Your deck should be built with a minimum of 2-by-8 joists spaced no more than 12 inches across the breadth of the deck. I can picture it, and I think this would look very nice. And a lot of water will be splashed, poured and dripped on your wooded deck, potentially weakening it over time. If it's on a good base of gravel, sand, or recycled concrete, it'll probably hold well. for pricing and availability. On average, the cost to build an above ground pool deck can range between $4,700 to $7,800. Especially when people (added weight) are swimming in it.If water constantly splashed on your deck, wood will eventually get water logged and rot. This pool would put a deck well over its weight limit. I am building a deck that will support an above ground pool. Bleach is not a great wood cleaner, it can damage the wood fibers Relevance. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, This Old House: How to Build a Simple Deck, Popular Mechanics: Build a Backyard Pool Deck. The deck is about 15 years old, has no visible signs of rot, sagging or other easily found clues that it's gonna collapse. I'd assume that the pool will be placed on a mat of some sort that would protect it against any edges or irregularities in the concrete. Then build ascending stairs to the bottom level. can hold 420 gallons of water and seat 6-7 people (average weight per person = 185 lbs.). per square foot. Yes, even if you build a strong deck it can gradually sink into the soil if you don’t take into account the size of footings with respect of the load for the deck. Yes, you can put a hot tub on a deck. You can match or complement your house siding, your deck furniture, or make a statement with a bold color. This pool would put a deck well over its weight limit. You can place a pool on a wooden deck if the construction takes into account several factors. water + 1295 lbs. And lots of water will be dripped, poured and splashed on your wooden deck. This of course raises your decking cost. 13 Answers. once you get your cleat in you can use the cleat and top rail to support a piece of decking to make a solid ledge. Anonymous. The answer you give a customer will never be as simple as just telling the customer that their deck can hold 2,000 pounds. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. It holds 325 gallons of water and seats 5 people. … Most raised decks are constructed to hold a family, maybe a few friends, a barbecue and some outdoor furniture. Compare; Find My Store. Also, it is 7.25 feet wide as well as 7.25 feet long. 0 0. I want to know how much weight my deck can support. Whatever you do, don't just think that it will be OK as the deck seems pretty strong. The added support posts should be no more than 30″ apart & ideally placed in poured concrete. Finally, water moving around in your pool creates a lot of swaying and stress on a wood deck. Let's add the dead load of 10 psf to our number and we get 111 psf in the area under the tub. It is cantilevered off the house and 9ft above the ground. Pool deck is an area that immediately surrounds a pool. … A deck surface must be kept clean and checked for splitting or splintering, to protect bare feet. Concrete pool decks can be stained any color that you can imagine in this day of custom mix stains. As the weight of the tub full of water will have to be calculated in addition to however many people the deck is deemed fit for, it is highly unlikely that the deck can take the extra weight legally, unless it was over-engineered in the first place. A 56-sq ft. hot tub with a dry weight of 855 lbs. You will have a larger area for company, dinners and events. Common decks typically have a design load of about 50 pounds per square foot. Loose connections in railings or wobbly stairs. I have repaired the drains, but the damage is done. Item #1901581. Once your deck starts sinking it can rip the ledger board away from the house or you will have to jack up the sunken area, excavate and pour a new larger footing. Building a deck to hold a pool takes a little extra planning. Although decks can be designed to … That’s just not how it’s calculated. Build & Buy Car Buying Service Building a deck to hold a pool takes a little extra planning. By my calculations that translates to approximately 192 p/sf without anyone in the pool. That would create a load on the deck of 131 pounds per square foot. Answer Save. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shop, Consumer Reports News: August 18, 2010 04:47 PM, Privacy note: We won't use your friend's e-mail for anything other than sending this message. Every year we hear of a few tragedies when decks collapse, often because of rotting wood and overload. The deck is supported by 4x4's set into cement with 2x6 runners supporting the decking above. You can place a pool on wooden deck if the installation considers a number of factors. If possible, use marine-treated wood for your deck's construction. On May 31st, a deck collapse in Brooklyn, New York plunged three children into the Mill Basin Inlet below when their pool crashed through the planks. [695 lbs + (325 Gallons x 8.34lbs) + (5 x 175)] / 52.56 = 81.44 Pounds Per Square Foot. A residential deck should be designed to hold 50 psf (40 psf live load and 10 psf dead load). Chevron & Herringbone Decking. See our, Safety on Deck: Inflatable Pools and Decks—Never The Two Should Meet, Deciding When It's Time to Upgrade Your Child's Car Seat. Ten-inch 2-by-10s are preferable. Really, though, a crack won't change the slab's ability to support the pool. Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience. If you screw a cleat in-between the rail of the pool and the fascia board on the deck you can fill the gap. In some instances, an inexpensive above ground pool deck can cost $2,000. A single cubic foot of water weighs over 62 lbs.. Safety codes stipulate that a deck should only hold 40 lbs. However, some decks can cost significantly more, depending on size and how elaborate the design. Most decks are designed to hold 40 to 50 pounds per square foot, and one cubic foot of water weighs about 62 pounds. divided by 56-sq ft. = 101 lbs. How to Install Indoor/Outdoor Carpeting on a Wood Deck. Be on the safe side put a tarp down for it so wood don't pop a hole in it. 855 lb. For more information about why we’re not fans of inflatable pools, check out our past coverage of inflatable pool hazards. Because the strict building codes require that decks have enough strength to withstand snow, even more than roofs can withstand snow. I moved into a house where the pool deck was cracked and sinking...about and inch now since I moved in. A simple deck of some 6-by-1 slats over a few 2-by-4 joists will not do the job. 3 Answers. For comparison, a 7-person hot tub is roughly 7′ x 7′. Obviously, swimming pools are quite heavy. It doesn't have to do with the diameter of the pool, but the height, water will weight 62.4 pounds per square feet per foot of height. Would it be alright? People can enjoy, swim, take sunbathe and relax in that area when they are free. Figure 1 - Hot tub on raised deck. But decks 2 feet or higher will need added support. Standing puddles under a deck not only can cause wood rot to the footings but also are places for mosquitoes and other insects to gather and multiply. Wesley Tucker is a lifelong southerner whose politics are objective, whose sports are many and whose avocations range from aviation to anthropology to history and all forms of media. Favourite answer. Some decks can be designed to hold the weight of an inflatable pool filled with water, but that’s not very common. Missing connections underneath your deck. That makes the pool deck more essential element in designing outdoor swimming pools. i am with most people here, I would remove about 3/4 of the pool deck. Wood decks are ideal for summer entertaining or for simply lounging outdoors. And it depends on quite a lot of variables. Remember, the deck will hold not only the weight of the pool but also the stresses of moving water. This means that if you had a 100 square foot deck (10′ x 10′), you’d be able to hold 5,000 pounds above it (assuming the weight was evenly distributed). Not to mention, if the deck is large enough you can incorporate a table with chairs to have a place to hang out around the pool too. for 7 occupants = 5655 lbs. Fence in both outer sides with nice rails, and at the bottom ground level, I would put in patio stones. 8 years ago. 15-ft x 15-ft x 52-in Round Above-Ground Pool. Decks built ground level up to 2 feet off the ground can support up to 100 lbs per square foot; sufficient for most hot tubs. Most children's pools hold much more than one cubic foot, but even one foot is in violation of this number, which does not include the weight of … This pool would put a deck well over its weight limit. Lastly, you’ll have to ensure that your wooden deck is sturdy enough to hold your pool in place. The deck will give you a place to lay your towels and also keep you out of the grass before getting in the pool. Even the best-sealed marine-treated wood can still take in some water and lead to wood rot. All standing water will need to be channeled and drained away. That would create a load on the deck of 131 pounds per square foot. After adding a spa, plus water, plus people in the hot tub you … This will prevent the joists from flexing side to side when a large amount of water moves in the pool. I … Construct a deck that can hold up to the weight and stress of supporting a pool. Along with the general strength and condition of your roof, you must ensure that the roof can handle water and hold up a deck without leaking. Gone are the days of boring gray cement surrounding the pool. The news media regularly highlight at least a handful of incidents where decks gave way under the weight of a swimming pool. This wood is used for building piers and docks in both fresh and salt water. I have an idea that might be a compromise. When we calculated the weight of a typical 12-feet diameter pool that’s 36 inches high, we were surprised by how much it would weigh when filled with water—14,855 pounds! Of course, pools are very heavy. We have a dense sedimentary rock base (Central Texas caliche). The tub is by SofTub, holds 300 gallons of water and they say it weighs about 2700 pounds full but that its weight per square foot is less than 90 pounds/sq.ft. Make sure your deck structure is sound and very strong. Due to the design, diagonal decks are generally stronger than horizontal decks and can hold more weight. You can place a pool on a wooden deck if the construction takes into account several factors. This allows the wood beneath the pool to dry completely and to be sealed before using the following season. If you’re installing an above ground pool, you’ll probably want a deck to accompany it. Water must drain proper from beneath the deck into the yard or some other open area. I just discovered that the pool drains on either side of the deck were clogged and the water was running back under the deck and then out, leaving several inches of air space between the deck and the soil. These days pool decks are a biggest and common trend in decorating outdoor areas. Although decks can be designed to carry such a load, most aren’t. 5655 lbs. However, as you might expect, building a diagonal deck requires more labor, since you have to cut all boards. The pool area is 130 sf (17' x 7'8") and, per the manufacturer's specs, the total weight if overflowed will be 25,000 pounds. It’s a good idea to inspect your deck regularly for signs of decay or instability, and to be careful not to pile too much on it--especially not an inflatable swimming pool. Model #74470. The right answer is, of course, “that depends.”. Also, any time your deck is damaged through use, such as dropping a heavy object that splits the wood, allow the wood to dry, sand and seal the damage. With a master's degree in mass communications from the University of South Carolina College of Journalism, Tucker has been a writer for more than 30 years, with work ranging from news reports to feature stories. Supporting foundation piles must be 4-by-4 marine-treated lumber secured in at least 8 inches of concrete footing. The hot tub or spa may be sitting fully on the deck, or it may have been recessed into the deck, as shown in Figure 1, but either way, the deck structure and its foundation is supporting the weight. Common decks typically have a design load of about 50 pounds per square foot. You don’t have to shovel your deck and no your deck won’t collapse from not shoveling your snow. Generally, we’re talking about 50 pounds per square foot. total weight. Once completed, annually seal the deck with a quality wood-seal coating. Common decks typically have a design load of about 50 pounds per square foot. The first step is to talk to an engineer. Finally, flooring for your deck must have even space between the floor planks so the water can adequately drain. tub + 3500 lbs. The pool fits perfectly and their used to be a hot tub in the same spot. Learn how to stay on top of deck maintenance and the warning signs of a potential safety hazard from the Home Safety Council. Why can I get away with not shoveling my deck? To account for lateral stresses, X braces should be installed at 12-inch intervals between the joists. Of course, pools are very heavy. Also, if possible remove the pool every fall when swimming season concludes. There are much better wood deck cleaners out there other than bleach or bleach-based cleaners. Although decks can be designed to carry such a load, most aren’t. We're thinking of putting a 14 foot long by 36 inch deep inflatable pool on the wood deck. Finally, water moving around in your pool creates a lot of swaying and stress on a wood deck. Corrosion in metal hardware such as nails and screws. It is 10'x16', framed with pressure treated wood. Also, check out our recently rated deck materials (for subscribers). Figuring Out How Much Your Deck Handle. An average inflatable pool will exceed a typical decks weight limit. And a lot of water will be splashed, poured and dripped on your wooded deck, potentially weakening it over time. I would not put a pool on top of a wooden deck, the weight alone could find that weak part of the structure and give out on you. In my pool build photos there are some shots of the framing for my pool deck.