Model Remodel Show: Framing a Deck and a Porch

Post, beam, and joist placement for a front porch and a back deck
Oct. 13, 2018
3 min read

Post, beam, and joist placement for a front porch and a back deck

Last time on the model remodel Show; we were in the attic installing Rockwool. We also put it in the walls and floor.

Rockwool is one of my favorite insulations and kind of my go-to for a couple of reasons. first and foremost, for its performance and really good moisture management ability. Add on top of that that it is inorganic, so we don't end up with any mold issues, or biological growth. And the fact that it is a strong fire retardant, so it makes for a safe building enclosure.

For smaller projects and projects where I'm really trying to make a robust hygric shell, Rockwool is my go-to."

—Ben Bogie, remodeler

And this week, we’re going to go to the outside to frame a deck and porch, which is a good thing because the decking and railings just showed up direct from Deckorators.

So Ben and Rick set it off to the side and started slipping flashing behind the base flashing they installed a few weeks ago.

The ledger tucks up under and is tacked into place. Ben snaps a couple of lines and bolts the ledger through the ZIP panels and into the engineered rim joist.

Now, they can figure out their post height.

Rick begins by building the beam in place, notching it under the thick Zip panels, Breaking the joints over the posts, and they nail it off into a solid three-ply girder.

The outer joists are placed on the layout and toenailed into the beam to hold everything in place.

When they are happy with the placement, the post hardware is nailed off, and the rest of the joists are spread out.

Ben tacks each joist in place, flush with the top of the ledger and installs joist hangers under them.

The rest of the joists are toenailed to the beam and blocking is installed over the beam.

After the run a few courses of decking, and know the multiples, they cut the joists to the right length so they can bolt the posts into place.

Speaking of decking, that’s what we’re going to do next time with a tongue and groove porch flooring product that installs like hardwood and a double grooved decking that installs with a flexible flange for nailing and for directing rainwater into a built-in gutter.

—The Model Remodel Show is a production of the SGC Horizon Media Network and was shot on location at the 2017 Model Remodel project in southern Connecticut.

About the Author

Ben Bogie

Ben Bogie is a master carpenter, project manager, and dad in western CT

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