Deck over flat roof on Houseboat: penetrations needed
Client would like a rooftop deck on their houseboat. Roof is curved at about 1.5/12 pitch average. As it is a houseboat and thus subject to unpredictable wake and 3D motion, I need to secure the posts to structure: sleepers or unsecured pedestals won’t suffice.
My roofing sub is going to take a look, as the roof needs redone before the deck can go up, and he’d mentioned the use of steel piers to prevent wicking of water down through wooden posts and into the living area. Walls are 2×4 with double plates, I’ll be spanning 13.5′, and posts will only be 18″ high at rooflines, maximum. I have searched but found no solutions to this situation, as most posts are reccommended to be large (4.5″ O.D. or larger, as shown here: http://www.decks.com/deckbuilding/St…k_Post_Columns)
Are there standard steel piers available to fit 2 x 4 walls? What should I be looking for as feedback from my roofing sub? Will I need to have steel posts fabricated for me?
Thanks for your help, looking forward to hearing it all!
Replies
I'd have stainless steel posts and bases fabricated to bolt directly to the roof and screwed to the roof framing or wall plates.
Take a look at any marina with a lot of house boats and you'll probably find the most common route is to have them fabricated - from steel is the cheap route. Powder coated steel holds up well. Personally, I'd probably go completely with a welded rail and post - wood on a house boat doesn't last long - and I can't imagine using wood posts for a house boat deck.
"Powder coated steel holds up
"Powder coated steel holds up well"
Not in salt water enviroment. Stainless or aluminum is the only way to go. By the time i get a piece fabricated, pick it up and drop it off at a powder coater, wait a week for it, go back to pick it up again I can have the stainless part installed.
That could be - in the fresh water houseboats I see, there isn't a lot of stainless - the rent isn't that high....but there is a lot of powdercoated steel. :)