I’m running through some possibilities of small houses for hillside view lots, and this is one. I had fun using the Kerkythea rendering package on a plain untextured Sketchup model.
There are no support posts for everything you see doing an overhang. Sort of like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house.
The top little deck is 8×8. The lower cantilever is 44 inches. We’ll get to the LVL engineering data, and see next week whether we need steel.
I had asked in another thread about the longevity of membrane roofing under wood deckboard roofing tiles, and you can see where they would be used.
Have you done an 8-foot lookout deck, no posts under, with wood?
Replies
Lot of time on your hands, eh Gene? to answer your question, no.
thats beautiful, also no, haven't used wood in that application. it looks like its begging for steel.
curious to see this one as it progresses, please let us know.
I built a cantilevered dock that has a 10 ft overhang. It has two treated box beams that are buried into the ground and secured to dead men on one end and sit on a grade beam near the water line.
The box beams are 24" deep.
The dock has been in place for over ten years and the only problem has been bee nests inside the beam. Any vibration is negligible.
boxbeam
how exactly did you build the box beams? also, what's a deadman?
thanks for any info you have.
You replied to a thread from 2008. After 5 years I don't know if the poster is still around or not.
Nice Drawing
I did a good size balcony once, no posts. It overhung 4ft and was about 16ft wide. We were following the JLC field guide for structural tips. The guide said to install the floor joists every 12in. It also stated that the floor joist be at least 3/4 longer than the overhang. So we got 20ft boards (2 x 12's) and let them hang over 4 ft. The other 16ft were used for the upstairs bedrooms, etc.. So if you're planning on an overhang of 8ft. then it looks like you'll have to order 32ft LVL's $$$$ I would strap them down real well to the top plates on both sides with some beefy Simpson brackets.
The engineer and designer from Weyerhaueser got back to me this afternoon, after reviewing my inquiry.
To provide a little more data, I showed them dimensional data for this small house, for which the footprint depth is only 26 feet, with three bays of width, going 12-8-12. Because of the staircase inside, one of the lookout beams (each level) only reaches back inside by 17'4.
Additionally, I threw the spec at them that all beams must be flush in the floor, and since spans inside weren't large, that max beam depth needs to be 9.5 inches.
They ran the analysis, and got ridiculous moments at supports, and bearing widths way in excess of the 2x6 framing we plan. I'll quote their engineer: "it is highly unlikely that any wood product will carry the load w/ 9 1/2" depth"
Looks as if steel will be the answer. These outdoor decks, membrane-skinned roofs actually, are subject to our quite large GSL, which is way above the loading that we use for floors.
BTW, it is not my design, and I am sorry if I misled anyone into thinking it is. The original is by architect Kelly Davis, no relation of mine, of the SALA firm in Minneapolis. Plans are no longer available, and the architect will not comment on matters structural, because of regional differences and codes.
The inspiration, of course, comes from this. IMHO the best house, ever. I have been there more than a few times, in all seasons, and each time, upon entering, I want to get down on my knees in the temple of Wright.
View Image
View Image
"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
Edited 7/7/2008 8:34 pm ET by Gene_Davis
I've never liked most of wright's stuff but that one looks very cool. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
that is without a doubt wrights greatest work, i usually don't like his exteriors the plains housse was terrible from the outside i thought, i guess i just didn't get it.
FLW's interiors i have always been a fan of, how things seem to open up once you are in, how everything goes together, from dining room furniture to built ins etc, the man was a creative genius inside the house.
that house you sketched was very nice as well, i was going to inquire about plans but you told the story.
just don't take out 3/4 of the required steel at the last minute like Wright did!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I'm having fun with this, now that I know it cannot be done with engineered wood. What the heck was I thinking, anyhow?
I love a structural puzzle, and this is a good one.
Knowing what a big FLW fan the architect must be, and figuring he went through Pittsburgh on his pilgramage to see Fallingwater, he could not have missed this famous building, the USX tower.
View Image
Started in 1967, it is clad in Cor-Ten steel, and those columns that run outside the curtainwall play a big role in the structure.
Now look at these photos of the house Kelly Davis designed. Look what appears to be outside the walls, between the gliding glass doors. In fact, look at the one picture taken inside the great room, the one that shows that strip of apparent Cor-Ten color between the vertical trim. In a followup post, I'll show with some sketches how I think the cantlilevered framing was done.
I know, to some it may seem silly to be pursuing this. But what the heck, I've got nothing to do between social security checks.
FLW could have put posts under those balconies at Fallingwater. But he probably thought, "anybody can do that, but it takes genius to do it this way." Takes money, too. But what's money for, if you have enough of it, other than to create some great art.
View Image
"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
Gene,
I have no answer, but can offer an opinion (this one's free).
That deck would look cleaner if you cantilevered the roof over what appears to be a patio - and removed those 7 posts.
I'm sure that would be really (not) inexpensive.
a.
Think this will need steel?
Spam post removed.
I don't think you should have removed that post. It may have been all that was holding up Gene's house.
Niiiiice.