Hmm, it might be December before they can deliver my Trex order. A lot is out of stock. But, I got the post set, cut off and the joist resting on it.
OK, I have started painting the posts and everything that remains in a color my wife picked out to match the saddle Trex we have on order. I knocked out all the balusters. Much easier to paint without those in the way and several of them are split or rotten. Slow going without materials. I borrowed Dad's truck so at least I can get the framing 2x10s to get the base leveled and structurally sound.
Is that an optical delusion.... or are all them joists sagging ? Or camera playing tricks ! Hopefully the first one !
You set it up so only 1 of the doubled 2x10s sits on the post. Should have aimed to have both on there... but a doubled 2x10 12-feet long isn't carrying much load. Screw 'em together really well. Spax makes a nice exterior-coated 3" screw that doesn't poke out the other side (must be 2 7/8").
I got the new ledger board installed and all the joists attached to it with hangers and a lag bolt for insurance. I jacked up the two angled ledger boards on either side that were sagging a bit and lag bolted them too. It comes in handy having an aluminum car jack for that. Tomorrow I'll pull up the rest of the deck boards I had left to support the joists and finish painting the posts and ledger boards. I might get some time to start blocking the middle of the span to firm it up a bit more.
Hmm, what do I do now? All of the boards are off but the last one and that is because the two corner posts next to the house are resting on it. Any brilliant solutions? I supposed I can tear them out, buy some longer 6x6, notch them for the ledger and band, anchor them to that and call it a day.
Are the two corner posts next to the house anchored to the house? Your new Trex will most likely be a different thickness. You could take a Sawzall and cut the last deck board at the post. You should be able to remove the deck board. Then take the sawzall and cut the nails between the post and deck board, knock out the last pieces. You could also make a vertical cut in the last piece of the deck board and take it out in multiple pieces.
That would be a pretty tough job with a sawzall, being up against the house and all. Sawzalls are really kind of an old school tool. Those multi purpose oscillating tools with a good blade will work much better. A good "cut anything blade" will cost around $25, but worth every penny of it. With my multi purpose oscillating tool in hand and a good blade, I could have that last board out in 5-10 minutes easy with zero damage to any surroundings. Keith
Oscillator saws are great- they hit the angle nothing else can. But unless there’s a ‘framing blade’, they cut slow. And I have a Fein...
I have the Makita 18 volt oscillating tool. I buy the Bosch brand blades at Home Depot. With a good fully charged battery I can cut 1/2-2/3 of the way through a 2x in 1/2 a minute or so. Keith
I also have a Fein oscillator but I did not figure that the OP had one. Really that is not a difficult cut with a sawzall if you have used one much at all and they are more common to have..
The corner posts are not anchored to the house. They are held in place by the 2x6 along the side, the 2x8 across the top and the toenail into the deck board. Here's where I'm at now: I used my car jack to pop the whole thing up off the ledger/band boards, used the sawzall to cut the deck board, leaving the 6x6 deck board piece under the posts. I've got it in my mind to do the following: Install a 4x4 post section under the posts with a corner bracket on the ledger and lag screws through the band Possibly glue and screw the post down into the 4x4 or vice versa would look better without the screw heads showing Block around the 4x4 with 2x10 to support the decking Using a piece of 6x6 under the post would probably negate the need to block around it. Something like this where the one 2x10 section is invisible to show the 4x4 section:
I am just finishing my porch up just got to finish the stairs which is what I'm doing today used composite and put the joists on 12 inch centers much stronger composite has a tendency to flex on 16 inch centers when it gets hot 12inch centers makes for a sturdier job left the 4x4s long so I can add a gable roof next spring
That's what I'm thinking unless it is some sort of grave mistake that will lead to the apocalypse. Once the balusters are back up, it will be much sturdier than before. Half of them were loose. I'm going back with screws. I'm using screws every place I can. I've never been good with a hammer. My uncles hung drywall for a living and could drive a nail in one hit and get it perfectly dimpled.
Just depends on what you want. You could always install new 4x4 just notch out where your ledger and band board fit. You could through bolt it on the band board side or just use long screws into the ledger and band board. Do your block around for the deck boards. It would make the side rail stronger..
...if you don't want to anchor to brick, I'd go with the longer notched 6-bys with blocking. Notches would still leave you with more material than a 4X4, which is code most places with lags/bolts. What you have won't take much lateral force...
