Deck Building Terms

Footings

• Footings are also called piers. They are created out of concrete poured into holes in the ground. Footings are below the topsoil and support decking posts, which are usually 6-by-6 feet or 4-by-4 square posts that come in lengths that depend on the height of your deck or railing design. Your footings must adhere to building codes and be able to support not only your decking structure, but also furniture, spas, potted plants or other objects you plan to place on your deck.

Ledgers

• Ledgers are large pieces of lumber bolted into the foundation of the home in order to provide adequate support for decking that does attach to your house or a garage. One end of joist beams are fixed by screw, nail or bolt to the ledger board.

Girders

• Girders are lengths of lumber that support and maintain position of joists. Girders provide lateral support for the joists to which the actual decking boards are attached. Girders are considered part of the substructure of a deck.

Joists

• Joists are pieces of lumber evenly spaced along the length of your deck that hold your deck in place. The header joist is the outside portion of the joist structure framing. Joists form the support framing for the actual deck surface. Joists typically are 2-by-6 feet or 2-by-8 lengths of lumber. Joists are hung with metal brackets called joist hangers.

Deck Fasteners

• Deck fasteners hold your deck together. Again, follow local building codes in regard to the types of fasteners you use for your foundation fittings, joist attachments and your deck framing system. Deck fasteners may be bolts, screws or nails. Choose fasteners that are corrosion- and rust-resistant such as stainless or galvanized steel.

Baluster

• A baluster, also called a spindle, is part of the railing, usually slats fixed in a vertical position between the top and bottom of a railing. Railing height and spacing between balusters, like other parts of your decking, must adhere to building codes.