Beefing up a deck

[The Medway Handyman]

Saw the deck from hell yesterday. Massive area in an 'L' shape - size of a badminton court. Bouncing, springing, creaking, uneven. Been there for a couple of years, guy who built it has vanished.

Lifted a couple of boards to find;

Supporting joists are 4 x 2 timber instead of 6 x 2. The 4 x 2 joists span between 15' & 20' without support and bounce when walked on - you can see them deflect.

The joists are also spaced too far apart. I usually space them at 16" centres, these are at 36" centres, so the boards give under load.

What is needed is some extra support. I'm trying to think of a way of adding this without pulling up every single board.

Any ideas?

[dom]

If you want to take it on - you might be better quoting them for a rebuild rather than a repair. Reuse existing timber (if it's good enough), but let them know it's a complete rebuild - otherwise they may find the cost of your time and materials hard to swallow.

[Matty F]

Do you not have access underneath the deck? Ideally, put a new 6x2 between all existing joists.If access is not easy you may be able to remove a few boards at each end and slide the joists in flat, then turn them vertical.

[nightjar]

I go along with the suggestion of a complete rebuild being the best choice. Otherwise, the only option you seem to have is to increase the frequency of joist support - brick piers underneath or wooden piles driven in alongside and bolted to them are two ways that come to mind. It may be that you get the decking better enough for the customer to be happy, even if it is not as good as you would build from new. However, the risk is that they still don't like the decking and want it rebuilt anyway, all within the price you first quoted.

Colin Bignell

[Andy Dingley]

More and sensibly-sized joists in the gaps between existing joists.

[Jon]

[e-mail] declared for all the world to hear...

Is it fixed to the ground? If not turn it upside down!

[Weatherlawyer]

?

[John Rumm]

4000 cans of expanding foam, fill it up until it squirts up between the boards ;-)

[meow2222]

If you gave us a pic we'd have more idea of what's insertable where.

Note I'm talking about the deck.

NT

[Matty F]

Four truckloads of concrete would be cheaper.

[Owain]

Charge extra for the new magic floating flood-resistant decking.

Owain