So, went and looked at a job where I’d want to remove the existing deck joists coming out of a stucco wall, and build a new deck using a ledger and posts.
two questions ..
how would you cut these joists flush (if that’s what you’d do)
how would you waterproof all the cut ends under the new ledger ? My initial thought is to simply install flashing over the top of the new ledger.
I just had a disturbing thought. Those joists are probably all rotted out (30 yr old house) so I probably can’t lag the new ledger into them, and I’m not at all comfortable with the idea of lagging into only the blocking between the joists. Hhmmm .. maybe we’ll have to open up the stucco wall ..
anyway, hopefully someone has had a similar situatiuon and can offer me some guidance !
Replies
Chainsaw or recip saw.
How much further out from the house will the new deck go- this one seems quite narrow, almost a balcony. Railing must be quite wobbly.
Just curious - can you tell if water seeped inside the wall cavity, or out onto the ceiling? Any sign of water damage visible from the basement, when you look up at the rim (box) joist and floor sheating? Does the oc spacing allow you to wield a nail gun inside the floor cavity?
If you can't ledger off the house, or cantilever out from the existing floor joists, maybe build it freestanding - all posts.
Clients of mine have a house with a second story deck built on cantilevered floor joists. No flashing, nothing. The kitchen ceiling is below those joists, and there are telltale moisture stains on the ceiling. We talked about trying to correct this and they started crying when I described what it would take to flash them. The easiest way to see if there's damage is to open the lid, either enough to look in, or enough for a borescope. Chances are good that there has been water intrusion after 30 years.
What you need to do is remove a nice large rectangular area of stucco, the width of the joist area plus a little, the heigh of the joist area plus a little. Get right down to the sheathing and cut the joists off flush with a sawzall. You need to expose about 6" of the original wire and paper all around, without damaging the paper. Sound like fun? Get that done correctly and you can have a stucco guy patch the area by weaving in new paper, properly lapped, and then adding wire and mud.
Motel? Makes it look hard to put extra posts under it, vbut that would be preferable, and liabilities are probably higher for commercial property...
Sawzall would take them off. I'd want to wait and see what's there to know how to go back.
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Not a motel Piff but a house. You guys are giving me alot of good info.
Here's a shot back off a bit. Would you believe that deck is only 2'8" wide ? Did you checkout that railing .. 2x2s lagged into the joists. Whole thing's full of termites.
Your house or bidding a job?Yowsa! That close to property line will the city AHJ see any problem with posts? How about a wrought rail designed to suspend this balcony for the roof rafters?
Yeah, If I were a termite fluying alojng, in a wood sparse land, I would say to myself, " self, there is your new home. All that exposed wood and look how it wicks water back in where I can raise my family behind that nice stucco where i will be protected from other troublemakers. Pilot to deck joist, coming in..."
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a wrought rail designed to suspend this balcony from the roof rafters
Hhmmm .. you ever seen something like that done Piffin ?
Just in my head here a few minutes ago
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No kiddn. So, termite AND water damage - this could get ugly in a big hurry once he peals back the stucco!
Joe,My own house has a balcony on it like this, but 4' deep. Still useless as an outdoor living space. I plan to do the full stucco tearout and look-see. I think my joists are sistered to the ones inside, otherwise why be smaller size?Posts are a pain, but look to be the only practical solution. The installation is 20 years old, and not yet wobbly, but I have never trusted it. We've been in this house 6 years, and this project hasn't made it to the head of the line yet.Like Piffin said, it is a highway for termites to enter the floor system, so it won't be too long before we deal with it. Like so many things I see, all I can say to myself is, "What WERE they thinking???" Probably weren't.Bill
I'm guessing you'll be inside the house replacing floor joist before your done with that deck.
Probably wall sheathing as well.
Looks like a nightmare...............
Sorry, but I would pass on a job like that....................
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Right now I'm just doing the designing for that area and the other side of the house and also in the back.
You know Pro-Dek, I think I'll be passing on the building part too !
You know Pro-Dek, I think I'll be passing on the building part too !
C'mon fellas, everything has a price, doesn't it?
For the right $$ I would be certain a plausible solution can arise.
Joe, what knid of new deck will there be, or is it only a replacement of the balcony? Also, are these the floor joists, or sistered onto inside?
I like the idea of cutting a band of stucco where the ledger would be to access the entire length. May be some replacement of joists, but may be kept to a minimum. By opening the band of stucco, there may be enough working room between them to sister some new blocking for the ledger along side the joists.
BTW, I wonder how a guy goes about digging around for more info without commiting to the job!! Might be a good place for a hefty T&M quote!Quality, Craftsmanship, Detail
since you are designer, keep in mind the loacl codes then. As it is a repair is grandfathered, but ANY change might step over that line into unknown territory, and open up your "E&O" to scrutiny.
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Joe, how's this a scenario for your "deck".
You are going to come back to the HO with a plan like "Listen, we have to cut back to the wall, and, in fact, to keep this safe for you and the kids, I need to peel the stucco back to check for structure.
"Can you give us an idea of cost?
"Well, if the structure is solid, it could be about $XXX, but I'm a little worried that water has been getting in through the spaces and attacking the wall behind the stucco.
"I see. And if that is the case, what do you think it's going to take to fix it?"
And then the trouble starts. I hope you get the job and a cheapie contractor does not just do a patch job and we see pictures here in 2 years.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
how far does these joists run into the building?b/c if they are just doubled onto the floor joists and the h.o wants the same style deck,maybe you tear off some ceiling and remove them altogether.if their actually the floor joists maybe you could sister them with some new joists that extend into the house,ethier way you might have to do some inside demo.just how deep are the h.o pockets anyway?
I'm thinking this one could turn into a mess .. think I'll just do the Design and let someone else deal with these issues.
Joe, I don't see how you can do the 'design' when there are so many unanswered structural questions. This design has to work given site conditions, or else the HO and whoever is hired to carry out the design may end up with a mess of costly surprises.
Why not get paid to open walls and ceilings so that you know how/what your 'design' will attach to... Then get paid for the design/plan/solution. If then you decide you want to take it to completion, you can put a good clean firm bid on it.
Bottom line is that once you've opened things up, the answers will be obvious and so will the work that is required. Your confidence will be there for you'll know the job can't turn into a mess because there will be no surprises.