# Deck Roof



## Cross3601 (Nov 29, 2010)

I am planning to put a roof over my deck, but I have never done this before. However, I have everything coming along in the plans, but I dont know how to properly tie the new roof into the existing roof. I was hoping somebody out there with experience could give me some advice on how to do this properly in order to keep the thing from blowing away. Any advice?

Thanks


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## TxBuilder (Nov 29, 2010)

Do you have any pics of the existing structure?


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## Cross3601 (Dec 1, 2010)

I havent taking any pictures, but I have sketched out what I have and what I am trying to do. I attached a JPG of a crude drawing, but if this doesnt help, i will take some photos. This is a deck with stairs going down parallel to the back of the house and it is off of the second floor. I couldn't show elevation really well with this drawing.


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## nealtw (Dec 16, 2010)

We just finnished a deck like this but I will start with the questions. What have you for support in the ground. Proper footings and so on. Is the deck lag bolted to the house.
Are you building walls or standing posts to support the roof? Either way you have to take the load with beams from the wall to over top of the post below. Don't forget to add blocking from the lower beam to under the floor where the upper post will sit. Joining to the house is a little tricky, we cut back the roof to the plane of the wall and removed some sheeting in the area so we could see the studs. We did hope to be able to drop new criple studs in to hold up the beam but there was no way so we cut into two studs, enough to install a double 2x10 across the top of two studs and all the way to a full height stud and replaced the sheeting and used a hanger to hold the beams. The top of your beams need to be leval with the top plate of the wall. For the roof itself your best bet is to order trusses. Your truss company will need a bunch of info. He will need to know the pitch of the old roof the heal cut and the over hang.
and the distance to th peak.
If the house is 30ft with the same pitch both sides the peak is at 15 ft.
the overhang is the distance from the wall to the 2x4 liner behind the gutter
The pitch is the distants rise in a leval twelve inches of the old roof. Trusses come with a picture for installation ussually starting from the outside corner @24" on center and they will supply a valley set which is smaller pieces top of old roof. They also should be 24" on center but thats only on a good day. So you just put them up and keep everything leval. 
The deck we did the lower posts were not at the corners of the deck so our beams had to stick out to the end of the deck and we had a different cantilever on each end of the trusses. 
I have left a lot of hole in this, Just ask the questions.


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## inspectorD (Dec 17, 2010)

Start with reading this,
Porch roof construction, How to build porch roof, Porch roof designs

If I start to get into something I am not farmiliar with, I start out just as you are. Read, get info from folks who have done it...then I call in an expert to consult with.....usually a computer thing.
I would ask around for a competant remodelor, and ask if you can hire them by the hour. The information is worth it's class time.
And I can tell you from experience most DIY folks have to do it twice, and spend 3 times the money when they have to call in the pro to fix it, or when you sell the home.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jan 8, 2011)

inspectorD said:


> I would ask around for a competant remodelor, and ask if you can hire them by the hour. QUOTE]
> 
> By the hour for installation or for instructions?


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## inspectorD (Jan 9, 2011)

I would check around for someone who will work with me. Or at least let me watch and ask questions. I do it to my boiler guy all the time. I also remember they are there to do a job and saftey is a big factor, but you will learn plenty by watching.And end up with the job done right, and at a less expensive price no matter how you look at it. Do it once, learn, and be safe.

You will never be an expert unless you do it for a living, but it is a start....and everyone needs a start.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jan 9, 2011)

I understand..,great tip.I was curious if you were recommending for them to hire a guy by the hour to perform the project alone.,(without supervision)

Everyone needs a start yes...but never would I hire someone
(starting out) to do such a major repair.And agree to pay him by the hour, then how smart would that make me?Working with them possibly but to hire a guy by the hour is an automatic admission of not being licensed or insured then I will have noone to blame but myself.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jan 9, 2011)

Roofmaster417 said:


> Everyone needs a start yes...but never would I hire someone
> 
> (starting out) to do such a major repair.



I am not knocking anyone that is down on they're luck because I have been there too.But when I was down I was not so greedy or selfish that I expected someone to use poor judgment and hire me when I could have been a walking,talking liability to threaten the way of life they built for themselves.


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## inspectorD (Jan 9, 2011)

Maybe I don't get what your saying, But this guy IS the homeowner.
He is going to do the job himself with or without you.
As long as the folks they have hired to consult are licensed ,insured and willing to do so, there should be no issue.
It would be a bonus if there was a municipal inspector to have a look at it also, however many locations  you still do not have to get permits.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jan 10, 2011)

No worries.:beer:


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## cindygiggs (Jul 30, 2011)

inspectorD said:


> Start with reading this,
> Porch roof construction, How to build porch roof, Porch roof designs
> 
> If I start to get into something I am not farmiliar with, I start out just as you are. Read, get info from folks who have done it...then I call in an expert to consult with.....usually a computer thing.
> ...



Thanks for the resource above, it helps me a lot


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## UhOhChongo (Aug 9, 2011)

Have you thought about adding a pergola above your deck?  If done right, they are amazing!!


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