Partial cover for existing deck

[Spook50]

I've never designed or built any kind of deck cover, but I've noticed that most of what I see are either built first with the deck built around it or built into the deck as if they were designed and built together. My wife and I have been playing around with the idea of building a partial cover for the deck that's a permanent fixture (at least until we tear down the deck and build a new one with a more integrated cover). I'm at a loss for ideas of what would be a cost effective but comparatively inexpensive setup that would last through the winter, so I defer to the experts here: what would you do for a deck like this to add a partial cover?

 

[45Kevin]

I know people that have simply put a retractable awning over the deck.

It works great for rain but would not stand up to snow or a lot of wind.

They can extend, unsupported by posts, for about 12 feet.

Did you find a job yet?

 

[Spook50]

I know people that have simply put a retractable awning over the deck.

It works great for rain but would not stand up to snow or a lot of wind.

They can extend, unsupported by posts, for about 12 feet.

Did you find a job yet?

If it pans out I may have found one. I need to follow up on it (and a couple others I've sent my resume in for) in the morning to make sure, but if one works out I'll be working within the next week. One of them is actually a QC job at an electronics manufacturer that I'm really gunning for. A job is actually what our cover is dependent on.

We did think of the awning, but because the eave of the house is 8' exactly, it'd sit so low at the end of the awning that it'd make the deck feel too much like a cave. Something I thought might be a possibility since I first posted was a structure that extends back a couple feet over the roof (without being connected to it) that just supports a framework for some clear corrugated fiberglass. Then it could be angled enough to allow rainwater runoff into a gutter on the outer end without making it feel too cramped. I'm not a fan of the appearance of the corrugated stuff, but for just a few years I could deal.

 

[wob]

I think the fsusteve option would work.

 

[agomez]

retractable awning won't work.

 

[agomez]

This is pretty cool, a little clumsy the way it anchors to the roof but would work. You can scab on some rafters 4-5 feet up the slope of your existing roof and slope out toward the front of the deck. Sorry not a lot of options.

 

[batcon]

That looks like s***. I like Steve's better.

 

[Spook50]

This is pretty cool, a little clumsy the way it anchors to the roof but would work. You can scab on some rafters 4-5 feet up the slope of your existing roof and slope out toward the front of the deck. Sorry not a lot of options.

That's pretty close to what I was thinking. Not sure how I would go about securing it to our roof though, or maybe securing it right next to the house so that it still extends a bit over the roof. That overall would be an effective but simple setup that would accomplish what we're going for at this point.

 

[agomez]

That's pretty close to what I was thinking. Not sure how I would go about securing it to our roof though, or maybe securing it right next to the house so that it still extends a bit over the roof. That overall would be an effective but simple setup that would accomplish what we're going for at this point.

nail the new rafters directly to the top of your existing roof...

 

[agomez]

.............

 

[batcon]

I don't think he lives in Tijuana.

 

[agomez]

I don't think he lives in Tijuana.

you have a better idea? cough it up.....

 

[batcon]

Is this what you had in mind?

 

[batcon]

If there was more height on the side of the house or a patio poured at ground level, joist attached to the fascia and sloping at a minimal angle would be easy and cheap. There is nothing to keep that cover from collapsing in a strong wind or an earthquake from what I can see. A gable end running back into the house roof would also be nice.

 

[batcon]

Tie into the roof creating a valley.

or something like this.

 

[sggoat]

PT 4x4s at corners and in between if needed. PT lattice overhead(w/PT 2x4's for rafters). Plant ~ 6 Ficus Regens at corners and in center. In a year you will have a beautiful arbor all over the deck--thick, pretty much rain proof, and nice to look at.--only drawback is you gotta keep this stuff trimmed.

 

[Spook50]

Is this what you had in mind?

That's what we want to do when we rebuild the deck. Nice permanent cover (with sunroofs) that'll be integrated with the new deck.

 

[agomez]

the sunburst looks awesome.......

 

[Spook50]

the sunburst looks awesome.......

Yeah it does. Dunno if we'd do that ourselves but I'd like to add some sort of decorative touches. I'd really only want the cover to extend halfway across the deck out from the house, which would be about 8' or so there wouldn't be space enough for any large stuff (all this is for when we build a new deck and cover together).

 

[cruiserpilot]

Hi, I am glad to hear you might have some income soon. Very best of luck!
I enclosed a photo of my rear porch, called a 'hip roof'. This follow the idea you had of putting corrugated vinyl sheeting up. The best way would be to put stingers from about 4' beyond the roof edge so they lay on the existing roof. The issue being how to secure them to the surface. You live in snow country, so even with something as slippery as the corrugated vinyl, you need at least a 3-1 slope. I would hesitate to recommend anything flatter. You need the snow to have a way off. I also see it's about 16' across your deck? You could put a 4x4 ( of course!) in concrete footings just outside the perimeter at the 8 ft mark, but You will need to build a cross beam that it strong enough for that long span, other wise you are going to need a center support post. I totally overbuilt my porch, 8x8 rough cedar, but I live 3 miles from the local mill, and we're friends. But the center span on my porch is only 11'. When it snows here, we get the really wet heavy coastal stuff. I don't even look up there now.
If you copied this design with 4x4 posts and 2x6 rafters, then 1x4 cross bracing to attach the vinyl corrugated roofing it would be very light, and shouldn't break the pocket book.