Laying Over Old Deck

Mike Finley

Okay, here is the situation. On a property I own, a townhome. It has a deck. 2nd story. It is over the garage. Deck is about 8 feet deep over the garage and runs the width of the townhome, probably 20 feet. It is visually ugly as hell. Nobody has gave it any love in a long time. Looks like the decking is 2x2's, some of them have come loose at the ends and actually curl up to the sky! The decking direction runs the width of the townhome 20 feet the long way.

Two problems. The decking does not start or stop on my deck, it is basically one long 100 foot deck divided up with crappy walls between each townhome set on top of the deck. So my deck boards run under the wall to the next townhome's deck on both sides. To make it more fun the walls on each end are horizontal boards placed like lap siding on top of each other running from the wall to the railing. So there isn't even the hint of a straight line to cut anywhere if the idea was to cut out the old decking and replace it.

So what are the chances of installing some plastic decking over the top of the old wood. It looks like the old wood is probably on 2x4 sleepers running direction is the wall to the railing. 16 OC. I figure run the new decking at a 45 so I can hit the sleepers.

genecarp

Hmmm, Why Dont You Make The Cut Along The Crappy Wall, Fill In With Solid Blocking Between The Staggered Wall Boards(to Give You A Straight Line) Then Use Decking Material To Border The Whole Perimeter, Fill In Between With Decking Going The Same Direction As What Was There, Something Botheres Me About Going Over The Existing Decking.

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neolitic

Don't know about places with 0% humidity
and half oxygen, but around here that is a
recipe for a rot sandwich.
Not to mention most composites require
ventilation below.
Sounds like this is a condo?
Doesn't this fall into exterior maintenance?

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Mike Finley

Yep, you get away with a lot out here in regard to rot. (Pretty non-existant.) The evidence is this stupid ass deck itself. Hasn't seen a lick of upkeep in 20 years and is structurally sound, just looks like hell.

This is a townhome with a bizzare covenant where the deck is the responsibility of the owner. First one I have ever ran into like that, also why this thing looks the way it does.

I have to admit, I'm getting tired of working on this place on weekends and between working on the normal business, so I'm at the point now where I'm looking for more of the get er done quick fix. Path of least resistance is now looking very appealing.

neolitic

What will a "lay over" do at your
door sill?

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Mike Finley

Good point, but it won't effect anything, a 3-4" drop.

Patrick

Even though I don't condone layovers, nor would I believe Mike would ever consider doing a lay over with flooring in a customers bathroom, what about the idea of running sleepers over the old decking parallel with the joists, and then attaching the decking to the sleepers.

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

neolitic

How about just cutting out some
of the 2X2's?
Say, cut 3, skip 2, cut three?
Be a good excuse to buy a MultiMaster.
You know, to help ease the pain!
Could use a Roto Zip too.

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dkillianjr

I just redecked a townhouse just like that with trex. I cut the decking next to the little divider walls on each side, added a joist to each side to catch the new and old flooring, layed the trex, then I cut a peice of trex to go against the house as a trim to cover the gap and cut a little trim peice for next to each divider wall. It looked pretty good when it was all done.


Dave

BuiltByMAC

Mike, it sounds like you've got your mind made up to do it that way. People are giving you reasons not to and you're countering them. No one here is going to say "Yeah, what the hell, it'll do, go ahead" because that's not the right way to do it. "Git-r-dun quick fix" is a quote straight out of a cheap HO's mouth. I hear that and I'm running from the project...
Your diagram of your divider walls doesn't match your description. Why would "horizontal boards placed like lap siding" not give you a straight line to cut from? Are they badly warped?

If you want to do it that way, do it that way. Don't tell us and we won't think badly of you. Killian's got it though - pull up the old decking, replace it w/ new and cut trim pieces to cover the ends. An 8x20 deck shouldn't be a daunting weekend project for you...that's only 17 boards.

Mac

Mike Finley

Maybe I'm scared of what I will find underneath it!

Greg Di

I hear you. I have a contract to do exploratory demo a ground level deck ( ie the deck boards are LEVEL with grade so the framing is completely buried). I think they ran 2x6's as decking first for strength, then set 5/4 over the 2x6s perpendicular for snazz. I'm bringing a chainsaw to the demo.

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bob14-0

Re-decked my own deck last summer: ripped up the old decking and railings and ran new 2X6 p/t. As it was, I had trouble as the nail holes kept lining up and the ss screws would just spin. Had to nail it down with 16d spiral galvie to reach new wood.

Unlike roofing, don't think it's a good idea to go over old - you want to know what's underneath!

Regards, Bob

mickeyco

If it's solid and there's no rot, pressure wash it, throw down some dark stain or paint it, done.


.

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Jason Whipple

Hope you can raise the railings. I wouldn't want the liability of making the top rail too low as a result of raising the floor.

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Stone Mountain

Early on in my illustrious carreer I overlaid an existing deck. BIG mistake. Less than 5 years later the whole think had to be replaced. The moisture got in between the layers of wood and had nowhere to go. The original homeowner had moved and the new one called me at random for a quote. I did not let on who had actually done the work, and I was hired to replace the replacement.

even if it's not your permanent home, Mike, I would advise against it. It'll come back to bite you.

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MartyCD

I like the idea of taking up three boards, then two, etc, in order to let in new sleepers. But another option is deck tiles - if you can find a way to get that bottom layer flat. In our testing, the deck tiles seem to lay real flat even on concrete and in standing water.

redwood

If you had to do it, you could bituthane over all the existing decking and lay the new decking over that. It certainly wouldn't help any existing problems though.

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Greg Di

Here's what I found on that demo job today. I saw insects that I think only exist in Africa living between the layers of decking. In fact, one bug actually helped me carry some of deck out to the dump trailer.

I took pics to show people why some things are just not a good idea. Ever.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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K2

Dem dhere bugs would know better than to come to Colorado. They'd die crossing the hot dry praire. Prarie'll take out a few humans too.