Residential Prescriptive Exterior Wood Deck Span Guide

The intent of this document is to provide guidance on joist spans, built-up beam sizes, and supporting column sizes for exterior wood decks. The following items which are typically included in an exterior wood deck are not addressed and are beyond the scope of this document: deck footings; deck railings and guards; attachment of the deck to houses; lateral bracing of a deck. Design tables are provided for lumber which is not incised (Tables 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 6a and 6b) and lumber which is incised (Tables 3a, 3b, 5a, 5b, 7a and 7b). Tables are provided in both metric and imperial units.