help with deck/patio design

[mound]

Your 3rd riser could be your band joist.

(Not to scale)

I like it!

[mound]

Updated drawing.. 4 beams perpendicular to house, free standing, and 3 equal height risers

A question I have to ask my town is, would adding hand-rails to the steps be "required" and if so, would it thus become a "deck" (permit and inspection) and not a "patio" 

Still gonna play with simplifying the 6' ends for supporting the picture frame (as suggested earlier), but I'm envisioning making the entire inner framework on its own then dropping it in place over the beams and behind the front/outer skirt board (or maybe that's just the engineer in me over complicating things! if so, please somebody in the know, call me out

[MstrCarpenter]

Interesting. Most every house in the neighborhood is the same. 

For 3 risers they'd have to be 6" - that seems like it would feel awkward..  I'll check the codes.

Just as a starting place, add 2 risers and one tread. Should be somewhere close to 25". An average pace is 30", and obviously somewhat shorter if walking uphill. if your total is closer to 22", they're baby steps. Go up to 28" and they'll work for medium height healthy adults; others will usually step on each tread with both feet.

[mound]

Just as a starting place, add 2 risers and one tread. Should be somewhere close to 25". An average pace is 30", and obviously somewhat shorter if walking uphill. if your total is closer to 22", they're baby steps. Go up to 28" and they'll work for medium height healthy adults; others will usually step on each tread with both feet.

Are you referring to the height of the deck (25", 30", 22") or the depth of the treads?
(edit: I see what you mean now after reading wing nut's comment

[wing nut]

why are you making a mountain out of a mole hill, just put the carriar beam with 4 supports and joist 16" oc from the leger board and be done with it, put a face on the end of it.
Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture, please forgive me but nobody is going to see the picture frame under the patio.
over hang the deck 12 - 18 inches so you will have 6.5-7 ' span, 2x6 or 2x8 16" oc should be fine.
2nd design your carrier beam is not over the columns or notched in. The carrier beam should have direct support to the ground, but I'm sure there are much more knowledgable members then me on deck design.

[wing nut]

Interesting. Most every house in the neighborhood is the same. 

For 3 risers they'd have to be 6" - that seems like it would feel awkward..  I'll check the codes.

The old rule of thumb was riser + tread = something like 16-17.5 inches and riser * tread = something like 70-75 inches,
for a comfortable step.

[mound]

why are you making a mountain out of a mole hill, just put the carriar beam with 4 supports and joist 16" oc from the leger board and be done with it, put a face on the end of it.
Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture, please forgive me but nobody is going to see the picture frame under the patio.
over hang the deck 12 - 18 inches so you will have 6.5-7 ' span, 2x6 or 2x8 16" oc should be fine.
2nd design your carrier beam is not over the columns or notched in.  The carrier beam should have direct support to the ground, but I'm sure there are much more knowledgable members then me on deck design.

Nobody is going to see the picture frame under the patio? I'm not sure what you mean. The "picture frame" is visible to anybody standing on the patio. It's a nice look that trims it all out.  It adds a little more complexity in blocking out the perimeter, that's all. No?

posts are notched actually.. These will sit on concrete footers with metal post bases.

[Snipe Hunter]

Agree with Wing Nut. This is a very complicated under-structure for a very basic design. While I don't really like attaching the deck to the house, if flashed and fastened properly, it won't cause a problem. Most people don't do it properly, not even contractors. Run your decking boards parallel with the house. If you want to do a picture frame layout, just add and extra joist or band board at each end so you have something to nail the end decking bords to.

[mound]

But isn't an under-structure like that needed to support the "picture frame" decking? (at least along the length, I agree the 6' ends could be simplified.. also still TBD if attached ledger or free standing.. also agreed it could be simpler if all the deck boards were simply running full length parallel to the house, but given the desire for the picture frame detail and the "field" boards running perpendicular to the house, what other way is there?)

[Snipe Hunter]

Also, can you even get 24 ft lumber right now?