Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite structural system for decks, docks, boardwalks, walkways, spa decks, hot tub decks and gazebos and components therefore and method of making same

A structure assembled from continuous FRP pultruded components comprising:

• a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded vertical support posts secured to concrete footings for securing posts to the ground or resting on corrosion resistant pads;
• a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded beams securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical support posts;
• a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded joists securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded beams;
• a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded joists;
• a railing system comprising a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded vertical support posts having a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded reinforcement spacers therein, and a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded balusters, plastic or pvc latticework, plastic panels, or decorative continuous FRP pultruded latticework, securely attached to the perimeter of said flooring system;
• continuous FRP pultruded upper baluster rails securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts and said continuous FRP pultruded balusters, plastic or pvc latticework, plastic panels, or continuous FRP pultruded decorative latticework;
• continuous FRP pultruded lower baluster rails securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts and said continuous FRP pultruded balusters, plastic or pvc latticework, plastic panels, or continuous FRP pultruded decorative latticework;
• stairs comprised of continuous FRP pultruded stair treads and continuous FRP pultruded stair risers securely attached to said flooring system at the perimeter of said flooring system;
• a ramp comprised of a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded side stringers securely attached to said flooring system at the perimeter of said flooring system, a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded ramp surface board support rails securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded side stringers, and a plurality of ramp surface members securely attached to said continuous FRP pultruded ramp surface board support rails;
• a continuous FRP pultruded gate securely attached to said railing system;
• a plurality of decorative continuous FRP pultruded, pvc, or plastic end caps fitted into said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail support posts;
• a plurality of decorative continuous FRP pultruded, pvc, continuous fiber reinforced plastic, or plastic trim panels attached to the perimeter of said flooring system;
• a plurality of decorative end caps fitted into said continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks;
• a plurality of auxiliary lighting units securely mounted on said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts, the required wiring for said auxiliary lighting being installed through hollow sections of said continuous FRP pultruded components;
• and
• a plurality of low-level auxiliary lighting securely mounted on said flooring system, safety system, or on said continuous FRP pultruded stair treads, the required wiring for said auxiliary lighting being installed through hollow sections of said continuous FRP pultruded components.

A method of assembling a structure from continuous FRP pultruded components comprising the steps of:

• installing a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded vertical support posts into the ground, concrete pads, onto corrosion resistant pads, or through the water into the ground, in the case of a dock;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded beams to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical support posts;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded joists to said continuous FRP pultruded beams;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks to said continuous FRP pultruded joists;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts to the perimeter of said continuous FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded balusters to the perimeter of said continuous FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded upper baluster rails to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts and said continuous FRP pultruded balusters;
• securely attaching a plurality of continuous FRP pultruded lower baluster rails to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts and said continuous FRP pultruded balusters;
• securely attaching continuous FRP pultruded stairs, comprising continuous FRP pultruded stair risers, continuous FRP pultruded stair treads and continuous FRP pultruded reinforcing pieces, to the perimeter of said FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or FRP pultruded flooring planks;
• securely attaching a continuous FRP pultruded ramp comprising continuous FRP pultruded side stringers, continuous FRP pultruded ramp surface support rails and ramp surface members to the perimeter of said continuous FRP pultruded flooring panels, fiberglass flooring panels, sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores, or continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks;
• securely attaching a continuous FRP pultruded gate to said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail support posts;
• securely fitting a plurality of decorative continuous FRP pultruded, pvc, or plastic end caps into said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail support posts;
• securely attaching a plurality of decorative continuous FRP pultruded, pvc, fiber reinforced plastic, or plastic trim panels to the perimeter of said flooring system;
• securely fitting a plurality of decorative end caps into said continuous FRP pultruded flooring planks, fiberglass flooring panels, or sandwich panels with honeycomb or foam cores;
• securely mounting a plurality of auxiliary lighting units on said continuous FRP pultruded vertical rail posts, the required wiring for said auxiliary lighting being installed through hollow sections of said continuous FRP pultruded components;
• and
• securely mounting a plurality of low-level auxiliary lighting on said continuous FRP pultruded flooring system or on said continuous FRP pultruded stair treads, the required wiring for said auxiliary lighting being installed through hollow sections of said continuous FRP pultruded components.

A method of installing a structure of continuous FRP pultruded components comprising the steps of:

• installing a first weight bearing system to the ground, into concrete footings, or onto corrosion resistant pads;
• securely attaching a flooring system to said first weight bearing system;
• securely attaching a safety system to said flooring system;
• and
• securely attaching a decorative system to said safety system.