The Big Deck Refresh — Part 2
Placing the order. Thinking through design, supplies, and deck removal.
Now that we had made our selection on our deck composite, it was time to write up an estimate. We had our supply list and an outline and drawings to scale of our plans; armed with this, we met with Matt Racer at Cardinal Home Center. He was extremely helpful in estimating the number of supplies based on the design. With his experience and knowledge, we were pleased to be introduced to the Camo fastening system. The Camo system is a hidden fastening system that is simply awesome. The side angle entry provides a beautiful, fastener-free deck surface, easily attaching the boards directly to the deck joists without pre-drilling. Visit Cardinal to learn more about this excellent fastening solution.
Matt walked through our immediate needs, cement form sizes, the lumber needed beneath our deck expansion, Simpson strong-tie brackets and braces, fascia, stair solutions, railings, and lighting.
We left the store with our quote in hand and decided to take the weekend to think through our layout further. We thought through sun positioning, umbrella placement, and access. We decided to add a second set of stairs to the original deck, knowing that when friends visit, they typically walk around to the back of the house. This second set of stairs would give more accessible access to the driveway.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that once we accepted the estimate, we could have delivery within a week. WOW. Several days after a few calls with Matt to fine-tune our order, Cardinal Home Center delivered our supplies. And don’t worry, you will make mistakes in quantities and need to make sudden trips to Cardinal to keep your project rolling, but the team will get you on your way quickly. Surprises are just part of a project like this.
Demo Day(s)
We went to work removing the original deck boards. Tedious is an understatement. You will be on your hands and knees, putting heavy pressure on your wrists. We have a lot of square footage, so it was a real backbreaker.
As far as removing the screws, expect the worst; you won’t be able to get every screw out cleanly. To unscrew an embedded or broken screw, we used vice grips. Our goal was to protect the joists at all costs. The minor the damage, the better. A long pry bar with a nail puller helped pull the unscrewed screws as they stood at attention. Using the bar means you will have less bending.
Take note that even broken screws MUST be removed, or the new deck boards will not be able to set cleanly on the joists. Keep plenty of bits on hand; we shredded about three dozen. Also, have plenty of batteries for your tools and keep them charging in rotation.
When removing the screws, we found that our impact driver did the best job with lots of power and speed. In the end, Glenn removed 1600 screws! High-quality knee pads were a lifesaver during screw removal.
We removed all the boards, cut them into truck-sized pieces, and made several trips to van der Linde recycling at Zions Crossroads to dispose of the old lumber. We felt much better knowing our old wood would be recycled into quality mulch.
Now the Fun Part
After we removed all the top boards, we inspected the joists, which were in great shape. We cleaned them up and installed joist tape. We highly recommend joist tape. It provides a water-safe barrier between your joists and top boards, prolonging the life of your deck.
It took us a few weekends to replace the top boards on the existing deck. Glenn framed the deck with 45-degree corners around the perimeter to elevate the elegance and look. If you decide to do this, make sure you plan to have support joists that will allow the additional board to go opposite the rest.
Some notes to consider. Using the Camo system, connect your boards to EVERY joist. Do not skip. As mentioned, the PVC is pliable and needs to be secured on every beam for stability and no give when you walk on it. Follow their directions and watch a video or two online, and you will be good to go in no time.
As the progress began to show, it didn’t take long before we knew we loved our selection. The color was great, and the clean look of the PVC is a game-changer.
Take note that these boards get hot underfoot, as does wood or any material. Watch your pets and children so that they don’t burn the tootsies.
To fight the heat and rainy days, we set up a 10 x 10 canopy in the backyard and moved our compound miter saw underneath. Having protection from the elements makes rainy and hot days doable, and the project gets done faster.
A few neighbors noticed the protective canopy and cardinal delivery, and we found them routinely checking our progress, maybe even with a bit of envy.
After installing the new deck-top boards to the original foundation, we called in a professional hardscape company with an auger to dig the nine holes needed to support our deck extension. (Cardinal Home Center has augers available to rent.) We had 12-inch cement forms for footings. We used 8 inches on the smaller deck, but our new extension was more extensive and higher off the ground.
Tip, after the auger dug each hole, we tested the cement forms to ensure they fit before the team left with their machinery. You will likely still need to adjust the holes and clean them out before pouring cement.
The holes were dug in less than an hour, and Glenn and I were glad we didn’t try to dig these ourselves.
As luck would have it, our neighbor had a cement mixer and was kind enough to lend it to us. We averaged four bags of concrete for each post hole.
You want to bring the cement above ground level so the post and bracket stay above your soil line to prevent rot in the support posts. There are two approaches. You can pour the cement first, let it cure, use a masonry bit to drill the holes, and then use a hammer drill or impact driver to drive the masonry bolts into the hole securing the brackets. Alternatively, you set the bolt into the cement and then connect the appropriate bracket with a washer and bolt after it cures. Note that this method may require more planning, measurements, and precision for your post placements as there is less forgiveness after they are set in stone (see what I did there?).
Our new extension was on a slope, so we intentionally mounted posts taller than we needed. To this, we attached our outward-facing temporary board to carry the weight of the beams and allow for precise leveling and secured it. Placing the level on top of the board, we could find the level and correct height for the posts.
There are many ways to frame a deck foundation, and your particular circumstances may differ significantly from ours. We will leave it to you and the folks at Cardinal Home Center to identify the best solutions for your circumstances. And of course, we haven’t covered every detail of the process in the write-up, but we hope that we give you confidence and a deeper look at many steps and ways to make your backyard unforgettable.
So now that the deck extension top boards were framed and completed, we were onto the next part of the project: steps, railings, electrical, and water to provide lighting and easy access to hoses.
