AZ ranch

dstig1 · Aug 17, 2019

Always slope away from the house. 3/4" in 10' seems fine. The real problem is if something settles in a flat deck and you are now pitched back towards the house. That can be really bad... So sloping away gives you some cushion on that.

BoFuller · Aug 17, 2019

Joists will be running perpendicular to the house and flooring (probably 2x6 PT) will run parallel to the house.
So I guess with a small crack between the boards, a slope is not necessary?

EddieWalker · Aug 18, 2019

BoFuller said:
Hey, before secure this 4x10 to the uprights, do you all put any slope in your decks? I was thinking about 3/4 of an inch at 10 feet. I hear some people say more and some say none.

I try not to have any slope on a wood deck, but sometimes I have to because of the concrete that's in place that I'm building next to. It's something that jumps out at me as being wrong, but when I put the lumber next to the concrete and make it level, that looks worse.

For your porch, I would make it as level as possible.

BoFuller · Aug 18, 2019

EddieWalker said:
I try not to have any slope on a wood deck, but sometimes I have to because of the concrete that's in place that I'm building next to. It's something that jumps out at me as being wrong, but when I put the lumber next to the concrete and make it level, that looks worse.

For your porch, I would make it as level as possible.

Thanks, Eddie.

EddieWalker · Aug 18, 2019

BoFuller said:
Joists will be running perpendicular to the house and flooring (probably 2x6 PT) will run parallel to the house.
So I guess with a small crack between the boards, a slope is not necessary?

The space between the boards is very important to allow air flow around them. Moisture will get under a wood deck, and because that area is shaded, the moisture will remain a long time unless there is good air flow. The more air, the better.

3Ts · Aug 19, 2019

If you have spaces between the boards, then your deck can be level as in Eddie's description. However, if you have the boards tight against each other then you need slope away from the house. Also, if the boards are tight against each other and have rounded edges, they will catch water unless they are run perpendicular to the house (in the direction of the slope).