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critters making a home under the deck

37K views 31 replies 19 participants last post by  Greg Di 
#1 ·
I have a customer right now who insists that she must have under the deck skirting. She hates cross lattice so if its wood we build it out some kind of 5/4 decking or even 1x8 riser boerds cut to height and ,well most of you guys know the rest. Done it many times before. My client told me the only reason they want it was to prevent animals from nesting underneath. I never saw a screening or lattice that will keep the little critters out. Matter a fact they feel more at home and secure behind the lattice which acts like a predator barrier. By the way the deck is XLM D. Bronze with hidden and the rail is Blk. radiance.
Any ideas on trying to help her out. I told her to get a 12 gauge shotgun.
She's not laughing.
Mke Stanislaw
 
#3 ·
I've skirted and pegged some mesh from the bottom of the skirt to the ground before. I doubt it really helped much. Without building a stone skirt 6" above grade and running your wood skirting down to that, there isn't much that will work.

Often I will just do the best I can, and they seem happy. But in my mind know it ain't gonna work. But, yeah, stone on the ground should work, but no one wants to pay for that to be properly done, because the critter aspect only arises at the end of the job a lot of times when they see the skirting isn't going to run right into the ground.
 
#5 ·
Yep, build what she wants, you have informed her that whatever you build won't keep the critters out right?

Build something she likes at a healthly price and go on with your business!:whistling:whistling
Any ideas on trying to help her out.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yeah you know Framer I here what your saying but you know once the first animal sets up home under her deck she will blame me for her unwanted guests you know. I think the best thing for me to do is to not engage in something that is doomed to fail. then you know if she gets another contractor in there to build her lattice he will be the bad guy not me. you know u no.
 
#6 ·
1st best. Concrete footers at least 2' deep. Steel frames holding wire mesh attached to concrete and deck.
2nd best. 2' deep 8" wide trench under deck filled with #2 crushed lime stone. No-clime field fence buried in stone at bottom to at least 6" and framed in and attached to deck on top. This method has worked on my dogs for several years. Critters have a hard time digging in #2 stone.
My way is better done as deck is being built however. Trying to dig a trench under a deck would "inhale sharply" I imagine.
 
#7 ·
If she doesn't want critters under her deck she'd be better off getting a dog or cat for that purpose, skirting won't keep them out.

I know, you can't pound sense into some people even with a sledge hammer, they just won't listen. Do what she wants collect your money & leave, just make sure you tell her any skirting no matter how solidly built will not keep critters out.
 
#15 ·
OK JONMON I believe most guys would believe you and Farmer are correct in taking on the project as long as my client totally understands it will fail. Sounds goods to most. I look at things just a bit different than most normal folks(LOL am I calling JONMAN NORMAL LOL). For every action you take there is a counter reaction or i call it fallout. Now I get her to even sign a document saying that I the contractor is not reponsible for living things making a home under her deck. First of all I believe as a professional deck builder lattice makes it MORE desirable for small animals to make this a home. Knowing that how can I ever justify taking money buy building the lattice when I know it will fail in its mission. I want no part of that. I don't need my customers talking to the nieghborhood where I try and make a living and saying it's my falt the lattice failed. I know I'm not at falt but the rumers are started and I don't need any more Drama in my life.

Speaking of drama keep an eye over your left shoulder. They are tring to eleminate us.
 
#10 ·
3/8" mesh attached to the posts and the underside of the band, all around deck. Dig out 6-8" from the posts and bend and bury the mesh at 90* to the posts, about 2-3" underground, cover with dirt. Trim with any appropriate cover. Done right, no critter is getting under the deck.
 
#14 ·
I always tell people that nothing will keep everything out and to build them a nice safe haven free of predators will just encourage them. I then follow that up with "I will build you whatever you want" Only 2 times have we done something to close in the bottom. 1 time I suggested and planned into the bid of closing in the deck just due to height and the mannerisms of the children. I know for a fact the young boy would have been stuck under the deck within a week without a closure.
 
#16 ·
I woudent go lattice,solid skirting is what I use, with screen vents backed with steel mesh. We have a lot of city critters over here from coyotes to possoms and reaching to armadillos none of them get thru the skirting I install because there is no reason to.

Lattice sets a challange to them they just have to see what is back there what they dont see they dont care about. Sometimes they do scrach around the vents but they cant get thru the steel and go on to something else.

Or sometimes,Rio are you geting this? Sometimes I mix ground up .60 cca lumber with hambuger then I load all the dead ones up in the truck and sell them to an outfit that makes babey food. Good side money.

JonMon____ who starts every day unloading two big arasol cans into the air Global Warming!!!! bring it on!!!
 
#17 ·
Mike, first off normal people don't build decks.

Secondly, you are being too paranoid over this skirting failing to keep critters out. Anyone who believes lattice is going to keep critters out from under a deck & would blame you because it does not you don't want to work for.

Lastly, lattice sucks as skirting, it's not made worth a crap & doesn't last.

All this really a mute point, cause I doubt you'll do that skirting no matter what, you've all ready made up your mind.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Clemens,

Can you impose a mote around the deck? Runs a budget up but looks good. I used to do it in England when I was building castles

Serioulsy all we do is what most of you do and that is to run vertical or diagonal lattice and we keep it up a couple inches off the ground in the rare instances that we use it .

This is about the extent I've used it over the past 2 years

Bobby
 

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#23 ·
We ran into this a couple of years ago. Some people bought the house and the deck was old and in rough shape so they called me for a new one. We put a sprinkler system in to water some plants in the planters around the edges and also ran hose bibs to a couple of spots in the outside of the deck. They were afraid their dog would get under there and tear up the plumbing. Before we put the side boards on, we dug a skinny trench around the outside perimeter of the deck about 1 1/2' deep. Then buried 2"x3" welded wire fencing and backfilled the trench. This was before we put the top deck boards on. Then put the deck boards on top and on the sides down to the ground. As far as I know the dog has never got in.

This is the same thing my dad did years ago when he had a hound that would dig out of the dog pens. Always seemed like they would dig down and hit the buried fence then move on to try in another spot. After a couple of tries they would usually give up.
 
#27 ·
We ran into this a couple of years ago. Some people bought the house and the deck was old and in rough shape so they called me for a new one. We put a sprinkler system in to water some plants in the planters around the edges and also ran hose bibs to a couple of spots in the outside of the deck. They were afraid their dog would get under there and tear up the plumbing. Before we put the side boards on, we dug a skinny trench around the outside perimeter of the deck about 1 1/2' deep. Then buried 2"x3" welded wire fencing and backfilled the trench. This was before we put the top deck boards on. Then put the deck boards on top and on the sides down to the ground. As far as I know the dog has never got in.

This is the same thing my dad did years ago when he had a hound that would dig out of the dog pens. Always seemed like they would dig down and hit the buried fence then move on to try in another spot. After a couple of tries they would usually give up.

Grandpa ran a hot wire from the fencer around the bottom of the dog run. The bird dog learned real quick not to dig under the fence.
 
#24 ·
We had a skunk, opossums, chipmunks, and some others setting up shop under our deck for a period of time a year or so ago. No idea why - but they seemed to love the underside of our low deck. We've got several cats and a nasty dog but the only thing that finally stopped them was lattice (I hate lattice - but my wife likes it....yes dear) backed with 1/4" welded galvanized steel (rat wire as we call it) screen. We had to run the screen down to a depth of 24" into the ground on all sides of the deck - we did 12" the first time but the pains in the ass simply dug under it. No problems since.
 
#25 ·
CSwinC I never had opossum. They tell me it taste 's like Chicken but with hairs.
I herd most of our elected Representatives are like Snow White, in that fairytale will turn into not a pumpkin at 12 midnight but a sunk on the first Tuesday in November.
:clap: OK NOW PUT YO HANDS UP!!
 
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