# Deck repair, oops replace, oops new patio door thread



## drtbk4ever

Hey Gang,

Well today I started to pull the nails on a few 2X4 deck boards to replace the rotten ones. 

Like all DIY projects, as you get into it, you uncover more work than what you originally planned for. There seemed to be a lot more rotten boards than I originally thought. As I pulled the rotten ones off, guess what else was starting to show some rot. Yes the joists and especially the end joist. OK no biggie, deck is only 12X17 it won't cost me a fortune to redo the whole thing and this time with pressure treated lumber (at least for the joists etc). Maybe we would even be able to change the layout a bit.

I can't find any photos of the deck "Before" the start of the project.

But here is where the deck is right now.

It is amazing what one can do in an hour with a skill saw.


----------



## drtbk4ever

Now like all DIYers, it is important to have your "Tim the Tool Man Taylor" moments. Here is mine.

I was using the skill saw to trim the decking along each joist to ease removal. I was right in front of those lovely patio doors.

Well I got too close to one of the nails and Zing.... Thwack!!!. Hmmm, I says to myself, what was that. 

I look up at the patio door directly in front of me and the window on the left looks just fine. As I am standing there I hear this crackling noise, you know, the sound tempered glass makes. Well, I look at the pane on the right and HOLY Cow Batman, I now know where that nail head went.

The one pane on the right hand side of the patio door had shattered. Oh man, I can't believe I did that. 

I didn't take a photo of the window, I just taped up some plastic and pulled it all down.

Here is the biggest piece of the patio door pane that remains and below that is some fragments I couldn't get out.

So my deck repair is now a deck replacement and most likely a patio door replacement as well.

I am living up to my signature at the bottom.


----------



## shumakerscott

Bill I don't want to say anything that would sound pathetic but "Sh!t Happens" and "Sometimes when it rains It pours" I hope your done with the special moments and things go back together without a hitch. dorf dude...


----------



## drtbk4ever

Thanks Dorf Dude,

I too hope we are done with the "Special Moments". But I am sure there will be more "special things" uncovered as we progress.

So we are now looking at some different design options and what kind of decking we want (cedar, composite, etc). 

That $50 repair job is getting more expensive by the minute. And I haven't even looked into whether I should just have the sealed unit replaced on the patio door, or do I just replace the whole door.

I'll keep you all posted.


----------



## drtbk4ever

OK, here is the "Clean slate" so to speak. I will be rebuilding using the existing ledger board and placing my beam over the existing concrete pads.


----------



## drtbk4ever

First job is to re-grade the ground under the deck. It slopes towards the house.

The next job is to deal with this mess. These are a couple of fresh air intakes for the furnace. They failed to put the flashing over the top of these areas so I will add some to go over the lip of the intake flange (not sure if that is the correct terminology).


----------



## Gary in WA

Will you be getting a permit for this? If so, the existing hangers will not work other than for a 9'1' span to the bearing beam at 24" o.c. 

As you are at 4 risers or more, you will need a handrail, at least on one side. Joist spans included in the article.

Here is the 2006 deck code to be safe: http://www.awc.org/Publications/DCA/DCA6/DCA6.pdf

Your ledger board is only nailed on, it should have bolts as per web site, above. 

Change to 16"o.c. joists with Z-Max hangers (triple zinc plated), so you can span farther with the same size boards.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/LUS-HUS.asp

Vinyl siding removes easily with a zip tool so you can replace the flashing/and the ledger. The ledger looks to be fir, not p.t. wood.

Now is the time to add wiring for any accent lights on steps or under fascia. 

As you are in cold country, I would protect new footings from frost heave in this article- footings with sonotubes, gravel under and as backfill, wrapping the sono's with plastic, etc. http://books.google.com/books?id=1g...=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3#PPA31,M1

Be safe, G


----------



## drtbk4ever

Thanks for all that information G,

I'm looking into the permit stuff now.

The old deck was built with 16" OC so the way I read that document, if the joists are Southern Pine I can span 10'6" and if it is Fir, Larch, Hem-fir then only 9'3". I think the pressure treated wood here is Spruce, so I'll assume it falls in the 9'3" category.

Is the fir ledger board OK as long as I add some bolts?


----------



## Gary in WA

Check with local Inspector on this. They may have a website on decks for your locale. Be safe, G


----------



## drtbk4ever

Just checked on-line for some information from our county.

Allowable span for Spruce joists: [email protected]"OC, AS = 11'0"

Footings: They seem to allow concrete pads 24"X24" minimum 4"thick. No details on the piling depth if we go that route.

Ledger, no info on that. I will have to call.

Thanks again GBAR.


----------



## drtbk4ever

Here is the proposed new deck.

Note: I couldn't figure out how to draw railings down the stairs so those are absent but not forgotten.


----------



## drtbk4ever

OK, here is an update to my deck project. It took us a long time to decide what kind of decking material we wanted. Ipe topped the list but it is pricey to get shipped up here. So we found another hardwood called Angelim Pedra. It was a much cheaper hardwood. Should arrive next week.

You can see a small piece of Pedra near the patio doors.

Since I didn't have the decking yet, I took my time with the frame.

Here is an updated photo of the deck.


----------



## Ron6519

With the new pressure treated wood, make sure the hardware that is used is compatible, otherwise it will corrode. I don't know if the old joist hangers are okay to use.
Ron


----------



## drtbk4ever

Hey Ron,

I used those simpson's joist hangers, hurricane ties (I think that is what they are called), and the 22.5 angle brackets. All were rated for pressure treated wood. 

I have to admit I did use 4 of the old flimsy joist hangers to attach a couple of my cross braces. I am not too concerned if those corrode.


----------



## derf36

Are you going to redo the decking on the lower deck with the 'Pedra' hardwood?


----------



## Ron6519

drtbk4ever said:


> Hey Ron,
> 
> I used those simpson's joist hangers, hurricane ties (I think that is what they are called), and the 22.5 angle brackets. All were rated for pressure treated wood.
> 
> I have to admit I did use 4 of the old flimsy joist hangers to attach a couple of my cross braces. I am not too concerned if those corrode.


The point I was trying to make, but didn't, was that the new ACQ wood is twice as corrosive as the old CCA wood.
Did you change over the joist hangers to the Zmax Simpson hardware or did you use the older hardware rated for the CCA wood?
Ron


----------



## drtbk4ever

OK I understand. I used the Zmax joist hangers. I guess I lucked out in selecting the proper ones.


----------



## drtbk4ever

Decking update.

Well after a great deal of thought and research we settled on Pedra Hardwood decking. It took 2 weeks for the order to come. I also ordered UC Coatings to seal the end cuts to prevent checking. That took almost 3 weeks to arrive.

So Saturday we stained all 4 sides of the deck boards with Messmers UV Plus for Hardwood decking. Sunday we got started on the layout and installing some of the boards.

I snuck off work early today and got a whole bunch done.

Here are some new photos.


----------



## Scuba_Dave

That looks nice, great work

Somewhere far in the future when I re-deck I'll get something besides PT


----------



## gma2rjc

That is looking beautiful. Thanks for the update.


----------

