How to Remove Old Deck?
A deck is a great place to relax and unwind outdoors with friends. It allows you to have a barbecue, host a party, or play with the kids. But over time, a deck can begin to rot and warp. If you notice that the boards are cracking and buckling, it’s time to remove the deck.
Table of Contents
Three Signs It’s Time to Remove Your Deck
According to experienced deck contractors, your deck needs to be removed and replaced when the following occurs. Even though removing and replacing your deck with a new one will keep you and your family safe, and allow you to continue enjoying the great outdoors.
- Fasteners Pop Out: Fasteners are the hardware that holds the deck planks together securely. They are hidden beneath the surface of the deck for a smooth appearance. Over time, the sun dries out the deck planks, causing them to crack. This causes nails and screws to pop out and bolts to loosen.
- Weak Spots: If you see dark brown or green spots on your deck planks, this could mean that the planks have rotted. These areas will be less hard than the surrounding wood. You can test its hardness using a screwdriver.
- Bouncing Boards: Stand in the middle of the deck and jump. Does it feel like it’s bouncing? Bouncing may be caused by broken or rotted boards, so you need to check the framing underneath.
Precautions Before Removing the Deck
How Much Does It Cost to Try to Remove a Deck?
According to HomeAdvisor, the cost of having a professional remove a deck ranges from $5 to $15 per square foot, depending on the size of the deck. The price may be higher if the deck has heavy objects such as metal railings, or if the deck is more than one level. If you remove the deck yourself, you can save on labor costs.
Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Deck?
You do not need a permit to remove a deck, but it’s a good idea to check with your local building code office. If you want to rebuild your deck in the future, it is important to obtain a permit from your local office. This way, your building plans and bill of materials can be checked against the conditions of the location where the deck will be built, ensuring that the deck will be ready for long-term use.
It’s important to note that you should know what to replace the torn-down deck with. For new outdoor projects, you will need to have approved plans ready. Most municipalities don’t let safety concerns last too long.
Preparing to Remove Your Wood Deck
There are several important steps that must be taken before removing your deck. First, remove the grill, furniture, and other deck furniture from the deck. Donating unwanted items to local charitable organizations is a great way to clear out the clutter. If something is broken, it should be disposed of properly. You may need to rent a dumpster to get rid of these things and the trash on the deck.
Before you start removing your deck, make sure you have planned how you will replace it. If you remove it, you will have a large hole between your entrance and the ground.
Make sure you protect the area underneath the deck before you start removing it. This is especially important if you have a walk-out basement. Lock and secure doors and windows. You should also consider taking care of the plants around the deck.
Deck Removal Tools and Safety Gear
Make sure you have the right safety gear and tools to remove your old deck. If you don’t already have them, you should be able to find the deck removal tools you need at a nearby hardware or home improvement store.
- Pry Bar
- Screwdriver
- Hammer
- Drill
- Sledgehammer
- Reciprocating Saw
- Shovel
- Work Gloves
- Protective Glasses
- Closed-Toe Shoes
How to Disassemble a Wooden Deck
Most decks are assembled from the bottom up, which is how you should disassemble your deck. The best way to remove a deck is usually to do it backward the same way you installed the deck the first time. If you have the right tools, you can remove both types of deck planks. Planks held in place with nails are easier to remove than those held in place with screws.
Lock the door to the deck so that no one can walk out while the deck is being removed. This prevents accidental injury to children and pets in the home.
Easy to Install Capped Composite Decking CPD-03
The wide variety of composite deck boards from EVODEK makes it easy to find the right match for your outdoor style and design.
Removing the Railings
Once you have emptied the deck of furniture, you can begin removing the railings. Start with the top rails, balusters, and bottom rails, and work your way from one end of the deck to the other. Whether they’re nailed or screwed together, use a wrench to separate them, or use a drill to reverse the screws. As you work, keep an empty bottle next to you to put the broken screws and nails in.
Also, ask the person in charge of building codes in your city if removing a deck requires fall safety measures. If your deck is not very large, it may be better to build scaffolding than to lean a ladder against the deck while it is being removed.
Removing Deck Planks
Slide a crowbar or ramshorn hammer under the deck boards. With a little movement, the planks will pop up. Starting on one side of the deck and pulling each plank up one by one is the best way to remove it.
Before using a pry bar, remove the deck screws. In most cases, they are in the center and around the edges of each plank. Then, slowly lift the boards up. Make sure you continue to collect the screws and nails.
Rust may make it difficult to remove some screws. If they won’t unscrew, you may need to use more force or cut away the deck boards around the stubborn screws.
Removing Deck Framing from the House
Use a reciprocating saw to separate the frame from the boards attached to the house. Take your time and don’t move too fast. The weight of the deck will pull it away from the house. After removing all the deck planks, you will be left with the large planks that attach to the house. Stack deck planks of the same size together to keep them neat.
Removing Joists and Ledger Boards
Use a sledgehammer to strike the ends of the deck joists where they attach to the hangers. If that doesn’t work, you can use a rotary saw to saw the ends.
In most cases, the sill plate is placed horizontally on the exterior wall of the house. To remove them, pull them slowly away from the house. Do not put too much pressure on any one part of the ledger, but proceed slowly along the length of the ledger.
Excavating the Support Columns
You should use a shovel to dig around the concrete foundation. Then pull the deck support posts back and forth until you can pull them out of the ground. They may be too heavy to move by yourself, so get a friend to help.
If the steps are still together, use a pry bar to lift the feet of the steps and remove the uprights and support posts. At this point, the removal of the old deck is complete.
What To Do with the Old Deck
After removing the deck, there will be a lot of wood left. You can throw away the worn-out parts and use the rest for new projects.
- For Interior Projects that Require Trim: To create a natural look, cut the trim to expose the weathered side. Use one deck board to create the top and cut it out of the same deck board. To give the sides a nice, smooth look, sandpaper them to make them look like any kind of store-bought trim line.
- Making Your Own Artwork or Picture Frames: Some 3/4- to 1-inch-thick deck boards are perfect for picture frames. Leave them as is or sand them if you want a certain look.
- Setting Up a Raised Planter Box: Want something simple to do in your garden? You can set up raised planting beds with boards from your deck fastened together. In most cases, these boxes are 18 to 48 inches deep.
- Reusing Them on a New Deck: If you want to replace your old deck with a new one, you can use any old deck planks in good condition to make handrails for your new deck.
Summarizing
It is important to dispose of decking debris and other building materials in the right way. Pressure-treated wood contains many dangerous chemicals, and you shouldn’t stay around it or burn it for too long.
Disposing of something that has been held together for years with rusty nails or nuts is also dangerous and bad for the environment. Renting a dumpster is the safest and most efficient way to dispose of deck materials, so you don’t have to dispose of the trash. Alternatively, you can hire a professional junk removal crew to get rid of the debris.
Related Post
