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I've built a 12 by 8 platform that's 8 feet up in the air, and there's no way to get behind the outer beam now without complete disassembly (custom cut around a chimney). I should have followed my intuition and used 3 inch lag screws to join the cross beams, but I followed a contractor's advice and used nails. Now that the joints are pulling apart, I need to add screws from the inside, down the length of the Cross Beam, into the outer beam. What kind of screw and length would be best that will grip the outer beam and close the gap? I tried to add a picture, but site won't cooperate. 

* <---------- nail locations -----------> *
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| |                                      | | <-- gap forming here
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    Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If you post the URL of the pictures, someone will be by to add them to your post. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
    – Daniel Griscom
    Commented Oct 3, 2019 at 12:04
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    Can you upload the picture to (for example) imgur, and then edit your post with a link to it? Someone else can edit your picture to add the image properly.
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Commented Oct 3, 2019 at 12:06
  • I agree that a picture or two would go a long way toward understanding what your situation is. It is just too hard to visualize from your text description.
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Commented Oct 3, 2019 at 17:05
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    I've added a diagram showing my interpretation. Fee free to update as necessary. Please add information to your post about what this platform is, how it's finished, and what modifications would be acceptable. It's difficult to answer not knowing whether a steel plate or countersunk bolts would destroy the aesthetics of the thing.
    – isherwood
    Commented Oct 3, 2019 at 18:26

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Where the gap is forming you may be able to you put a couple 90° angle brackets on the inside and then use lag screws or construction screws to hold it together. First screw should go on the side and then the 2nd to the back. I would first try to pull the wood back together if you can. The lag/construction screws may pull it together but I wouldn't expect it to given the size of the deck. I'd then go along and do this on a few other joists to ensure they won't pull out.

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  • You'd want to leave the brackets out from the ledger slightly (say 1/4") to create better tension.
    – isherwood
    Commented Nov 6, 2019 at 14:12

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