Deck over slab patio

[zhaddock]

We bought a new house (new to us) in back in March. I knew that the deck was going to need to be replaced soon. Last night I was walking out to the grill with a plate of cow when my left leg decided to punch through one of the boards and see what was below. As it turns out I will be ripping the deck out much sooner than I had planned. Through nearly snapping my leg below the knee I discovered that there is a poured slab patio under the deck. Whoever built the deck just placed the post on the patio. I really dont want to rip the patio out when I rebuild the deck but I dont know if I should or how I should place post over the slab. Any thoughts?

 

[sublime68charger]

Pics are worth 1000 of words,

is this deck gonna be attached to the house?

how High up from the Patio is the deck?

you can just set post on the slab and then if your worried about them moving put a angle iron next to post and anchor into post and then into slab

there many ways to due this and I sure some are better then others.


how big is this deck?


good luck.

glad you didn't suffer a broken leg or have to make a ER trip after putting your leg through the deck

 

[purosananto]

I had a similar situation at my last house. Key questions are:

How big is the patio slab relative to the deck, I had a small slab and a deck that was 5x larger.

How high off of the slab is the deck and what is the grade around the slab.

As said above, pics worth 1000 words.

 

[Ironcrow]

If the deck is really that close to the ground, I'd consider running a perimeter stem wall, toss a little compacted fill in, and place a concrete pad.

 

[Boyd]

I had a similar situation at my last house. Key questions are:

How big is the patio slab relative to the deck, I had a small slab and a deck that was 5x larger.

How high off of the slab is the deck and what is the grade around the slab?...

That is the key question. We also recently bought a house with a deck over a back patio slab. I thought it was odd that the deck was the same size as the slab...until it started raining. We've had a ton of rain lately and I recently noticed that there is standing water under the deck. I'm planning on leaving it for now and will pour a new, larger, above grade, slab this fall or next spring.

Are there actual posts supporting the deck or is the decking just attached to sleepers that lay on the slab?

 

[zhaddock]

Sorry no pics at the moment as I'm at work. The deck is maybe 25x15. Attached to the house and about 20" off the ground/above the patio. I think the patio is about half the size of the deck.

 

[Kaizen]

recommend man up and take it out if you spend the dough to redo the deck.

cheap solution is these although not sure if legal http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbrande...oncrete-Block-10550005/100350712?N=5yc1vZboge
I have a few that have a slot cut in them across the top to accept a 2x like a joist. If these would fall over the patio and the patio is stable could be an option.

 

[kabinenroller]

My house is 27 years old and has a concrete patio that I plan to span part of a new deck over. I know for sure the patio has a full foundation under it which is an extension of the basement walls. With this I feel confident the deck will be structurally sound. If the patio did not have the foundation I would remove it before building the deck.

 

[zhaddock]

FWIW the deck height is low enough that no permits are needed where I live. However I want to do it to last.

 

[zhaddock]

Well, I ripped out the deck this weekend and found serious errosion under the patio so it's coming out. I just need to decide if I'm going to do it or pay for someone else's blood and sweat.

 

[St-rider]

The serious erosion may prove this idea to be worthless (plus not seeing a pic of the existing layout) but I would pour more slab and put in a paver stone patio with stone steps to the door.
We have a paver patio now but without a slab base. The PO didn't do a great job of site prep so the patio has become uneven.

 

[zhaddock]

I thought about putting a paver patio over the top but management wants a new deck. Management doesnt stand fast on much but when she does there's no convincing her otherwise.