How to Brace a Deck

An outdoor deck can add to the resale value of your home, and can provide a comfortable area for backyard barbecues or other outdoor gatherings. Decks built with 2-by-6-inch beams and joists are typically strong enough to hold several guests as well as grills and deck furniture. However, if you plan to use your deck to hold unusually heavy objects, you may need to brace the deck to protect its structural integrity.

Pencil
Measuring tape
2-by-6-inch pressure-treated lumber
Circular saw
Miter saw
Drill
6-inch long, 3/8-inch diameter bolts
Ratchet
Shatter-resistant goggles
Work gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Mark each deck post 12 inches below the bottom of the deck support beams with a pencil. Mark the beams 12 inches from each post. Measure the distance between the post and beam marks with a measuring tape.
- 2
  Cut sections of 2-by-6-inch pressure-treated lumber to the distance between the post and beam marks with a circular saw. These sections, which form the deck braces, should be about 17 inches long. You need one section for each exterior post and two sections for each interior post.
- 3
  Miter the ends of the deck braces at 45-degree angles with a miter saw.
- 4
  Position a brace so one end meets the side of an exterior post and the other end meets the bottom of the support beam. Drill a 5/16-inch diameter hole through the brace into the post and beam. Insert and tighten a 6-inch-long, 3/8-inch-diameter bolt through each hole with a ratchet. Continue this process with the remaining exterior posts.
- 5
  Position a brace on each side of an interior post so one end of each brace meets the side of the post and the opposite end meets the bottom of the support beam. Attach the braces to the post and beam in the same manner as the exterior posts. Repeat this process with the remaining interior posts.

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