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DeckLok in the PressBack to the main In The Press Page All Decked OutSeptember 2005 Buildernews Magazine Consider yourself warned: according to the United States Geological Survey, the cost of natural disasters has skyrocketed in recent decades. The Pacific Rim is earthquake country. Both San Francisco and Anchorage have been hit this century by great earthquakes, and recent studies by USGS and others show that the Pacific Northwest is also vulnerable to large magnitude earthquakes. Overall 39 states are exposed to significant earthquake risk (including the six states covered by Buildernews). The USGS is encouraging building code officials to strengthen the earthquake provisions that guide building design and provide for safer communities and less expensive disasters. If you think earthquakes are the only thing that can rock your world, imagine what could happen to your business if one of your customers is injured because a construction component - say, a deck - didn't withstand the earth moving. Outdoor decks have been the target of new code requirements under IRC2000 and 2003, which currently requires that new construction and retrofits meet more stringent structural requirements under heavy loads. The main goal in a seismic deck bracket is to redirect the load from a pull-out vector to a sheer vector. Anchors in general are stronger with sheer (downwards or upwards) loads than they are with pullout (outwards) loads. This engineering reality is critical when it comes to deck construction: when either the fault-lines (or more likely, a plethora of heavy partiers) starts to get rowdy, deck connectors need to redirect the high stress forces to create sheer, distributed loads in order to maintain structural integrity throughout the deck. It's a serious subject because lives could be at stake. Necessity is the mother of invention. Michael Morse, the inventor of the patented DeckLok Bracket System and founder of Morse technologies realized that when it came to seismic security, there were fundamental problems with the way decks were traditionally constructed. Decks are primarily built with screws or nails that ultimately rely on friction for connection integrity. The low fiber density of modern, fast growing lumber (plus the environmental extremes that decks must endure) causes these fasteners to fail over time as shrinkage and fiber damage take their toll. According to Morse, building with DeckLok brackets overcomes this difficulty and restores structural integrity to the system by locking the substructure directly to a home's floor joists and by locking ledger boards holding up railings directly to the deck's framing. If needed, over time the brackets can be easily tightened with a wrench as often as needed - something that's impossible with screws or nails. Decks properly built with DeckLok brackets can meet the requirements of IRC 2003 and State of California seismic building codes. The brackets are available in galvanized or a new stainless version. The brackets are simple to install and have multiple applications, including railing posts, ledger boards and stair stringers. They are distributed through Screw Products Inc. and many retailers throughout the Western region [note DeckLok is now distributed nationally]. One critical concern for deck-builders, especially in the West's coastal environments, is corrosion and maintenance. It's now generally accepted that the new treated lumber compounds are far more corrosive than their arsenic-based predecessors. Bill Mulder, owner of Newport Ore. based PowrFab, says he's had builders bring coated galvanized fasteners and brackets that show significant corrosion within a few weeks of being installed. Consequently, Mulder says, both builders and homeowners have become conscious of corrosion issues and, given the choice, "will almost always opt for the upgrade to stainless steel. To that end, PowrFab makes a complete line of hangers and brackets in 316 stainless steel. All of PowrFab's brackets have passed the relevant ASTM/ICBO engineering tests. PowrFab has 35 models of joist hanger and also makes post brackets for both wood and concrete applications. Minot, Maine-based, Maine Deck Bracket has created a product that has frustrated another kind of outdoor hazard: insects. Maine has created a patented aluminum bracket whose smooth surfaces and clean design ensure that there are no pockets or openings for water or debris to enter and do damage. The T-6 aluminum is highly rigid and rust proof. When used with coated lumber, maine recommends using felt paper or a similar barrier to prevent galvanic corrosion. The best way to deal with construction problems is to circumvent them. With the proper deck connectors, builders can deal with everything from earthquakes to corrosion to insects. Anyway you look at it, it's a good deal. © Buildernews Magazine |
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For Lateral Loads, you need a Lateral Anchor!
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