*Must* I notch my decking posts?

[DaKid]

I'm building a deck for my garden. It's being built from 4x4 posts, with 2x8 beams bolted to them and 2x8 joists resting on top of the beams. I'm fairly confident in my centres and spans for the beams and joists, however I have a question about connecting the beams to the posts, none of which have yet been done (happening this weekend).

At either end of the deck, I will have single 2x8s bolted to the posts on just the one side, and in the middle I will be bolting a 2x8 beam either side of those posts.

beams highlighted in green and posts in red on image

The question is, must I notch those posts (presumably only a 1" notch in the middle on either side, with a 2" notch on the single beams at each end), or would 3x 4.8-grade M12 threaded rods through the posts be strong enough without? My research suggests that such a threaded rod would have a shear load of 1900kg, so three of them should to be enough for a normal residential deck?

Would really welcome some advice here!

 

[Notch7]

I very much doubt a chip pie would notch them.

Screw them in place, then through drill and whack your studding through.

Solid as a rock

 

[big-all]

as an aside
keep the base below 300mm to avoid the need for planning permission
[it looks about 3 boards 3x95= 285 to 3x143=429mm]

 

[DaKid]

I very much doubt a chip pie would notch them.

Screw them in place, then through drill and whack your studding through.

Solid as a rock

Thanks!

 

[DaKid]

as an aside
keep the base below 300mm to avoid the need for planning permission
[it looks about 3 boards 3x95= 285 to 3x143=429mm]

Yeah, a very valid point!