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OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw?

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midwest redneck

06-21-2007 02:24:29




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On Saturday I have to go the mother-in-laws house and rip out a 16X18 deck, 3 feet above the ground, 2X4 cedar top boards, 2X6 main joists, 4x4 rail posts, 2x2 spindles. I am going to bring my Sthil chainsaw and a sledge hammer, crowbar and framing hammer. Have any of you guys done this before? I have to have it all ripped out to be ready for a stamped concrete patio to start on Monday AM. I am thinking of first sawing out the 4x4 rail posts and spindles and then cut out the first joist on the end and then see if I can hammer out the top boards with the sledge, hopefully they will pop right up. My BIL will be there to help me. This is gonna suck. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Rod in Smiths Falls, ON

06-22-2007 16:51:09




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
If it's a white cedar deck and it's sixteen years old, the decking and the joists will have deteriorated where they touch, so you won't likely salvage anything longer than 12". B.C. red cedar would have lasted longer -- about one year more.

I would use your chainsaw to cut the deck into manageable sections and load them into the dumpster. Spend your time on the new construction.



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ray_woods

06-22-2007 07:21:02




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
Salvage the 2x4 cedar and sell for a $1bdft. Skil saw and sawz all would be probably do it just as fast cut between the nailing to open a few to the joists below and pop the deck boards off.Once the decks off cut the joists at the hangers or rims joists with the circular saw. I'd expect the nails securing the deck boards to pull through. If they don't you're scraping lumber with monetary value if its white cedar.Sometimes making more of a mess makes the job longer and more complicated.

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Roy Suomi

06-21-2007 21:05:54




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
I bought a Deck Wrecker bar from a mail order house..It has a 5-6 ft handle on it and dual " duckbill" gitchie that straddles floor joists and you can pry the deck boards off with very little effort..Took off my deck boards [ 18 X 28] in a little over 2-1/2 hours...[2 X 6's ]nailed down..Replaced them with Trex originals..



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Midwest redneck

06-22-2007 02:02:02




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to Roy Suomi, 06-21-2007 21:05:54  
I am bringing my Sthil chainsaw. And a big sledge hammer, I may get real lucky and the top boards may (should) pop off by hitting from the bottom with the sledge. The deck is 16 years old with 2x4 cedar top boards that have just regular nails in them. My MIL is having a dumpster delivered today, 10yd. (this makes it a lot easier too.)



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Blue3992 (N Illinois)

06-21-2007 08:51:09




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
Defintiely recommend the Sawzall. I think they even make a "demo" blade that is designed for just this kind of work, cutting through wood, nails, screws, etc. Be careful with the chainsaw, you'll likely hit nails and screws that will trash your chain.

Safety glasses also a must-have. Never know when something will go flying.

I've also used a circular saw (Skil Saw) with a ripper blade on stuff like this. The Skil Saw wasn't designed for demo, so be careful, but it's workded out well for cutting quickly though boards.

Have a plan BEFORE you start. I've done demo jobs like this, and with a helper and a good plan, they go pretty quick with no mess. Without a plan, I seem to end up standing around with a jumbled pile of wood, trying to figure out how to get it all out of there without getting hurt.

Take pictures before and after. It's always nice to have, and it's a good feeling to look at the "before" picture after you're all done.

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cj3b_jeep

06-21-2007 07:40:15




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
You may also want to bring along a 6 foot spud bar, those are great for prying things loose.



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Billy NY

06-21-2007 05:35:36




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
See if you can get your hands on a reciprocating saw (sawzall), set it up with 6" bi-metal/wood blade and or wood blades, it will go through the nails, probably joist hangers etc. I usually take a look at things and strategically cut where it makes sense, many times salvaging materials for re-use, many times these discarded materials have a 2nd use, if the lengths are good. I have made some useful things from demo materials, good to keep in mind. Safety glasses are good to have on, nails do pop and fly up at you sometimes, also your choice of pry bars, something to get it started, small thin to the larger kind that will give you leverage, + the almighty 28 oz estwing framing hammer nor similar. Use care if you decide to use your chain saw. I like the hoe idea, makes short work of the post removal. Hopefully those posts can come out, or the bottoms are below frost, nice to have them out from under a new slab in my opinion. It won't be that bad, you'll be surprised once you get started, bring a helper, demo goes a lot quicker then building does

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Midwest redneck

06-21-2007 09:14:56




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to Billy NY, 06-21-2007 05:35:36  
I have impact resistant sunglasses. I have a good plan for now, saw out the railings and spindles, then go from 2x6 joist to 2x6 joist and cut at the band joist and saw across the 2x4 top boards and keep going with this plan. I will be sawing off the posts at ground level. A raised stamped concrete patio will be put in next week.



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Steve Crum

06-21-2007 04:51:09




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
You didn't say if you intended to salvage any of the lumber for re-use or not, but I suspect not. You may want to consider hiring a local backhoe. All things considered, this is incredibly fast, efficent and cost effective. I reduced the neighbor's 20' X 20' pressure treated deck into 2 pick up truck loads of land fill fodder in about 45 minutes including plucking out the old poles and grading off the site for fill for a concrete pad. His total cost $50 and 2 beers. His total effort, watch, drink beer, tell his boys to load the truck. No muss, No fuss!

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Vern-MI

06-21-2007 03:52:52




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to midwest redneck, 06-21-2007 02:24:29  
Wed did ours this spring and the worst part was removing the verticle supports that were set in concrete 28 years ago. Finally dug down below grade and just cut them off just above the concrete.



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JML755

06-21-2007 04:55:46




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 Re: OT: ripping out a wood deck with chainsaw? in reply to Vern-MI, 06-21-2007 03:52:52  
I've done a few and each one seemed different. A lot depends on how it was put together. If they used spiral deck nails, (or worse: screws), you'll be cussing a lot and/or breeaking a lot of boards. Also depends on whether you're trying to save the lumber. If not, and the boards are not coming out easy, it may be faster to just use a chainsaw (or circular saw) to cut the deck boards along the joists. Stay a little bit away from the joists to avoid any nails (or screws) that may have come out the side of a joist. The deck boards will probably occupy most of your time. Also, if they used carriage bolts to secure the beams to the 4x4 posts, a hacksaw may be necessary to cut them off (probably rusted). With luck you may be able to use a socket and just bust the bolt if the head is engaged well in the wood or they used hex head and you can put a wrench on both nut and head. Or use a hole saw to cut a plug out around the bolt. Whatever, try the easiest/fastest method first, which usually means just whacking stuff with a sledge. I think you'll be surprised on how fast stuff comes apart when you get a good system going. Whatever you do, be safe. Years ago, a neighbor of mine was working on a demo project and prying up a board with a crowbar and it popped loose or broke and hit him in the eye (no safety glasses, of course). Lost his vision in that eye for a few years until he got a new lens put in. Good luck and post back on how it goes.

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