adding windows

[FSHKPR]

I have a floating deck that is 12 feet by 40 feet. the deck is very well built with double 2x8s running around the out side. the soil there is mostly sand so i dont think it moves alot. right now approximately 32 feet of it is covered with a rubber roof the frame for the rubber roof made out of 2x8s 1 foot on center. then i have the whole thing screened in. what i would like to do is restud the walls and put in 4 foot by 5 foot sliding windows. i am not real worried about the deck handling the weight or the roof handling the weight. right now in the winter i run a brace down the middle of the 12 feet to help with the snow weight. i would continue to do this. the question i do have is do you guys think that i would be cracking window as the deck floats around between the seasons? right now the screen has alot of give but i am alittle worried that windows would crack. the bracing i run in the winter has never fallen over and all i do is run one 2 x 8 down the middle of the roof stringers and prop that up with 2x4s every 6 feet. any ideas on how i can do this or should i just keep it screened in and forget the windows? thanks guys

 

[v1_0]

Re: adding windows

I have a floating deck that is 12 feet by 40 feet. the deck is very well built with double 2x8s running around the out side. the soil there is mostly sand so i dont think it moves alot. right now approximately 32 feet of it is covered with a rubber roof the frame for the rubber roof made out of 2x8s 1 foot on center. then i have the whole thing screened in. what i would like to do is restud the walls and put in 4 foot by 5 foot sliding windows. i am not real worried about the deck handling the weight or the roof handling the weight. right now in the winter i run a brace down the middle of the 12 feet to help with the snow weight. i would continue to do this. the question i do have is do you guys think that i would be cracking window as the deck floats around between the seasons? right now the screen has alot of give but i am alittle worried that windows would crack. the bracing i run in the winter has never fallen over and all i do is run one 2 x 8 down the middle of the roof stringers and prop that up with 2x4s every 6 feet. any ideas on how i can do this or should i just keep it screened in and forget the windows? thanks guys

First suggestion: get somebody to come out and take a look at it. Someone that knows something about structural engineering. The fact that you are worrying that it moves enough to crack windows is scary to me.
-V

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: adding windows

Post a few photos of it....lets see what it looks like first.
BP

 

[FSHKPR]

Re: adding windows

the first pic is when we bought the place the second pic is the first screen house i put on. i have since added screen house past the the windows by the umbrella. so there is only one door that is not in the screen house, the light pole obviously has been removed. also revamped the roof so there is now a 18 inch overhang along the front.
http://calntisa.com/deck.jpg
http://calntisa.com/deck2.jpg

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: adding windows

I would be a bit leary with the thing just sitting on the ground.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: adding windows

How much movement are you getting? I associate ground movement more with much colder climate areas that suffer from permafrost layer heaving....not so much Virginia...or is it colder there than I am thinking?
Are the stacked concrete blocks shown sitting at specific beam junctions? or just picking up the external header at random joist locations? If so I would start by digging a 2' deep by 1'-2' diameter hole halfway along between those stacked blocks (leave them in place for the time being. Then I would fill those with concrete. From there I would then resupport the deck on this new set of footings and 6x6 pressure treated posts and lose the stacked blocks. You can improvise a bit with the corners and brace/support them while you do the same at those points. (note: sonotubes work well for this kind of task if you want to buy them). The end result would also look a little better.
...again though, how much movement are you getting? Do your local building codes specify a footing depth for new home construction? That usually tells you how deep the permafrost issue is....if there is one.
BP

 

[all thumbs]

Re: adding windows

Just wondering how they address that problem with log cabins. I know depending on the type logs used they can do alot of drying with movement over the years. Mabey they have a different way of window instulation. Could mabey talk to someone who builds log homes.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: adding windows

Just wondering how they address that problem with log cabins. I know depending on the type logs used they can do alot of drying with movement over the years. Mabey they have a different way of window instulation. Could mabey talk to someone who builds log homes.

Thats a good question. I have a friend who built his own log house...I'll ask him if he has any info on that.
Although I'm on the West Coast now, I recall that back in Ontario the building code required all new homes and living structures had to have the foundations run at least 6' deep (maybe 7') into the ground. No such thing as ever building on a slab there with the exception of building directly on the shield.
BP