From the decking to the footers we are determined to build you the best deck possible.
By working with a skilled professional you can rest easy knowing your deck will meet all safety standards and regulations. If you are planning to add a deck onto your home there are many things you have to consider. In Maryland some building regulations vary by county, so when building a home or deck it is important to use an experienced contractor who is familiar with the ins and outs of Maryland building regulations. This poses a safety hazard and could greatly impact the lifespan of your deck. If foundations or footers are built above the frost line they could be susceptible to water damage and shifting. Because water expands and contracts as it freezes and melts, footers and foundations need to reach below the frost line for extra security. In Maryland, frost depth means that all footers and foundations need to be at least thirty inches below the surface level of the ground. How Does the Frost Line Affect Deck Building? This is determined based off of the average temperatures as well as the soil composition in the state. This means that at thirty inches and below underground water will no longer freeze during extremely cold temperatures. In Maryland the frost line depth is thirty inches.
Frost depth can also vary based on soil composition and the soil’s ability to transfer heat. Frost depth varies from location to location based on the average winter temperatures. The frost line is also often referred to as the frost depth or freezing depth. This means the depth at which moisture in the soil will freeze and crystallize. The frost line is the depth at which water will freeze underground. Let’s look more closely at what a frost line is, what the frost line is in Maryland, and at how it can impact your deck plans. But what is a frost line? And what does it have to do with building a deck? Our frost line is 12” down.If you are considering adding a deck onto your home in Maryland, there are some things you’ll need to take into consideration when planning. Here in balmy North Carolina, our winters are fairly brief, and not severe. Also, this means the bottom of your footings. Obviously, it’s necessary to set your footings below the frost line of your particular region. (A good article here on both frost heave and subsidence.) Frost line and geography
When frost heaves these footings, whole portions of the structure above will be thrown out of whack. They give foundations and posts something solid and stable to sit on. These footings are essentially concrete pads. Virtually all major structures, like houses, decks or highways, are built on poured “footings. Of course, these swells get even bigger as unfrozen moisture below them is drawn up to the cooler pockets. When moisture in the ground freezes, that freezing creates lens-shaped swells in the soil. This is a problem for builders, because frost can “heave” the structures that we build. Where winters are very cold (and long), frost reaches even farther below the ground surface.
In moderate to cold climates, frost forms in the ground when air temperatures drop below freezing. That’s the depth at which frost no longer forms. How deep do I need to dig before I can pour? –Kevin H., Greenville, SCĪ. Hey Kevin, that has a lot to do with where you live, because the most important factor involved is the “ frost line”. I’m building a detached deck in my backyard and want to pour concrete footings for the posts to stand on.