Deck / sunroom decking question.

[Dennis Flinn]

I bought this house about a year ago (house is approx. 8 years old).  There is a deck in the back of the house that is 12 ft. deep and 37 ft. long (about 4 ft. high - I can craw under it).  At one end, there is a 12 ft. by 14 ft. sunroom built on top of the deck with one side attached to the house (two walls).  The deck boards (SYP) are install (staggered) on 16 in. centered joist.  Under the sunroom walls there are 2 extra joist sistered together.

The decking has seen it's better days and I would like to replace it, but the boards run under the sunroom walls.  The only options that I can think of is to somehow cut the boards on both sides of the sunroom wall and add decking inside the sunroom and decking outside.  The other option is to somehow raise the wall up enough to get the decking boards out and slide new decking boards back in the space.  Not sure how I would go about this and not sure what it would do to the walls that is attached to the house..

Any ideas?  Trying to figure out how to replace the decking.

Thanks

[MikeBob]

What type of wood is the deck top?
Whats the condition of it in the enclosed sun room?
If it is good there, you have a few options. If me, I would cut it out around the exterior of the sun room. A Saw Sall held at theright angle could cut the decking up against the sun room walls, and not cut into the joices. With out pics and more info, which way does the deck face, climate, ect, it is hard to give good advice.

[K. L. McReynolds]

How are the sun room walls connected to the decking? Are the extra floor joists wider than the sun room walls?

You would need at least half a joist exposed in order to safely end decking boards at the wall(either side). And ending the decking boards at the wall on the outside will cause extra water on the ends of the decking boards to be held longer in the spaces between the old pieces under the wall. the new board ends and the joist---meaning faster rot propensity.

If it is easy to get to and remove(temporarily) the fasteners for the walls to the decking, seems possible(and a heck of a lot of tedious work) to do that and use the reciprocating saw to saw through the fasteners for the deck boards to the joists.

And be able to slide new decking boards in as replacements, staggering as necessary.

[Woodenfish]

What type of construction is the "Sunroom" made with?

[Cooler]

My deck is grandfathered in, and would not meet code today.  It was built in 1953 of Douglas fir.  

The previous owner of the house built a sunroom over the (then) 50 old deck.  One of the beams cracked in the winter and I could not open the rear door.

The deck companies that I called would not rebuild or repair the deck.  So I did it myself, by replacing one 2" x 8" x 12' at a time.  My deck is about 10 feet over the ground near the house and about a 30 foot drop near the far end.  

It took me three summers to replace all the under-structure (it would be harder for you because of the lower head room).  After that was done putting fresh decking on the top went fast as did the railing.

I did NOT replace the ledger board under the sun  room portion of the deck.  I did add more lag bolts.  

I was apparently not able to get things exactly level as one of the crank out windows does not work properly.  

So it can be done, but only piece by piece.  And then there is the issue of getting perfect alignment after you are done or the doors and windows won't work exactly as intended.

[Dennis Flinn]

Thanks for all of the replies.  Here are a few answers and some pixs of the deck and sunroom.  The deck and sunroom face SE.  The sunroom is a framed structure with screen panels on 3 sides.  I am including 3 pixs that shows the relationship of the sunroom and deck.  The decking boards looks like two different parts (thru the screen door - inside and out) but it is not - it was painted that way.  Also there are two joist sistered together under the walls of the sunroom.  The walls are about 3 in. or more wide so there is nothing to attach the new decking too (unless I sister another 2 by onto each side of the existing joist (making them 6 in. wide).

Hope this helps.

[Terry W]

If it was me and I really want to replace the deck boards then, making sure the deck was supported under the wall first, I would take a circular saw and cut close to the sun-room wall in each side. Maybe 6 inches or so on each side.  Rip up and remove all the deck boards except the 12 inches under the wall. Then I would take a Sawzall and cut the nails between the wall and the deck and then underneath, between the deck and the joists. Remove every other short 12 " deck board and slide in a full size deck board, staggering it across the joists. Then remove the and the replace the other half the same way.

[GHR]

If it was me and I  really want to replace the deck boards then, making sure the deck was supported under the wall first, I would take a circular saw and cut close to the sun-room wall in each side. Maybe 6 inches or so on each side.  Rip up and remove all the deck boards except the 12 inches under the wall.  Then I would take a Sawzall and cut the nails between the wall and the deck and then underneath, between the deck and the joists. Remove every other short 12 " deck board and slide in a full size deck board, staggering it across the joists. Then remove the and the replace the other half the same way.

If doing it that way it might help to pry the wall up. 1/8" or so.

[MikeBob]

It the roof is tied into the house with walls also, I dont think I would and try and raise the SR walls. I would cut the deck boards around it. You have a large can of worms going on. The exposed deck by the pics dont look to bad? But is just a pic.

[Dennis Flinn]

The sunroom roof is tied into the main house roof.  Both the sunroom and the deck has a 1 year old coat of stain to try to extend the life of the deck boards some. It is hard to tell, but there is at least a 1/4 in to 3/8 in gap at most the deck board joints.  Some of the boards are getting to the point I am afraid if someone steps on them.  It is time for replacement.