With a ledger against the house and beams atop the posts, you're ready to install the framework of the joists.		Remember, to properly support the decking, the frame must be square to itself and the house, and the joists.
Squaring the Frame
		Install the two end joists and the outer rim joist before you add the interior joists. Cut the rim joists 1½" longer than the other joists(so that you can nail them to the ledger). Also reinforce the rim joists with framing anchors. Nail the joists together with three 16 -penny nails. To square the frame, pull a tape measure from corner to corner. Br sure to reference from the same edge of the tape. Then check the other pair of corners. Nudge the frame until the measurements are equal. This method, known as "pulling the corners" is far more accurate than trying to use a framing square on long, never quite straight joists. Once the frame is square, toenail the rim joists to the beams with 10 -penny nails, one on each side.
Framing Anchors
		Where one joist must bear the weight of another, it's wise to reinforce the connection with framing hardware. At corners wher joist hangers won't fit, these framing anchors, often referred to as "framing clips" will help carry the load. These can also be used to support stairs where they join the deck frame.
Installing Joist Hangers
		Joist hangers, made from galvanized sheet metal, provide full support for joists and speed their installation. Always attach them with the proper nails, call joist-hanger nails. These short, thick nails are designed to handle the load, and they won't penetrate through 1½" stock. Be sure to use the right size hanger to prevent the joists from twisting.
Blocking
		Blocking, pieces of joist stock cut to fit in a row between the joists where they cross a beam, helps to keep the joists from rotating. Bridging is the term used to describe blocks nailed between joists in the middle of long spans. Bridging does not, as is commonly believed, do much to help stiffen a floor. If you use 2x12 joists, bridging is needed whenever the span is greater than 10'. But check with your local building department to see whether bridging is required for your design.
Hanging Joists
		Nailing joist hangers can be pretty clumsy if you don't plan the nailing order. Each hanger has four fingers and each needs solid backing. Start by nailing the hanger - one flange only - at each location. With the hangers left open, it easier to slip in the joists.) Align the top of the hanger seat carefully with the bottom of the ledger. On the other side of the joist drive the first nail in at an angle to pull the hanger tight. A loose fit won't provide proper bearing. Pull the joist to vertical against the first flange. Nail the hanger to the ledger and the last side of the hanger to the joist.
Crowning Joists
		Most long joists will not be perfectlt straight along their edges. Always try to place the slight bow, called the crown, on the top so that gravity will help tp flatten it. Before installation, check for crowns by sighting along the edge. Then mark the top edge.
Fastening the Joists to Beams
		Each joist should be toenailed with 10-penny nails (on on either side) wherever it crosses a beam. To make your deck stronger and more durable, use hurricane ties to connect joists to beams. Toenails tend to act as a pathway for moisture into the beam. Moreover, toenails provide limited strength against uplift forces generated by high winds and earthquakes. Hurricane ties utilize more nails, oriented at more effective angles, at each connection.
Doubled Joists
		Where you wish to leave a hole in the deck for a spa, stairwell, or tree, you may have to use a doulbed joist to hold the weight of the short joist. As a rule, anytime you interrupt more than one joist, the adjacent joists must be doubled to carry the load. To make a pair of joists work as a member, they must be properly nailed. This requires pairs of 12-penny nails,top and bottom, every 16", as well as a pair at each end. When available, you can substitute a 4x10 beam or two 2x10's. A solid beam is stronger and more rot-resistant than a doubled joist.