Deck collapses at Opelika family reunion

[Brian Hannigan]

OPELIKA, AL (WTVM) -A family reunion was cut short Saturday when the floor literally fell out from underneath the party.
About 15 people were on the back deck of a house on Pebbleshore Drive in Opelika Saturday afternoon when the deck gave way.....

Deck collapses at Opelika family reunion - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports (http://www.wtvm.com/story/20075002/deck-collapses-at-opelika-family-reunion)

[Rick Cantrell]

35 miles from me and I didn't even hear about it.

[Mike Lamb]

If anyone follows deck failure, it is the ledger attachment to the building that ALWAYS fails. It is NEVER at the support columns. When you inspect decks for major structural failure, it is the 3 L's. Ledger, ledger, ledger.

[John Kogel]

Yeah the joists run parallel to the ledger and the thing was just tacked to the house, probably with nails only. Amateurs. Nobody was seriously hurt this time.

[Larry Morrison]

Find (N) in this equation Where:
C=Crash
PT=Party
DK=Deck
P=People

PT+DK+(PX15)+N=C
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Answer: N= Chicken Dance

[BridgeMan]

Don't ask where I read this (I think in some deck builder's publication or web site), but each year in this country approximately 150 decks collapse or partially-collapse. Occasionally with loss of life.

Shouldn't ever happen if people just knew what they are supposed to be doing.

[Rick Cantrell]

Shouldn't ever happen if people just knew what they are supposed to be doing.

People DO know what they are supposed to be doing. Get a qualified licensed contractor, get permits and have it inspected. But as long as people DIY to save a few bucks or use the CHEAPEST contractor, this will continue to happen.

[BridgeMan]

People DO know what they are supposed to be doing. Get a qualified licensed contractor, get permits and have it inspected. But as long as people DIY to save a few bucks or use the CHEAPEST contractor, this will continue to happen.

Like my former neighbor in SW Colorado: He had his deck designed and built by a professional contractor, definitely experienced from having built dozens of houses. Colorado didn't require any contractors to be licensed, so that wasn't an issue. Neighbor had the City inspect it and sign off on it. Sounds good so far, right? Even meets the requirements you listed above.

But now for the bad news--Contractor used what appeared to be utility-grade 4 x 4s, untreated, and some having open knot holes at least an inch in diameter. The kind of stuff that qualifies for firewood, and not much more. Deck was around 12' off the ground, with absolutely no cross-bracing of any kind. It swayed and deflected so much in a moderate breeze that his wife was afraid to ever go out on it. Needless to say, they never used it until after making corrections, and then only sparingly.

Which brings us back to my initial statement: Too many people out there who just don't know what they're supposed to be doing. Also, blaming DIY-ers for deck collapses is somewhat distorted thinking. I've seen more poorly-constructed, unsafe decks built by professional contractors than those built by DIY-ers.

[Rick Cantrell]

Also, blaming DIY-ers for deck collapses is somewhat distorted thinking. I've seen more poorly-constructed, unsafe decks built by professional contractors than those built by DIY-ers.
True
But who can resist the beer keg deck building party.
And for some reason, the higher the deck off the ground, the more beer you have to buy.