leaning deck

rnorman

Hi guys, this is my first post. I bought my house last year and the deck seems to be leaning away from the house. I am not sure it was like this when I bought it but I am noticing this now. It feels very sturdy but this summer I am having a very large (150-200) person and I don't want anything bad to happen. The deck is 24' x 24' and is free standing. It looks as if the posts closest to the house are in the ground where as the other 2 columns are on cinder blocks. I have posted some pictures. Also it seems that one side is leaning slightly more than the other. thank you in advance.

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tony.g

I wouldn't fancy being one of those 150-200 people on 4x4 posts resting on cinder blocks.
It's not just the weight of the people, there is also the dynamic effect of so many people moving about.

joecaption

Built completely wrong.
There needed to be footings at least as deep as the frost line in your area for the post to sit on with post bases and caps.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...A-ABU-ABW.asp#

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/BC.asp#

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rnorman

so do i have any options?

jagans

Well, on the bright side, those are concrete blocks, not cinder blocks, and your guests wont have far to fall if something lets go at that height. On the other hand, this is the reason that guys like me are forced to pay for a permit every time we want to do anything around the house. I always over design any thing I build, but schlock's like the guy that built this are ubiquitous, and justify the local yokels lust for an ever increasing revenue stream. Pretty soon we will need a permit to change the batteries in a TV remote.

"Free Standing" requires bracing for lateral loads "Free Standing" does not mean "Free Floating"

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jcarlilesiu

You can fix it, but there is a bit of effort involved.

I would jack the deck up on some temporary pads a few feet from the effected posts.

Pull the decking immediately over the post locations. Make sure everything is shored up, and remove the post.

Once out of the way, you can dig a post hole to the appropriate depth (contact your local building department), insert a 8" sonotube, pour concrete, insert Simpson Strong Tie connector and once cured modify and re-install the post connecting it to the correct and code compliant pier.

I would be worried about putting a couple hundred people on there too, especially with one post tilting like that.

jagans

Sorry we are not helping you much. Can you lash the band beam of the deck to the house with steel strapping, then jack the girder plumb with a hydraulic jack?

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Jason34

Why would he need to remove the decking to begin with? I was thinking along the lines of jacking up the deck around the effected posts and pull out the cinder block. Then dig a 20" round hole the depth you need in order to get below frost line and fill it with concrete and set your conder block on that OR dig that same depth and fit in a 4X4 (or whatever the deck posts are) and have that post come up to the top of where the cinder clock was. Then set the current post directly ontop of the new one and plate fasten them together. I Dont really know and I am just throwing out ideas. Is there a grade difference and thats why they used cinder blocks underneath? I know you wont have any problems with the thing collapsing but all its doing is sinking. Cinder blocks dont have enough mass to support that much weight.

rnorman

Ok im new at this so does that mean to join the deck to the house and jack up the other end to level it. If so yes I think i can.

joecaption

There is no good reason to move the whole deck. Read Jasons post again.
That's the way I would suggest fixing it. (except I would not go back with concrete blocks, I'd be using 6 X 6's.)
There's also no reason to now attach it to the house.
Not a fun job but it can be done.

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rnorman

There is a grade difference. Here are some more pics if it helps.

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joecaption

If I had to do this I would jack just enought so I could slide the blocks out, support the deck and remove some deck boards so I could get in there to dig out for the footings.

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Jason34

Id have to say that's a nice looking deck. If your deck boards are screwed into the joists than it would be easy to remove them. This is actually something that can be done in a weekend. Just need to decide on what all you want to do. But bottom line is you need a solid footing for these posts. With the way it is now those cinder blocks are slowly sinking each and everytime it rains

jcarlilesiu

How do you propose he dig a hole to the frost line in a vertical space less than 2 feet tall?

jcarlilesiu

Ok, apparently you agree with me.