[Swillefo]

I have a 10 x 6 deck made of treated wood. It is supported against the house and on three 6x6 posts holding up the outer edge.
Can I lower this one foot without disassembling it? Picture represents similar to mine except mine is only 3 feet off the ground. Trying to gain some height on the ceiling over the deck. Thanks for any responses.

 

[Nealtw]

Sure it can but there will be some problems. You have to consider the stairs unless you want to build new. lowering it a foot might leave you noting in the wall to bolt too in the wall, we usually add structure inside for that.

How low is it compared to the house floor now?

 

[Swillefo]

even with living room floor.

 

[Nealtw]

even with living room floor.

Best would be the height of the bottom step, around 7" and that would leave you something to bolt too in the house rim joist.

Would about 7" help with what you need?

12" can be done, just a lot more to it.

 

[Swillefo]

7 inches would be great.

 

[Nealtw]

7 inches would be great.

So we want pictures of the posts, and beams the ledger from from under the deck and the stairs.

 

[Swillefo]

coming up. Will get some soon as the rain slows down.

 

[Calson]

Having to have use a step going into and out of the house is not an improvement. The step needs to have a 10" tread and so will cut into the area where people can walk on the deck without tripping on the step, particularly at night.

Not at all clear what dropping the deck a foot will actually achieve. My wrap around deck had multiple steps when walking around the house and two landings and my new deck was designed to eliminate these steps and the second landing.

 

[ron45]

Not sure if I understand.

Are you wanting to lower the deck or the ground under it.?

 

[Swillefo]

here are pix. Don't understand why you need a reason to answer. But here goes: I am 6 ' 5 " , and the ceiling height is 6'.

 

[Nealtw]

here are pix. Don't understand why you need a reason to answer. But here goes: I am 6 ' 5 " , and the ceiling height is 6'.

Ok, there are about 6 common mistakes people make when building decks.
So far I see 4 of them. The material looks good just how it was done is all wrong. I would strongly suggest it should be dismantled and rebuilt at the right height.lain:

 

[House Designer]

I think I understand the original poster's question. He has a covered porch and the headroom is too low, so he is proposing lowering the deck floor by a foot to rectify this.
Might I suggest looking into raising the porch roof (or possibly just the ceiling) instead? This can be accomplished by replacing the roof support posts with taller ones. It solves the headroom issue without creating additional steps down to the deck.

 

[3onthetree]

It looks like the header joist is just nailed onto the outer face of the 6x6, and the floor frame is all independent of the railings and roof cover structure. Unless, maybe even if, there are double 2x behind that on a beam pocket or bracket, theoretically you could:
- remove stair and part of deck boards to access ledger
- set up cripples at the lower height you want the floor frame
- cut all rim joist nails (assumption that's all thats holding it now)
- remove ledger lags (assumption CMU face is same plane as house rim)
- let it lower down sliding on the 6x6

Then,
- refasten properly*
- retrofit items to proper code*
- recalculate and rebuild stair
- lower railings
- replace missing siding

* could be a lot of work and demo, just depends on what's there

 

[Swillefo]

Thanks everybody for the responses. You gave me a totally different way to look at this project. Sean

 

[Nealtw]

It looks like the header joist is just nailed onto the outer face of the 6x6, and the floor frame is all independent of the railings and roof cover structure. Unless, maybe even if, there are double 2x behind that on a beam pocket or bracket, theoretically you could:
- remove stair and part of deck boards to access ledger
- set up cripples at the lower height you want the floor frame
- cut all rim joist nails (assumption that's all thats holding it now)
- remove ledger lags (assumption CMU face is same plane as house rim)
- let it lower down sliding on the 6x6

Then,
- refasten properly*
- retrofit items to proper code*
- recalculate and rebuild stair
- lower railings
- replace missing siding

* could be a lot of work and demo, just depends on what's there

Dropping it would really be tricky when the joists are wrapped like that, it would need four jacks lowered all at the same rate while a 5th person deals with hang ups. And then some one has to crawl around under there to tie it back to the house.

When there is no hangers at the house, do we expect them on the outboard end. I would sooner take it apart than have it fall apart a little here and a little there. :wink2:

 

[3onthetree]

I would sooner take it apart than have it fall apart a little here and a little there.

I was trying to make it sound like a lot of work to nudge him in a different direction, but still give a nod to what he thought of doing because usually they will wind up trying it anyway.:biggrin2:

 

[Swillefo]

Yeah, this is They. What are the four mistakes I need to correct when rebuilding?

 

[Nealtw]

Yeah, this is They. What are the four mistakes I need to correct when rebuilding?

Flashing properly done over the ledger up behind the siding and house wrap.

Protective tape over the joists that will be subject to water coming thru the cracks.

Beams either sit on a post or are hung in hangers on the post.

There should be hangers at both ends of the joist, the shelf board they are sitting on has not been code for ever. The joist should be blocked across the bottom, mid span.

I think most if not all your material can be saved.

Is it all screwed together or nailed?

 

[Swillefo]

Its nailed. Wish it was screws. Good tips. Thanks

 

[Californiadecks]

You could use a couple of these.

Mike.
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