That’s a wrap

A mild reluctance washes over me every time a homeowner alludes to the hopeful possibility that their deck can get a facelift in lieu of a full replacement, primarily to reduce costs.

The fact is, until old top decking is removed, it’s nearly impossible to assess the condition of a deck’s joists and supports. As such, I always offer the proviso “no promises” — given the possibility that a complete demolition might be called for, starting from the ground up.

In this instance, we got lucky. During the first day of demo, the old deck’s wooden railings and staircases were removed and discarded, as were the weathered 2 x 6 cedar top-decking boards. Fortunately, the 2 x 8 joists were in good enough shape to recycle them, decreasing the cost of the deck redo. Before the facelift began, the entire 16-by-16-foot lower deck was re-levelled by lifting the far end and replacing a few existing support posts.

Then, two new staircases were created by cutting custom stair stringers on site, allowing deck access from either side of the yard. A better detailed wrap stair was built to a higher level leading to the pool. It allows pool access along the left, while a larger top-deck surface to the right is perfect for a chair or lounger. The inset of the wrap-stairs maximizes the lower-tier footprint, providing space for a patio table and chairs.

With the stair framing in place, all top-side surfaces were sheathed with treated 2 x 6 boards. Along the wrap-stair tops, the doubled run of every stair was mitered where required. Once all the top decking was in place, the multiple posts for the railing were pre-cut to height and notched for side-mount installation. The 2 x 8 treated fascia was then placed between every post along the perimeter of the deck, and along every stair front, again mitered where needed along the wrap-stairs. The railings were installed using top and bottom 2 x 4 horizontal supports, with a 2 x 6 cap set atop. Vertical 2 x 2 wooden balusters were set at four-inch intervals.

Below the deck perimeter fascia, a simple 2 x 4 framework was created, upon which vertical 1 x 6 fence boards were secured, creating a deck skirt that fully encloses both upper and lower tiers. A small hinged access door with a latch was created along the right side adjacent to the house, where the garden hose tap is located, while two semi-permanent access panels are introduced on either side of the higher tier. A new topside pool ladder was mounted along the left side of the higher tier for easy access in and out of the water, allowing for the eventual retirement of the A-frame ladder mounted at the far end of the pool.

The old deck had definitely served its purpose through many years of use. Although it was weathered, the main framing resisted rot and lives on to support the new deck after this beautiful facelift. And because the new sheathing completely covers the tops and sides of the newly restored two-tier deck, anything old is now concealed.

Here’s wishing the homeowners and their grandkids many more summers of fun under the sun, frolicking in the water. May their backyard oasis forever be filled with joy and laughter.

RenoBoss.Inc@outlook.com