefully inspected for structural problems at least once a year by you or a professional such as a licensed deck builder or home inspector. Make repairs or replacements promptly. 

 As you can see none of this is too hard to do. However, with a little thought and effort your deck will be a safe and enjoyable place for as long as you own your home.

© 2007 Ernie Sears