Narrower boards are less likely to cup, you should also consider thicker deck boards since thicker materials are usually more stable as well. I love your choice on the new columns. Unfortunately, the building code does not offer a lot of guidance on the best building details for this type of construction. That was exactly what I was thinking. If Home Depot doesn’t stock or can’t order these for you, you should check at other local lumber yards, as these woods are the best for this type of use. I was hoping to use boards that aren’t pressure treated so that I can go ahead and stain and seal them, but I have found any yet. . We recommend a minimum of 18 inches of air space underneath our standard decking to allow the material to breath properly on all sides of the deck boards. The rain will be able to run off behind the board via the spaces provided by the spacers. Screw 6 in × 6 in (15 cm × 15 cm) post mounts into each corner of the deck. When you have varying conditions like this your deck boards would cup and would not stay flat. This only gives you one and a half inches of air space between the concrete porch and the underside of the deck boards. If you look at that first picture, you’ll see the issue. That time it also split the wood and cracked a very top thin layer off of the concrete, meaning that the nail wasn’t actually embedded into the concrete. Looks good! But first, here’s a look at my current concrete porch so you can remember exactly what we’re working with…, The ramp on the side was removed after I took that picture, and unfortunately, I failed to get a picture of the whole porch without the ramp before we got started. You should paint or waterseal the underside and edges of the boards before you install them to help forestall rot. I can’t wait to replace them with tongue and groove. I’ve never noticed this concrete sweating. A). Cut PVC trim boards to wrap around stoop using circular saw. Fortunately, I was used to shooting rifles/shotguns! Give a hug from your readers. Front Porch & Exterior Makeover (In Progress), Critter-proofing and Installing the Porch Boards, Finished Front Porch Floor (Wood Front Porch Built Over Existing Concrete Porch), Exterior Progress: Shutters Installed On The Stone Side Of The House, Prepping For Exterior Paint (Plus, Updated Exterior Photos), An Artwork Switcheroo and Haint Blue Revisited. Cracks and craters with minimal growth may still be covered without issue, but be cautious if an area of your patio sinks year after year. Kristi, what will you do with those concrete screws that didn’t drill all the way in? Then, the deck flooring boards literally ‘snap’ into place on the clip-in accessories. The wall I took down between the kitchen and the breakfast room (where the kitchen peninsula is now) used to be the exterior wall of the house. Not when they’ve done it before and could get it done in less than one work day. This allows you to remove and/or replace deck boards (any decking material can be damaged), or if access under the deck … Also there’s a fancy wood working jig you could make up to have an adjustable angle can’t remember it’s name right now. My plan is to pull all of the slate stones and build a recessed wood deck so that the deck surface is flush with the top of the mountain stone retaining wall. I don’ t know if you have a sweating problem . And if I use 2″ lumber (like 2 x 6s), that will make it too high at the doorway. Over the 70 years since the concrete porch was poured, the porch has moved and sunk a bit on the left side (towards the front door) and is no longer level. So you could use the fence vs freehand? In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains how to deck over a concrete stoop. I would transfer those measurements to the next 2 x 4 board, use my table saw to rip it to the right height, then we’d test it to be sure it was the right height by putting it into place and checking with the level at the back, middle and front. Some homeowners will install 2×4 pressure treated sleepers 16 inches on center to the top of their concrete porch with concrete screws. The nails weren’t going in all the way. Copyright 2007-2019 - Kristi Linauer, LLC. Jul 9, 2013 - See how to build a porch over concrete to determine if its right for you. Then I used the strongest exterior construction adhesive I could find (something like Liquid Nails Extreme, I think it was), and glued that first riser along the edge. I wonder if that’s something that happens only in certain climates. It would also create two different moisture levels in the deck boards. I was wondering if it would show through. Use pressure-treated lumber when building the front porch, as the components will be exposed to bad weather. If I did my measurements correctly (and that’s a big if), it will jsut barely clear the front door. All Rights Reserved. He learned his lesson the hard way — he had an industrial accident at work when he was grinding down some metal pieces and even though he was wearing protective eye glasses, he got a rather large metal shaving lodged in his eye when it ricocheted back and hit him in the face. Steps to Build a Raised Deck Over a Concrete Patio Plan a Layout. The bottom of the boards would be wet while the tops of the boards would be exposed to wind and sun so the top of the deck boards would be dry. So the plan yesterday was to get all of the risers/sleepers attached to the porch. It looks great so far and I do vote for painting (sealing?) Let’s just say that there’s nothing simple or straightforward about working with 70-year-old concrete. Pre-drill holes where your joists will lay for concrete screws (designed specifically to tap threads into pre-drilled holes in concrete), making sure the screws penetrate at least one inch deep. Floating decks don’t take as much work as a fixed deck. Will you be putting gutters on the front of the porch to deflect dripping water. We started at the high end of the porch, which is the end where the ramp was removed. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating, so I have no idea when we’ll be able to get the rest of them finished. Or is there not enough room to have done that? Step 4 Once all of the risers and spacers are installed, I can finally install the actual porch boards. Use screws specifically designed for the type of decking you are using. Drill down through each pilot hole into the concrete 1/8 inch deep, using a 3/16-inch rotary mason's bit. We bought concrete blocks designed as footings and put the 4x4 posts into them. Many also believe once it’s installed they’ll never have to do any maintenance to their new deck. How are you planning for the water to run off and out from under? Consequently, you have to dig a foundation, build a basic form for the concrete and install the reinforcing bar structure. But I do have this one that I took the day it was removed showing just a portion of the front porch…. Check the drainage of the concrete patio. Our hardwood decking has a lifespan up to 75+ years when installed properly. Drill 1/2-in. I took that picture just for demonstration. You should remember the extra sleepers for stairs. Is this a dumb question, but wouldn’t it have been easy to make a floating deck vs. building on top of what you have? Installation is easy when using Advantage deck tiles and DeckWise deck tile connectors. When he’d do home improvement things around the house, he’d wear that welding helmet anytime he had to saw down metal bits like nails and screws that were sticking out of the floor or wall. Most deck joists are 2x8s. The location is in Eastern PA. Steve Bliss, of BuildingAdvisor.com, responds: Thanks for your inquiry. The homeowner purchased our 20 x 20 Cumaru deck tiles to resurface his old concrete front porch. I placed a 2 x 4 on top along the back so that I could see how it looks. Also, I wasn’t sure it would be very practical to have white exterior steps. Your email address will not be published. Yes, they’ll run the length of the porch. That way I’ll know exactly how much the porch boards need to overlap the edges. Use face fasteners (not hidden fasteners) to attach the deck boards to the sleepers. So, we … At the front, the board might need to be 1.5 inches tall, while at the back, it might need to be 1.75 inches tall. On top of the grids, you place the clip-in accessories according to the instructions. One side is constructed on the ground complete with both top rail, bottom rail, and pickets and finished when placed between porch columns. Our porches here in the Texas hill country are pretty much all built with a slope to the outside—the only reason I know this is from playing jacks as a child and having the ball run off the edge every time we missed. Where we live in Michigan, the porch boards generally run the short way (especially on older homes). (Skirting board? lol, Julie B. I was thinking the same thing. There is an easier method however to put a new wood deck directly over the top of your old concrete porch. The sleeper’s layout will depend on decking layout. The first step of this project is to build the concrete entrance deck. On a couple of boards, we’d have to take it back to the table saw and trim off an eighth of an inch or so. Evaluate the concrete’s condition before adding composite decking over a concrete porch. Required fields are marked *. Then using the level, we would take measurements at the back and at the front for the required height of the next riser. ). If you live in a climate that has freezing temperatures it’s a good idea to seal any cracks with a good concrete caulk to prevent water from seeping into the cracks. Good work!!! With a coat of resurfacer, you can make an old patio look like new concrete quickly and cheaply. We built a deck over the top of the steps, along with wooden steps, etc. Water trapped in the cracks can freeze and create structural damage. Fill in any spots where rainwater pools with either self-leveling compound or a concrete topping mix. Will you have to saw them off? Still not worth $2000, though. Replacing the concrete deck with wood could have been done in one of two ways: completely demolish the concrete porch and build a 100% wooden one in its place, or use the concrete as a base … Your brother is so good to come help. I had purchased Tapcon concrete screws just in case the nail gun didn’t work out, but I didn’t realize that those required a hammerdrill, which I didn’t have. So I might need to add that step also. These pins, cut from 1/2-in. Rip the extra stock into strips of various thickness. Looks like a huge process. You can avoid the cost and mess of tearing it out by just screwing down wood sleepers and decking over it. They are one of the few products you can install directly over old concrete patios and porches. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thank God for family! My brother actually said something similar yesterday. Dig 2-3′ deep holes and set the posts into concrete, if you want to get the job done in a professional manner. This would cause the surface to hold water and make your new deck undesirable to walk on in a short matter of time. There’s a few considerations you need to think about before attempting to take on this project. It looks a giant compass you look into your angle. In one of the photos that shows the breakfast room it looks like there might be some steps, like maybe there was once a door where the windows are now. Once you’ve inspected the porch to make sure it’s structurally sound you can usually put a wood deck over the top of your concrete porch but there’s a few things you should know first. For most materials this really is not adequate airspace and you could see cupping issues still or early deterioration of your new deck boards. They are called sleepers because they rest on the concrete. So the plan yesterday was to get all of the risers/sleepers attached to the porch. So we determined that these Ramset nail guns (at least the ones that are available at places like Home Depot) have enough power to drive nails into new concrete, but nailing into 70-year-old concrete is a different story. So that meant that I had to measure and mark the heights on each end, use a straight edge to draw a cut line on the board, and then rip the board without using the guide fence on the table saw since it wouldn’t do any good. If you follow the white trim board at the bottom, it’s pretty obvious how unlevel the porch is. Steps: 1. I have a sister that will help me and her daughter also. I am going to pour concrete footer for the base and build up off of them for the deck. Our steps were listing to one side. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. That’s how I’ve always seen it. I also vote to sealing that concrete with a water barrier if possible. I am having trouble figuring out how to cover the patio slab since I only have 2-½" from the slab to the bottom of the threshold. What are the code requirements? Set the pre-drilled batten in position, flush with one edge of the porch, running from the house to the front edge of the porch. But I’ll keep watching to see what you think at the end. The strips are cut from 2x4s. As it is, it’ll be very close. First, you lay the grid pieces down. The porch boards will have tiny little spaces between them, and I really don’t want concrete and unfinished riser boards to show through. Make sure to screw them into the joists underneath the decking and not only into the decking material. I guess it really is a durable substance once cured! 4. So as of now, it looks like I’m stuck with pressure treated and waiting until summer to stain. I just want to say you have a wonderful brother. Attaching deck boards directly to your concrete porch would lead to excessive mold, mildew and early deterioration of the deck boards. Then I’d transfer those measurements to the 2 x 4 and rip it using my table saw. Most people think composite decking is the best decking material. Sorry if you answered this question before. Laying pavers over a concrete porch requires a thinset mortar base. It’s great how he helps/works with you from time-to-time. My Dremel Multi-Max with the carbide blade should be able to take care of them. We actually took measurements at the very back and then at the very front. steel reinforcing rod (normally used to strengthen concrete slabs), hold the posts in position on the foundation. In addition they are naturally slip resistant and naturally resistant to rot, decay and wood boring insects. This homeowner had an old concrete front porch that had a large crack down the center. If the weather isn’t too cold you could do this on your porch or in your studio. 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