Deck repair?
#11
Prepping a home for sale, it has a 10' x 16' ground level deck. Have only partially disassembled, but it looks like it was built by laying 2x6's on the ground, attaching on one side and end to the house, then decking with cedar 1x6 deck boards. Prior owner put indoor/outdoor carpet on it, which left glue residue when removed.

Some of the 2x6's are in bad shape. The deck boards can be removed, with some breakage due to age and splintering, but the bottom side looks OK. To repair this mess, I am thinking:
1. remove all deck boards.
2. Replace bad 2x6's with new PT. Maybe use those concrete deck blocks to support (there is no foundation for the deck I can see, and frost depth is 4', so I don't want to start digging). Deck would "float" on the ground, but still be attached to the house. I am thinking 8' 2x6's with a header to join the two lengths and using joist hangars.
3. Replace deck board with good side up. What orientation? I could shrink the size a little to trim off the rotted ends, put them diagonal, cut them to make staggered joints, etc. Suggestions? Missing boards would be replaced with PT deck boards.

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on better ways to fix this. Goals are safe, decent construction that minimizes cost and time commitment.

Thanks.
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#12
There may be better ways to do it, but I'd probably do just as you outlined.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#13
Check with your town for applicable building codes; there likely are some. Non-compliance all too often = law suite if someone gets hurt, and you'll get dinged if you want to sell your home and it's not to code, so might as well do it right.

John
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#14
jteneyck said:


Check with your town for applicable building codes; there likely are some. Non-compliance all too often = law suite if someone gets hurt, and you'll get dinged if you want to sell your home and it's not to code, so might as well do it right.

John




Good points and reminder, thanks.
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#15
At 10' by 16', you might also price a poured concrete patio.

Ed
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#16
Call your local building authority.

I think any deck attached to the house should have proper footings. A 'floating' deck tied to house is going to create problems as the deck tries to move - and might damage the house in the process.

Again, check with your AHJ, but once you eliminate the connection to the house, you are dealing with a simple floating platform that probably doesn't need a permit. Then the 'cheap and cheery' solution is then probably what you describe.

But if the deck is built/repaired without proper drainage, ventilation, weed control and/or materials, it may not be worth the price of repairs to a knowledgeable buyer/home inspector.

-Mark
If I had a signature, this wouldn't be it.
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#17
MKepke said:


Call your local building authority.




I did, no permit required for repairs.

Quote:

I think any deck attached to the house should have proper footings. A 'floating' deck tied to house is going to create problems as the deck tries to move - and might damage the house in the process.




Maybe, but it has survived 80 years or so like this, so I'm not sure there is much actual risk.

It's attached to the house on two sides but otherwise "floating", so it moves rather than damaging the house. If it had footers and were attached, that could cause damage.
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#18
Ed in NC said:


At 10' by 16', you might also price a poured concrete patio.

Ed




Two yards of concrete is around $250 vs <$50 for wood and fasteners to repair. Labor to prep the site and place the concrete would add another couple hundred. Repair is much much less expensive.
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#19
geek2me said:


[blockquote]MKepke said:


Call your local building authority.




I did, no permit required for repairs.

Quote:

I think any deck attached to the house should have proper footings. A 'floating' deck tied to house is going to create problems as the deck tries to move - and might damage the house in the process.




Maybe, but it has survived 80 years or so like this, so I'm not sure there is much actual risk.

It's attached to the house on two sides but otherwise "floating", so it moves rather than damaging the house. If it had footers and were attached, that could cause damage.


[/blockquote]
Err..how can the deck be attached to the house on two sides and still move w/o damaging anything? Is the connection to the house not rigid, e.g is it just a bunch of 16d nails?

Assumptions about the existing construction go out the window with old houses.

-Mark
If I had a signature, this wouldn't be it.
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#20
MKepke said:

Err..how can the deck be attached to the house on two sides and still move w/o damaging anything? Is the connection to the house not rigid, e.g is it just a bunch of 16d nails?

Assumptions about the existing construction go out the window with old houses.

-Mark




Good question. I pulled off the decking yesterday. I found that the ledger on the side is pretty much rotted away, as well as the wood siding behind it. So it is really only attached at the one end, the side is rotted away, perhaps in part due to wood movement issues.

I'll keep the end attachment just to help hold it from moving around, but the repaired deck will not attach to the house on the side.
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