Deck Building Experts,,, Need Your Advice!!?

I'm building a small deck around my above ground pool. Question is this,,, when securing the beams to the posts, what is best, should I be making an ';L'; notch on either side of the post so the 2x10 beams fit on the post and level with the top of the post or should I just be bolting them to the sides of the posts so they are level with the top. Does that make sense the way I'm wording it? Please help me with this question. I'm sure if you are an experienced deck builder this question will make sense. Thanks for your helpDeck Building Experts,,, Need Your Advice!!?
Why do all that cutting when you can take 2x4s or larger 45 one end for cosmetics slap it under the 2x10 and lag screw it and you have the same support. Take the W out of work.Deck Building Experts,,, Need Your Advice!!?
Why go to all that trouble just go and get some joist hangers they are cheap and hold really well, or you can do the sill method by running a 2x4 support board around the inside of the deck frame, just adjust it so that the top of the deck floor is at the level that you want Just don't forget to run your floor joists before the deck floor, both of these ways are very strong and will last a long time. I did the sill method on mine and it has lasted 30 years.
Make an L notch it provides much more support
You use two bolts with a beam on each side of the past with a long bolt through it all. Use 2 bolts so it holds it square and won't move. If you notch, it weakens the beam.


Bolts are lag bolts and you have a washer on each side and a nut to fasten. You get them in appropriate lengths. Check with Lowes or Home Depot to get the bolts. If you attach to the house you use brackets to attach your beam. Be sure to stagger the boards when you do the deck floor as the ends of boards are at different places. Deck screws are better than nails and you sink them just a little bit. In putting on sealer or protection it should be UV protective. It comes in 1 or 5 gallon and you roll it on. Do 2 coats. I once tried ';waterseal'; but that was not satisfactory to me. The coating I used was not clear when put on but a bit yellowed- only slightly but it dried clear. Wish I could remember the name but it was 3 initials. Need to recoat every few years after power washing. With a pool you may want to do more often.





Good luck.
Although I have never been a 'professional' [got paid for my work] deck builder, I have built, or helped build, a couple of dozen decks over the last 40 years.





We have always used the match up / drill a hole / bolt together method, and have never had any negative incidents [sag or collapse] occur.





A couple of the 'decks' were actually multi-shelf shelving units in one car space in two car garages. These were for the very high density, thus heavy, storage all the furnature from a full two-bedroom apartment.





We used 1/4x20 carriage bolts with washhers [for spreading stress], 4x4 [nominal, actually 3 1/2 x 3 1/3] posts, 2x6 perimeter beams and mid-point beams, and 1/2 inch plywood [for interior 'decks'] for the decking.





For exterior decks we used treated timber and lumber for the posts, beams and deck surface. The carriage bolts and washers were galvanized, and for the exterior decks we used 'deck screws' with protective coating for treated lumber. To tie down the plywood for interior decking we just used ordinary 'drywall' screws.





The very heavy items, like refrigerators, range/ovens. dishwashers and such were set on pallets on the concrete garage floor, but the next two deck layers up were crammed solid with ALL other furniture, lamps, etc., etc.





Of all the ';decks'; in which I've participated in the construction, there has never been any kind of failure using the bolting method.





The only reason I can think of for using the notching technique would be for esthetic [appearance] where the joints would be exposed to view.





I suggest using the bolt method as it will save an enourmous amount of time and effort, and unless you are well experienced in the notching method, you will have a lot of loosely fitting, sloppy looking, and WEAK joints.