Need advice/suggestions for potential deck screw up
#1
09-03-19, 08:29 PM
Need advice/suggestions for potential deck screw up
In the process of building a ground level 6' X 12' deck on the front of my wife's 12' X 12' "She Shed". Posts are set in concrete, 2" X 8" rim joists bolted into notched 6" X 6" posts with multiple 1/2" galvanized carriage bolts and nails, everything is square and level and I'm preparing to install 2" X 8" floor joists. In short, everything is going swimmingly well until I realized that I may have screwed up big time.
I assumed it would be desirable to have my 2" X 6" X 12' decking boards level or flush with the front door threshold to make for a smooth transition in or out and to avoid a tripping hazard, then I look online and find 99.9% of folks recommend against making decks flush with the door threshold, for a variety of logical reasons.
Tearing the deck out is not an option. Removing the rim joists to rip them down a bit on the table saw would be a major pain in the gluteus, but technically doable. Or possibly I could try to somehow cut an inch off the top of the attached rim joists although I have no idea how I would accomplish that. I could try to return the unused 2" X 8" X 12' boards and purchase thinner boards to provide a bit of a drop, but again a major pain to rent a truck to load and return 13 pieces of 2" X 6" X 12' deck boards while paying again for delivery of the newer thinner boards.
Last option is just installing the decking flush and hope for the best.
Suggestions welcome. Thank you.
PS I live in North Carolina where snow is rare but the deck is not under cover.
I assumed it would be desirable to have my 2" X 6" X 12' decking boards level or flush with the front door threshold to make for a smooth transition in or out and to avoid a tripping hazard, then I look online and find 99.9% of folks recommend against making decks flush with the door threshold, for a variety of logical reasons.
Tearing the deck out is not an option. Removing the rim joists to rip them down a bit on the table saw would be a major pain in the gluteus, but technically doable. Or possibly I could try to somehow cut an inch off the top of the attached rim joists although I have no idea how I would accomplish that. I could try to return the unused 2" X 8" X 12' boards and purchase thinner boards to provide a bit of a drop, but again a major pain to rent a truck to load and return 13 pieces of 2" X 6" X 12' deck boards while paying again for delivery of the newer thinner boards.
Last option is just installing the decking flush and hope for the best.
Suggestions welcome. Thank you.
PS I live in North Carolina where snow is rare but the deck is not under cover.
#2
09-03-19, 08:37 PM
Group Moderator
I imagine that you will be okay either way. If your door swings outward, it will likely drag on the deck but if it's in swinging with no storm door, it will be fine. I wouldn't build it that way and neither would 99% of folks, but I think you are fretting about nothing.
Hopefully you caulked under the door when it was installed so that no water comes in under the door.
Surely you have some buddies with a pickup that could help if you wanted to return the decking for thinner ones?
Hopefully you caulked under the door when it was installed so that no water comes in under the door.
Surely you have some buddies with a pickup that could help if you wanted to return the decking for thinner ones?
#3
10-20-19, 06:07 AM
Ended up removing rim joists and cutting them down an inch all around. Was a real pain but it worked well. Thanks for the advice.
Last edited by PJmax; 11-12-19 at 09:29 PM. Reason: resized pictures
