Lakewood, OH Frost Depth & Snow Load: Deck Footing Depth (2026)

Decks are the most common reason a homeowner in Ohio needs a footing depth, and Lakewood states its requirement plainly in the deck submittal packet issued by the Department of Housing and Building. Post holes must be a minimum of 42 inches deep, with the top of the footer at 36 inches. The two figures together describe the pour rather than just the hole, the footer occupies the bottom six inches. The inspection point is specific and easy to miss: the city inspects when post holes are dug and before posts are set, so the holes have to be open and ready at that stage rather than filled.

Lakewood's 42-inch depth matches neighbouring Cleveland's general figure, which is what you would expect for two adjacent communities on the Lake Erie shore. The packet works from the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio, the current state edition, and was revised in 2025, making it one of the more current documents of its kind in Ohio.