Reuben Saltzman

Top 20 Home Inspection Deck Photos

While writing my blog post about how to inspect your own deck, I stumbled across a ridiculous amount of crazy deck photos. I have to share them. Please enjoy our very first top-twenty compilation of deck photos from past home inspections. And remember, May is Deck Safety Month.

And that’s how you like to support your deck?

Bad deck support (loose beam)

Wicked Cantilever. 

Wicked Cantilever

Splices need to happen over posts. This is technically over the post, but there should also be at least 1-1/2″ of bearing on the top of the post.

Beam splice not over post at deck

Don’t walk this deck.

Rotted Deck

Always look under the deck. These joists are severely rotted.

Rotted deck joists 2

If you can put your hand through it…

Rotted Deck Joist

Severely rotted beams.

Rotted deck beam

Rotted joists, crazy-wrong load paths.

Rotted Deck (3)

Just missed it.

Post missed the pin

Don’t lean back.

No guard at deck bench

Wrong load paths.

Major deck design flaw

Magic guardrail, no posts.

Magic Guardrail

What supports what?

Magic Deck beams

Improper deck supports.

Improper support at deck

Don’t kick the footings.

Don't kick the deck footings

Hanging beam.

Deck Support Goofy

Crazy cantilevered joist splices.

Deck joists spliced

What’s supporting that beam at the house?

Deck defect

Magic deck beam. How is this even standing?

Deck Beam Spliced

Another open beam splice.

Deck beam splice no post

That’s some serious bowing.

Bowed Deck

Ok, that makes twenty-one. Thank you for visiting.  

Author: Reuben SaltzmanStructure Tech Home Inspections

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