Bad deck building, check out the pics. Check the light at the top of the spindles!
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Oh...my.
That's just....special.
Where is that? The houses look upscale and newer.
The deck, however, does not.
You took a chance going under that to take pictures.
This one's my favorite.
View Image
Ruined a loty of lumber, didn't they?
Joe H
Where you all get pessimistic, I see opportunity!Nothing there that a good coat of paint won't fix, LOL!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
As long as its structural paint"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
I see opportunity!
Taking up a career as a trial laywer hunh?
And some caulk. The best part.... I can't see it from my house.
Barney
It looks like they framed the deck, then took all the leftover scrap and just found places to nail it. LOL.... that's just awesome.
What did you want me to look at, it all looks good from here...<G>
Edited 7/28/2006 12:54 pm ET by BUIC
Looks like a typical 25 year old deck with many coats of paint. Treated warps and shrinks...nothing earth shattering there. Nothing looks unsafe in the structure to me...not the best choice of joints.....but not unsafe by a wide margin.
from the couple I opened everything looked loose ...
but looked like it all stacked up.
beams over posts, etc.
doesn't have to be pretty to not fall down.
I've seen way worse ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
When it was built I had been working on the basement, I gently commented on the gaps and got told "I'm building for strength not looks"!!! I said "oh ok" and walked away. Its 8 years old by the way.
Edited 7/27/2006 12:04 am ET by USAnigel
Did you see that the top of the balusters are not actually attached to the rail?? That certainly doesn't seem safe to me. It's the last few pictures. You can see daylight between the top of the balusters and the rail.
I've also seen worse. Check out this one that I posted about a year ago:http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=62754.1I was at their house a couple of weks ago, and nothing has been done to the deck.
You look like hell. Is that the style now?
You mean its been there that long and its still there?
It's not like I can MAKE them do anything about it. I may see them again this weekend and have the chance to bring it up again. But it's ultimately up to them.
Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to use the internet and he won't bother you for weeks.
Tell them you are taking pictures for a guy who is building a photo file /folder re deck failures. I need some good shots of just before the unhoped for disaster
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I remember that thread, that one was much worse.
Replace my sister's deck up in VT a few months ago and they didn't bother to use just hangers on one side, and on the other they used roofing nails for the hangers. Oh ya, and they used brad nails for the balusters, 10 lbs of force and they would pop right off. I should have taken some pic's but I was in too much of a hurry to get it done.
Good to see that you are opening the posts in a new window or tab now.=0)
Yadda yadda yadda
At which point it is their own damn fault when someone gets hurt on it.
jt8
"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." -- Saint Basil
I agree - It would TECHNICALLY be their fault. But I would still feel bad about it. These folks are REALLY nice people. This just isn't something that I think they realize is a serious issue. Another problem is that since they're nice people, they have friends over a lot. And a lot of THEIR friends are also MY friends. (Yes, I really do have friends) DW and my Sons are also over there frequently. So it really isn't as simple as just passing off blame.
When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. [Jonathan Swift]
But did you see how much railing is over those little 12" balusters? It's not like you would walk over , put your hand on the rail and fall over. Those balusters are for looks only.
I'm not argueing it's a cobbled job, and a huge waste of lumber and time....but I also would not want to be the guy demo'ing it also. That looks like a bite.
The one Boss showed...now that's criminal.
Understood. I guess I'm thinking of my 3 year old cousin running into the balusters with a full head of steam. I could see him plowing right through the little balusters and over the side.
"Those balusters are for looks only." Maybe in some bodies imagination!The railing or qny portion of it should withstand a lateral force of min 250#
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Looks like a great place for the application for my new "Structural Caulking"!
Just kidding. You fixing it? I like the offset post with the spacer block, classic.
Judo Chop!
THE HOUSE IS UP FOR SALE!! at $775,000 so a fix will be happening if there's a home inspection, I'm sure of it!
caulk. stinky
Seems like maybe the most convoluted method of deck building I have ever seen, and definetly fugly, but unfortunatly, will probably stand up on its own for a bunch more years. I am not saying, however, that those railings are going to hold people from falling off the deck!
Structure looks OK, but sloppy. I would suggest a complete redo of the railing, and perhaps the "cleated" stair.