Pressure Treated Deck Repair, Opinions Please

[Too_Many_Tools]

Not legal to burn treated wood in most states.

It might take you out of the gene pool.

DO NOT BURN treated lumber.

The older variety contains arsenic.

The newer style contains copper.

Both elements will enter the water table headed towards your faucet.

They also are lethal for lakes and rivers.

Dispose of treated lumber to a lined garbage site.

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

Even if you do not remve the posts, I would like to hear suggestions as to how to remove those posts without damaging the surrounding area.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Here is my plan to get the posts out. Using a joist board or two cut it to length so it is 6 inches or so shorter than the ground to triple beam length. Roll my floor jack onto another board laying next to the post ( so it won't sink into the blacktop) . Wrap a nylon strap around the jack up board and post to keep it from angling out as I start to jack it up. If the post comes out of the ground and I run out of travel, replace jack up board with a longer joist board and keep on going. I got a bottle jack too, but I only think it's 1-1/2 ton.

I now have a place to go with the scrap lumber so it will end up in the landfill. I also saw in today's newspaper a porch swing made with single posts in the ground so if my posts aren't rotted off in the ground I will use two in the ground and the third as a cross beam and put it in the back yard. A friend wants several of the 2 x 8 joist beams to build a vegetable garden in. I plan to use several of the deck boards to make a chop saw stand that will bridge two sawhorses. Then when the project is done I can free cycle it or chop it up and send it to the landfill. I don't have room for something that big in the garage but it will make the job of building the new deck much easier.
I called the city and I have to get zoning approval from the township then do to downtown cincinnati with 3 copies of the plan along with $191 for a permit. Hope I can just use photos of the existing deck along with my measurement sketches.

Keep adding info to the post, we will all benefit from the info.
Keep up the suggestions

 

[trbomax]

DO NOT BURN treated lumber.

The older variety contains arsenic.

The newer style contains copper.

Both elements will enter the water table headed towards your faucet.

They also are lethal for lakes and rivers.

Dispose of treated lumber to a lined garbage site.

OH NO!! I have poisened everyones well within a half mile when I built my shop and put treated posts in the ground! They are leaching fatal contaminants even as we write this!

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

Here is my plan to get the posts out. Using a joist board or two cut it to length so it is 6 inches or so shorter than the ground to triple beam length. Roll my floor jack onto another board laying next to the post ( so it won't sink into the blacktop) . Wrap a nylon strap around the jack up board and post to keep it from angling out as I start to jack it up. If the post comes out of the ground and I run out of travel, replace jack up board with a longer joist board and keep on going. I got a bottle jack too, but I only think it's 1-1/2 ton.

I now have a place to go with the scrap lumber so it will end up in the landfill. I also saw in today's newspaper a porch swing made with single posts in the ground so if my posts aren't rotted off in the ground I will use two in the ground and the third as a cross beam and put it in the back yard. A friend wants several of the 2 x 8 joist beams to build a vegetable garden in. I plan to use several of the deck boards to make a chop saw stand that will bridge two sawhorses. Then when the project is done I can free cycle it or chop it up and send it to the landfill. I don't have room for something that big in the garage but it will make the job of building the new deck much easier.
I called the city and I have to get zoning approval from the township then do to downtown cincinnati with 3 copies of the plan along with $191 for a permit. Hope I can just use photos of the existing deck along with my measurement sketches.

Keep adding info to the post, we will all benefit from the info.
Keep up the suggestions

Thanks for the continuing info on the deck...well worth reading.

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

OH NO!! I have poisened everyones well within a half mile when I built my shop and put treated posts in the ground! They are leaching fatal contaminants even as we write this!

LOL..don't think so.

But the danger of contamination from illegal disposal is very real.

http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/cca_qa.htm

FWIW..

Arsenic causes cancer.

Favorite poison of old.

Bodies used to be treated with it...so old cemetaries now leach into well systems poisoning housing developments.

 

[Automatic Slim]

Dayum Garhaj, 3 copies & 191 bucks to build your own deck. ALWAYS better to ask forgiveness than permission, LOL.

I wonder how many people actually have "plans" to build a deck?

 

[Randy in Maine]

Actually the problem with pressure treated wood is that you do not want little kids (or you for that matter) eating it. Little kids put about everything into their mouths that they had their hands on and that includes PT reated woods. Little kids don't weigh much compared to an adult, so exposure levels are considerably lower for a little kid than for an adult.

While the older stuff has plenty of copper, chrome, and arsenic in it, if you were to coat the surface with a sealer (like poly, paint, or spar varnish), that helps keep kids from getting much exposure to it. The pathway for exposure (ingestion) now has a much lower "dose" (treated wood dust) due to the coating on the material.

When I make stuff with even the new PT stuff, I certainly take extra precautions when I cut it to avoid inhaling the saw dust and I even put on my gloves as I seem to be more sensitive to it as I get older. Anymore "nut woods" (like oak and walnut) and the dust from MDF board really bothers me a lot more than it used to.

Treated wood really does not "leach out nasties" into the environment in proper use or in proper disposal at a licensed or exempt disposal locations, but when you burn it it does spread the constituents everywhere. That is why most states ban the open burning of anything other than un-treated wood.

Utility poles and plastics are just as bad, if not worse, to burn. So don't.

 

[Bear]

Just finished replacing my POS composit with AZEK. On the advice of a professional decking fencing supply I used the CAMO hidden fastener system and am totally pleased with it. See it here http://www.camofasteners.com/marksman-tools.html Works with any decking and the surface is clear and looks great.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Friday was a good day. Look what I got delivered to my driveway...

McCabe Lumber here in Loveland Ohio really came through for me. Talking with the owner is what really made this possible. He stood by his product and along with his vender replaced most of the material in the deck. This is exceptional customer service in my opinion since this lumber was purchased in 2005 by a contractor. All I had for my records linking McCabe Lumber company to my deck was the word of the contractor to where he purchased the material.

Moral to this story, I will be buying my lumber from the lumber yard and not the big box stores in the future.

These are the tags the lumber yard was interested in. So, if you have a contractor build a deck for you, have them save some of these for your records. I plan to save one from each type of board. 1 x 4 decking, 2 x 8 joist, 2 x 10 beam and 6 x 6 posts. I also intend to find a copy of the "limited warranty" to add to my records for the future.

Now I need some help here

I intend to coat the lumber on all sides before building the deck. I want it to be a medium gray color. Recommendations Please...

As mentioned previously, I called the city regarding a permit. They do require one for this, so I will attempt this. They require 3 copies of the building plans plus an electronic copy, so that means I will have to draw something up in a CAD program. Suggestions here please. I have lots of experience with AutoCAD, but I haven't touched it in 8 years. Is there something that is specifically for decks so I don't have to research all the specifications prior to drawing something up? The drawing of the original deck is AutoCAD but I only have the hard copy. The old file, if I could still find it, won't work with my new computer and Windows 7. It would also be handy to see existing drawings that pass the permit process. Any links to something like this? I've ordered up 1-2-3 Decks from Home Depot. I have used their plumbing and electrical books and found they are excellent. Maybe some of these resources are in there.

Last question... I plan to document the rest of the demolition of the existing deck on this thread. Should I start a new thread about How To Build An Elevated Deck separately or just keep going with this one. At the end, I hope to have a thread that has lots of links and information about this subject because as it is, I am having to do lots of research now to get these answers despite whole websites and message boards dedicated to the subject.

Finally, a view from the deck, if it still existed...

Wish that pole wasn't there... Later

 

[gunguy]

If you have a paper copy of your plans, can you scan them? Wouldn't that serve as an electronic copy?

Jim

 

[aandpdan]

Does it need to be in Autocad specifically?

If you can find your older file a later version of Autocad should still open it. There are also several freeware programs that can read .dwg files.

 

[03HD-F150]

McCabe Lumber! I grew up in Loveland, been there a few times... great place for sure. The type of place that keeps me suporting the local business even as I now live in Michigan.

 

[Automatic Slim]

Sweet!

Get a tarp on da wood.

 

[gahrajmahal]

I have a nice new tarp covering it up. You all would have had to guess what was under it. That would have been funny.

The Autocad drawing is not the problem. If I read the requirements page correctly they are looking for architectural quality drawings. My Autocad drawing is a plan view without dimensions. I used it as a visual reference so all the contractors knew exactly what I wanted them to build. They could then use their experience to build it to code, as I don't know allowable span dimensions, frost line or other lumber specs. I was / still am I guess, a Mechanical Engineer back then.

I tried the Lowes software on a "test" rectangular deck. What I ended up with was a materials list, but no details on the ledger board attachment specifics or the post setting and attaching details. Those two things I know are very critical from a permit standpoint.

Where does the average homeowner come up with those details? If I had that I suppose I could try Google Sketch Up or some other software.

 

[KnurledNut]

gahrajmahal,
Before reading through this thread, i saw your first pics and immediately knew the treatment was faulty. I'm glad they took care of it for you and best wishes with your project. MCA, ACQ, MCQ treatment is very durable.
As often happens, there is quite a bit of incorrect "well-intentioned" advice in this thread. Take it with a grain of salt, and ask a professional.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hey KnurledNut that's what I am doing with this thread! What can you tell me?

 

[gahrajmahal]

There are specialized tools one can buy for building decks. Check it out...


http://www.deckmagazine.com/tools-and-equipment/a-deck-builders-tool-kit_1.aspx

 

[markwright247]

I would consider the sealant and deck stain you choose carefully but it looks like there's a great deal of structural damage here. Drainage could definitely have had an impact. You maybe want to think of an entirely new design that isn't so demanding from an upkeep standpoint.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hey Markwright247, I have made lots of headway since my last posting. I have been taking photos as I have gone along. You are right about the stain / sealant being important and that was a particularly hard subject to make a final decision on. I now have drop built into my framing ( the original deck guy made it level) so it now slopes away from the house. There are many more revelations and decisions I have made you all will find interesting. Now that it is getting cold (and dark) my progress is slowing down I will start updating this post again. I work slow, but I do good work. Thanks for reading along.

 

[gahrajmahal]

So, as promised I will post up some photos along with discoveries you all may find helpful and hopefully find entertaining as the winter has slowed me down a bit. Those of you who can't wait for my photos to be added to the post (I downloaded 63 pics) along with my hilarious commentary can always jump ahead and look at all of them on my Photo Bucket account under the reliable Gahrajmahal banner in the Deck Repair 2013 folder.

So, here's about where I left off. The big pile of nice new lumber was dropped off in my driveway, I had this giant opening in the original deck and it was time to demolish the old one. Notice the railings, they were the first to go. I cut the posts off effortlessly with my sawzall. I carefully removed the upper and lower rails as I went along tossing them onto a tarp along with the aluminum spindles.

Before I got much further I took some time making sketches and careful measurements of the existing framing.

Using my circular saw I cut the decking along the walls after the railings were all off.

Working from underneath with a 8 lb. sledgehammer I bashed the boards loose by shoving it up into the deck boards. I would do this for a while till I was out of breath and couldn't lift my arms and that hammer any more. I would sit down for a few minutes then climb up to the deck and remove those loosened boards off the joists. I handled those buggers carefully with my gloved hands, as they all had those stainless barbed nails poking out. My Tetanus shots are all up to date, by the way.

Usually by the time I got those boards removed and tossed to the driveway I was able to resume a little more under the deck sledgehammer time. I may have even taken two evenings doing this job as it was already summer and plenty hot out.

As you remove the boards you got less and less to stand on. I found a piece of plywood was a bit less unnerving over the 2 x 10's as long as you don't accidentally step on the unsupported corner making yourself a tenor as you straddle a joist.
(didn't happen, just the movie played in my head)

Time to make some headway on those joists. I worked off a ladder so I would be above them as they fell. Most of them were made quick work with my circular saw. Man those Milwaukee saws weigh a ton! When I got closer to the chimney chase I did have to cut a few with the sawzall.

The demo work went really fast and straight forward. I piled up the old boards in tidy piles at the far side of the driveway. I re-used a lot of these boards as you will see later.

I kept the complete posts and the bolted beam. You will see why with my next installment.

 

[AZ Pete]

You have done a great job documenting your project. Can't wait for the next installment.

 

[ripper70]

Im a contractor in Oregon Land of massive rain..lol. Make sure on ALL cuts or kerfs or holes that you drill in Pressure treated lumber that you treat it with a wood preservative. Use a sponge brush and let it soak in good or it will rot quick. Heres what i use, but any copper napthanate based product will do. They have green and brown tone depending on grade of PT you have. Hope this helps.

http://www.coppergreen.com/coppergreen.htm

 

[gahrajmahal]

Thanks ripper70 for the recommendation and link. So far the hardest part of this whole adventure has been the research for great products and actual experience with them. I will try and be diligent with my posts and not let the story hang too long.

Coming up... The permit process, stains and water repellency, ledger board and the fun surprise at the end. Well, it was fun for me.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Along with making inquiries about getting a permit, researching a good stain to pre-coat all the boards before I started assembling the new deck, I also had a lot of manual labor to accomplish prior to building the new deck.

One of the new requirements in 2013 was the township no longer wants the posts in the ground. That was all right by me as I wasn't sure if the posts were rotted underground or not. I had to make concrete piers that were below the frost line. That's 36 inches in my area. That and use an anchor tie to connect the post to the pier. Here is a link to all the Deck Products.
http://www.strongtie.com/deckcenter/?source=catlist#

While I was messing around with all that easy indoor and computer stuff I got to work on the next part outside.

I'll show you the finished product first. I looked at a boat load of You Tube videos about deck construction and not one showed putting up a raised deck on an existing blacktop driveway. The challenge was, how do I temporarily support the beams without being able to pound a stake into the ground for an angled brace? Since I am basically copying the exact one that came down along with the post locations, I realized I should build a temporary fixture that will "key" to the walls and other fixed surfaces using all the used 2 x 8 lumber I had just piled in the driveway.

Here I made an angled pocket I will screw the new post to once the concrete pier is in place. You can see I bumped it up to the rock retaining wall for its first locator.

Cutting another 2 x 8 to reach the house wall, I also put a small block to capture the corner. I also made sure it was perpendicular to the boards spanning the face of all three posts.

Made sure the front board was level. Wasn't sure this was necessary but thought it might come in handy as the three posts are all different lengths.

Made three joints so I could disassemble it and be able to pick up each fixture so I could move it out of the way when removing the old posts.

Big Red was trapped inside again! Didn't get the old girl out as much as I would have liked.

 

[ripper70]

We have to use Stainless Steel everything here on the coast. Hot Dipped galvanized works in some cases. Those posts should of had HDG CB66's with the plate being just above finish surface. Are you replacing the posts completely?

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hey Ripper70, I sure did replace those posts. Since the determination of the previous posters and the lumber yard owner was that the pressure treatment of the decking was faulty I couldn't bring myself to trust the integrity of the posts. Posts are however treated for ground contact and beams and decking typically are not. Stay tuned for the fun of removing the posts in 90 degree weather.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Permits…

It strikes fear in the hearts of most homeowners and I must admit I was freaking out a bit myself. Here is where I started, a Google search for “Hamilton County Permit” … duh




Next, click the Decks / Porches link and it told me just what I needed to do.

View attachment Decks-05.pdf


Initially I just read down the page to the description of what an acceptable set of plans should be.

The Plot Plan This is a drawing we got when we bought the house. Your Realtor probably would have gotten it for you. It shows the overall border of the property lines and a simple drawing of the house. It had the dimensions from the property lines to each wall of the house along with your driveway. It also has the lot number and the home address. It should have an arrow showing North. Ours also showed the original deck designated by diagonal lines and the initials WD for "wood deck".

Can't you just imagine the county worker with all the STAMPS stamping those pages all day long? Seeing them will make you a very happy homeowner when you get your plans returned in the mail!

Next from the "Decks-05 pdf" it told me I would need "Plan Views" of my deck. This is a drawing of the view of the deck from above. The previous contractor had provided this simple sketch of the deck to get his permit. I made a copy and sent this along with my added note to the right.

Originally I had provided the contractor with a computer drawing of what I wanted the deck to look like back in 2005. It had more details and showed the joists at the proper 16in. on center. I made copies of that original as my newest computer is Windows7 and I no longer have software that will work. So, I was basically using pencil and paper to make my new drawings in 2013.

About right now some of you may be thinking there is no way I can come up with drawings good enough to get permits for my deck. Well, Hamilton County had thought of this too, and they came up with a web page that would allow homeowners to have all the drawings necessary to apply for a deck permit. It just took me a bit of researching to find it. This is a universal (already drawn for you) step by step drawing you can simply provide the correct dimensions and just click the box.

I added this nice package (4 pages) to my application.

Here is the link:



http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...gMGCoqkZ_KEj82Fk2e2Ievg&bvm=bv.59568121,d.cWc

 

[gahrajmahal]

I simply added in my dimensions then printed it out. I then highlighted each selection as it applied to my build. This is what I sent along with my application. (3 copies)

My next item I added to my application was to show what joist hangers and other connectors I planned on using. I printed out the catalog pages (6 page pdf file) from Simpson StrongTie. I called out on my sketch / drawing how many and where these connectors would be used.

I also decided to add these "Lateral Load Connector" brackets to my build. This will give me 4 bolts to the floor joists in addition to the lag bolts used to hold on the ledger boards.

This should be the link for that pdf file:

http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/detail-sheets/Deck-Details-8x11.pdf

 

[rburke65]

This is truly the College of Hard Knocks! Then you get your Experience Degree. Nice work, and good luck.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Remove the Posts

Several commenters asked me to record how I got the posts out.

I had a plan...

First I would research online "How to remove a post", "How to remove a telephone pole", "How to remove a mailbox post" and any other how to get heavy cemented stuff out of the ground postings, You-Tube videos etc. And I tell you it was very educational to see what a problem this is with a pretty good potential for personal injury and damage to personal property.

I mentioned earlier that I had simply planned to Jack the posts out with my floor Jack.

Lets look at the before photos. The posts were set in the ground by the previous contractor with approval by the building inspector. I suppose the frost line requirement was the same in 2005 when the posts went in. Were they rotten? I couldn't shake them now that they were disconnected from the house. It looks like the guy cut 14 inch square holes using a saw and dug down to the required depth.

Left post

Middle Post

Right Post

My plan of attack since I have a whole gahraj full of tools and an air compressor was to use what I had. So I got out my Air Chisel and removed that top layer of blacktop.

I borrowed a Spud Bar from my friend at work. Man I gave that tool a work out and I would say it is indispensable if you want to dig "post size holes".

Along with the floor jack I supported the blacktop with one of the old 2 x 8's to spread the load. I selected one of the 2 x 8 beams that was nailed together as a jacking beam. You can see I removed a pretty good amount of dirt and gravel from the hole in the wheelbarrow. I used the narrow blade on the spud bar because the dirt was narrow between the concrete blob around the post and the opening in the blacktop. Also note the yellow centerline I drew on the driveway as a guide for the bolt that would be imbedded in the new concrete pier once it was poured.

I did not want the jacking beam to push the jack away from the post as I "easily" jacked the post out of the hole so I wrapped a nylon strap several times around the top. It did keep the jack in place and I was able to jack as much as I dared.

You can see the beam lifting off the post and the through bolts taking all the upward stress.

This is the part of the story where those of you rooting for me expect me to write "and I successfully jacked that beam right out of the dirt".

Well, you would be disappointed if you think it will go that easy. I was not discouraged, I thought I simply need to dig more around the concrete blob and then it will make some moves upward with the jack.

While the upward tension was on the post I attempted to shake the post. Absolutely no movement whatsoever, Nada, no disturbance of the dirt at all.

Here in Ohio we have clay soil, so I knew that the bottom of the concrete blob would be in clay. I thought I'd soften it up a bit by soaking the hole with water. I had seen this used successfully in one or two of those You Tube Videos.

Lets take a little break while we wait for that to soak in and soften up a little bit.

 

[SweetD]

"Can't never did anything..."

I have never heard or seen another person say or write this phrase.

My grandfather used to say this all the time. Awesome!

Good luck with your project.



Dave

 

[gahrajmahal]

Thanks SweetD, I really needed moms encouragement on tuff projects like this. Hopefully you and I got a little of that grit from that wonderful generation. I'm not quite done yet, but I have the framing in a really good place at the moment. It is fun looking back at it since what I am writing about now happened in the summer and fall.

 

[69supercj]

So did you get the posts out of the ground yet? Not sure about adding the water though, that usually causes a hydraulic lock.

 

[gahrajmahal]

You bet I got those posts out! I'm away from my laptop with the photos, so if you want pictures to go along with what worked you will have to wait a bit. Not to spoil the ending, the water made absolutely no difference.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Now that it's had a good soak, lets dig some more out.

Buy a few specialized long handled narrow garden tools, that aught to do it...

Dig it out using your hands...

Lets try jacking it out now. There is no reason it won't at least move a little bit.

Ok, now it's time to get serious and quit messing around!!

If only I could get it a little loose, then I could jack that post out of the ground. I'll just hook the Ridgeline to it and pull on it to loosen it up.

Well, now it rocks a little bit in the hole. Dig it out some more. Put the jack and post under it again. And still nothing. Well time to see about busting the concrete blob off the post. Hammering like a railroad spike team on the borrowed spud bar with my 8 lb. sledge hammer I finally make a little headway by breaking off the upper part of the concrete. Besides being very satisfying, there is now more room to maneuver in the hole to dig even more dirt and compacted gravel from the hole.

Now remember I am doing all this demolition by myself, and actually I am starting to get in shape a little bit. On the weekends during the day this job is in the sun because it is a southern exposure, so much of this takes place after work for a few hours at a time because the sun is behind the tree next to the driveway and at least it is in the shade.

Ahh finally!!

I did use the jack to lift the post with the beam still attached until the post cleared the concrete blob, then I let it back down into the hole. I then cut the beam 3/4 of the way down the beam from the middle post leaving the bottom 1/4 still attached. Next I unbolted the loosened post completely. A good bashing with the sledge hammer and the loose post end was on the ground and the partially severed beam snapped off as the other end hit the ground. It was a beautiful sight, like felling a tree perfectly between two others, Yea! It didn't even hit my wife's recently acquired flowers sitting on the wall and in the wheelbarrow.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Well, now that I knew what I was in for, better get down to it, I still had two more posts to remove.

I chose the far post to tackle next.

This post was a little different as the blacktop was only on three sides, so I thought it may be a little easier. I also had to accommodate the decorative wooden grille. I simply added legs to support it before unscrewing it from the post. I left it screwed to the brick wall as I was afraid the mortar may crack out if I removed the screws.
Remember when they put down a blacktop driveway properly they put down a thick gravel base, 8 to 10 inches and compact it down. I figured the gravel to only be on three sides.

What I found in this hole was a very BIG ROCK. One that never did move around despite prying with the spud bar and giving it the sledge hammer treatment.

As I dug this one out I busted the concrete blob off the post frequently giving me more digging room.

I must say about the concrete, IT IS EXTREMELY HARD! During this whole saga of course my son and his wife would check in on occasion and the conversation would go... What? you are still trying to get those posts out of the ground? So, one night the grandson and them come over for dinner. I was putting in an hour or so of hard labor before they arrived. Sweat beads were running down my face and my son offers to give the spud bar a few whacks with the sledge hammer. 5 minutes of enthusiastic whaling on the spud bar and now he is dripping with sweat. All he had for his labors was a small piece break off.

He no longer was questioning the old man's slow progress with the project.

At some point during this project I decided I needed to enlarge the holes. I believe I had been studying the permit paperwork and realized the new piers needed to be 18 inches square. Using my circular saw with a new masonry blade I made the cut. I also used a dust mask and my full face shield. The gravel was flying!

 

[gahrajmahal]

Another view... You can see this post is much longer than the far side. The driveway is a hill.

Soon my friend, you will need to find a new home.

The middle post

It was the hardest post of all to remove.

In an attempt to get the concrete to split I drilled a series of holes with my hammer drill.

More bashing...


Meanwhile it has rained a few times. The water in the first hole is a week old. Pretty good drainage eh? I scouped the water out to discourage the mosquitos.

This really went on a long time. About three weeks now. Time to surrender to the inevitable. Spend money for a serious tool to GET-IT-DONE.

Some of you reading along are saying....Finally! Get this guy a clue!

So sure was I that this was going to work I removed the beam from the post. I could no longer use the floor jack in an attempt to pull the beam from the ground.

I cut a notch in the post to pry against. Oh, and I forgot to note, this beam was partially broken so I was afraid I would break it off below the ground.

So, now guess how long it took me to get this last post out of the ground after I returned home with the 75 Lb. jackhammer?



5 hours


The concrete blob just laughed at the jack hammer. I guess the clay acted like a shock absorber bouncing the blob up and down in the clay void. I had to drill more fault lines with my hammer drill to create fault lines and when it would break off it was a small piece.

The pile

The remaining concrete in the hole was 10 inches deep. Laying on my chest I reached down into the hole to remove the remaining pieces. You can pick it up, but there is no room to swing it over the edge because your chest is covering half the hole.

Finally, sweet success.

Getting the new concrete in the holes (after a successful inspection!) turned out to be much easier.

 

[Herb]

I guess you could have hired a small backhoe to pluck those posts out, but hey, what fun would that have been?

 

[gahrajmahal]

The Ledger Board

So, I now I've got three holes, approval from the inspector to fill em with concrete, and believe it or not, someone other than me to do the concrete work. But I will come back to that story a little later....

With all of my projects I go in the path of least resistance as long as I am making forward progress. I have been eying those ledger boards suspiciously. Not from the standpoint of their viability, but of what they were hiding.

While I did my careful measuring of the joists and beams I discovered lots of debris packed between the decking and the house siding. Despite the previous deck builder using aluminum flashing on top of the ledger board I saw no evidence of any waterproofing between the ledger board and the rim joist of the house.

I found some excellent videos on how to properly build a deck on the Fine Homebuilding Magazine website. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/Design/Decks/62042.aspx?channel=2

One of the most important details of installing a ledger board is to properly apply some weatherproofing material between the deck and the house.

As you can see I will be replacing the floor rim joists. Uggh.

Actually it won't be so bad as I had planned to add the Simpson Strong Tie Deck-to-House lateral load connector bolts and now I will have easy access to do this. Also I will have the peace of mind that the deck will not fall away from the house. As it was, the ledger board was lag bolted to the original rim joist but no attention was paid to having the lag bolts actually go into the perpendicular floor joists. So the deck was bolted to a board that was simply nailed to the house. Some more photos...

Cut out the rotted rim joists in small pieces for ease of removal as the floor is also nailed to the top edge. A sawzall made quick work of this.

Installation of the lateral load connectors.

I marked the centerline of the joist and mocked up the tie and bracket. I then drilled pilot holes about 1/4 inch deep as it is easier to start the hex head screws that came with the brackets that way.

While I was at it I added some new and additional insulation to the joist bays.

Using an abrasive cut off wheel I cut off all the protruding floor nails flush. I also used a grinder to clean up the bottom edge of the floor boards because the new pressure treated rim joist would be a tight fit I expected.

All the original lag bolts were in pretty good shape with very little rust so I hit them all with some cold galvanizing compound to be reused.

The new rim joists were cut to length. The floor joist positions were carefully measured out and through holes were drilled for 4 inch long structural screws being careful to place them differently than the upcoming Ledger lag bolts. Additionally I wrapped adhesive waterproofing wrap over the front edge prior to installing it.

Working by myself I came up with ways to support one end while working on the other. I set the end here on the ladder first. The opposite end next to the chimney I slid over the 1/2 inch bolt from the lateral load connector. Then I climbed the ladder and slid this end over the 1/2 inch bolt. It was then hanging and I wedged it into the house opening. A few taps with the sledge hammer. A few prys with a flat prybar and it was ready for fastening.

Ok, now we are getting somewhere.

The new ledger board with Porter Paint oil stain front and back and then a coat of satin spar varnish. Lag bolts and the lateral load connectors along with waterproof membrane on the top edge.

More coming...