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Huh?: Glossary Of Deck Terms

Glossary of Deck Terms

Actual Dimensions
The exact measurements of a piece of lumber.

Attached Deck
A deck with one or more sides supported by a ledger and attached to a house.

Baluster
One of a series of vertical supports used between posts of a railing.

Beam
A horizontal support member on which joists rest.

Block Plane
A plane used to finish off edges of a deck.

Bottom Rail
A rail attached to the bottom of the balusters.

Bracing
Structural supports that provide stability to the structure.

Bridging
Boards placed perpendicularly between joists to stiffen them.

Buglehead Screw
A screw that doesn't tear the wood when screwed down flush with the surface.

Cantilever
the allowable overhang past the joists.

Cap Rail
The top horizontal piece of a railing.

Carriage Bolt
A bolt used to hold structural pieces together.

Codes
Building regulations adopted by city, county, or state building departments.

Conduit
Metal pipes used to contain electrical wiring in outdoor settings.

Decking
Boards used for the surface of a deck.

Elevated Deck
A deck requiring a structure of beams and posts to raise it off the ground to the desired level.

Fascia Board
the boards used to cover joists.

Footing
The support of a deck's post that is below ground.

Freestanding Platform Deck
A deck supported entirely by its own structure, typically used for remote decks.

Grade
A designation given to lumber indicating the amount of flaws and knots typically found in the wood.

Grade-Level Deck
A deck flush with the ground level.

Inset
part of the deck that has been cut out to for landscape elements such as trees.

Joist
Horizontal framing pieces that support decking.

Ledger
A board that is horizontally attached to the side of a house and holds up one edge of a deck.

Linear Feet
The total length of required lumber.

Line Load
The weight a deck is designed to support.

Load Area
The area found by multiplying the beam spacing by the post spacing to determine the post thickness required by building codes.

Multilevel Deck
A deck that has several areas at different levels.

Post
The vertical structural that supports the beam.

Post Anchor
A metal piece that keeps the post from being exposed to moisture in the ground.

Post Cap
A small piece of wood attached to the top of the post to cover it.

Pressure Treated Wood
Wood subjected to a high-pressure treatment of chemicals as a preservative.

Rail Post
A vertical structural support for the railing.

Remote Deck
A freestanding platform located away from the house.

Rim Joist
A board fastened to the end of the joists.

Rise
The distance in height from one stair tread to another.

Riser
The up right piece between two stair steps.

Run
The distance in length from one stair riser to another.

Shade Structure
A structure built above a deck that provides a shaded area.

Skirt
A decorative board placed around the bottom of the deck to hide the support structure.

Span
The distance between supports.

Top Plate
Attaches to the Top Rail to support it.

Top Rail
The horizontal rail installed on the edge of the deck.

Torpedo Level
A level used in deck building to set posts level.

Tread
the surface of each step in a staircase.

Zoning Laws
Laws adopted by local governments for new construction.