I have an issue with a deck I built. It is 6 feet wide by 40 feet long. Deck joists are 2x8s on 16 inch centers supported on 3 laminated 2x10s supported on 6×6 posts. It has to do with appearance. Instead of having the 2x8s overhang a foot or so, I cut the ends to flush up with the outside 2×10. See attached photos.
The deluxe way, I think, to correct it would be to remove the face board and attach an 8 foot long 2×8 to each existing 6 foot 2×8. So I would end up with a 2 foot overhang, It would not only improve the appearance but would increase the deck width or depth by 2 feet. I would of course move the railing out 2 feet.
But is there a less expensive way to improve the appearance? I’m not particularly interested in gaining more deck area.
Replies
Face another 2 x 10, offset with some 2 x spacers, to the existing one. You'll then be able to lay another row of deck boards. If you're using 2 x 4 deck boards, your overhang will be 3/4 inch. (1/4 gap + 3 1/2 deckboard - 1 1/2 spacer - 1 1/2 header) If you want a slightly larger overhang, plane or cut some thinner spacers.
If you're going to mount some vertical boards to hide the underside of the deck, omit or use a thinner spacer. (The deck boards will sit on and be partly supported by the vertical boards.)
Anyways, you get the idea and can work out the exact dimensions of spacers that you'll need.
Thank you!