Decks & Patios in Altadena
Altadena decks and patios drawn for Los Angeles County plan check, with listed wildfire decking, protected framing and a hard edge where deck meets wall.
Proof that the decking passed the state wildfire test is the sheet a Los Angeles County plan checker wants to see on an Altadena deck whose lot appears on a state fire hazard severity map, as some Altadena lots do. The reviewer also reads the ledger attachment, guard heights, stair geometry and footing sizes. Because Altadena is unincorporated, the permit and every inspection come from county Building and Safety.
What the county reads on the plans
The framing plan shows joist and beam sizes, spans, post heights and the footing schedule. A ledger detail shows how the deck bolts to the house rim and how flashing carries water away from it, or the deck is drawn freestanding on its own posts. Guards, stair risers, treads and handrails are dimensioned. On a mapped lot, the sheets also name the decking product with its listing, the treatment of any exposed wood, and how the underside is enclosed or kept open. Plan check comments arrive as a written list, and each gets a written reply.
Inspections on site
Footing holes are inspected before concrete is poured, with the forms and any anchor hardware set. Framing is inspected with hangers, ledger bolts and lateral connectors in place and visible, before decking hides them. A final inspection covers the decking, guards and stairs. On a hardened rebuild, the deck is often one part of a larger exterior scope that may include ember-resistant vents, tempered windows and stucco, and we schedule the deck so its inspections line up with the rest of that work.
Decks & Patios in Altadena: common questions
On a mapped Altadena lot the county accepts noncombustible decking such as aluminum planks or tile set on pedestals, exterior fire-retardant-treated wood, or a board that passed the state deck test and carries a listing for it. Ordinary pressure-treated lumber does not qualify for the deck surface there. The chosen product is named on the plans.
Yes. Enclosing the underside with noncombustible or ignition-resistant skirting is one accepted way to protect deck framing in a fire area, and ember-resistant vents keep air moving behind it. An access panel allows inspection. Nothing that burns should be stored in that space once it is closed.
Yes. A patio of concrete, pavers or stone against the walls gives embers nothing to ignite at the base of the house, where siding, doors and vents are most exposed. A deck can still sit farther out across the yard, joined to the patio by a few steps.
Decks & Patios in other cities
More work we do in Altadena
Plan your project in Altadena
Tell us about the house and the decks & patios work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.