DIY Deck

[drewtam]

Looking for soem advise guys. I have a 15x23ft flat roof garage that I need to build a deck on because the upstairs door opens to it and it has no railing. I am strapped for cash and so I can only manage about a ~$2000 budget. It must be done this summer, the insurance company requires it, and I have a baby on the way. The garage roof is constructed with 2x8s, plywood, and massive asphalt sheets. It is held up by 2x4s and has a firm concrete slab footing. I think structurally, I can put as much weight or as little weight as I want on the roof. I will be doing all labor myself, or whatever friends and family volunteers I can recruit.

But I am convinced that the cheapest way to do a job is not always the least expensive...

Should I try and build a proper joist sub floor for the decking with 2x6s or can I run 1x2 strips?
If I run 1x2s, I would still make a box parameter with 2x6 or 2x8s to attach the railing.

Should I go with regular wood and stain it, or go the extra expense with the composite material that is supposed to use a lot less upkeep?

Thanks for your help,
Drew

[Car Knocker]

Since it appears that the only reason you are building the deck is to satisfy the insurance company, would a permanant railing across the doorway be acceptable to them in lieu of a railed deck?

[wmenorr67]

I was going to suggest that if you dont really want the deck on the roof you could always remove the door and wall up the spot.  Would be the cheapest route.

[Sergeant Bob]

I'm with those other guys. My first thought was to bar the door, so to speak.
Unless that is, you really want a deck.

[K Frame]

Or, if you want a deck, built a tiny deck right now. Something that will satisfy the insurance company's need for a railing.

A few thoughts, though...

Asphalt sheet roofing is not the best material on which to support a deck. You can really reduce the life of your roof putting a deck on it.

Guess what happens when you have to replace the roof...

Yep, the deck has to come up.

Composite materials are great... if you don't mind them chewing through your budget in a hurry.

[Leatherneck]

What Mike said. You don't want to have anything rubbing on that membrane roofing material, or you'll develop leaks in a hurry.  Cheapest alternative is simply to bar the door with 2x4s at baby-proof intervals; next would be remove door and install wall, or a window. Then you get into decks with railings if that's what you want, and cost increases proportionally with deck size.

TC

[TarpleyG]

Just which nanny-state do you live in anyway?  I have never heard of such a regulation.  Maybe it's just an insurance company reg. but I somehow suspect that the state has its greedy, nosy hands in the mix.  I'm with the majority here that recommend just sealing the area off.  If it were me, I'd put a window in place of the door provided I could do so and still meet the requirement.

Greg

[K Frame]

"Maybe it's just an insurance company reg. but I somehow suspect that the state has its greedy, nosy hands in the mix."

EVIL GODLESS, COMMUNIST STATE! I CONDEMN THEE TO HELL!

While I'm certain that there are state regulations that discuss this sort of thing, note that he said it's his insurance company that is requiring this.

As in "Fix this, or we won't insure you."

What, an insurance company telling you what to do?

Those evil, godless, communist business people! I condemn them to hell!

The insurance company is looking at reducing its exposure by having the owner address potential obvious hazards.

When my parents bought the house they had to fix a couple of rotted boards on the lip of the front porch. Obvious trip hazard.

[charby]

I have seen nice door replacements turn the door way into a door sided window.


-C

[Thor]

I would probably opt NOT to build the deck and just bar the doorway. (Whatever will make your insurance company happy)  First of all, should you proceed to build a deck on the roof, it will have to be up to today's codes. Those can be pretty finicky. Permits and all will need to be pulled, etc. It gets real complicated, real quick. It COULD even result in a complete rebuild of the roof joists in your garage, if not worse. If the garage isn't relatively new (last 5-10 years), chances are it will be a problematic undertaking.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

My friend's apartment has a deck built over an asphalt roof.  It's completely useless.  Whenever the weather is hot enough to make the deck enjoyable the heat makes the asphalt stink.

[Harold Tuttle]

In my 'hood homes with second story sliding glass doors and no deck, have a wooden rail & pickets on the other side of the slider