View Single Post
  #8   Report Post  
xrongor
 
Posts: n/a
Default Deck disasater - how to repair concrete posts?

you can probably just do them one at a time.

you can set PT wood posts in concrete just fine but you must do a few
things. if the end of the post is encased in cement moisture will collect.
its this standing water that pt cant hold up to. you want the cement more
like a doughnut around it with the end sitting in gravel so water can simply
drain away. so dig a little deeper, and make sure the last 2-3 inches of
the post is entirely in gravel. it wont last forever, but it will last a
very long time.

randy

"william kossack" wrote in message
news:kHhzc.104819$Ly.17445@attbi_s01...
Sounds to me like your going to have to rebuild the deck unless you can
pick the entire thing up, redo
the concrete and then set it back place.

I was at a party a couple years ago where the house had a deck (young
couple with kids with
their new house). As the party progressed we noticed part of the deck
started to bulge up in
the middle. It turned out that all the posts were rotten except for a
few where the bulges were.
The owner ended up ripping out the deck completely because of poor
construction and I hear
he installed a rock garden/patio. Another friend is currently
supporting his deck with a car
jack(s).

If you rebuild make sure the wood is not set in concrete. It will last
longer.


Andy wrote:

I recently discovered a problem with my new deck's foundation and was

hoping
you folks might have some advice on how to proceed.

Last year, I built a conventional 22' x 14' x 2'high single level deck. I
hired a local company to drill and fill with concrete the eight posts I
required for the foundation.

This year, I noticed that 5 of the 8 posts are disintegrating. The

concrete
is was clearly not mixed correctly and can be easily broken apart with a
screwdriver. The remaining three posts appear to be OK. The posts extend
four feet under ground level and about 2 inches above ground level.

I am attempting to get the original company that drilled and set the

posts
to fix the problem, but what they are proposing doesn't sound like a
solution to me. They want to put a layer of hydraulic cement around the

tops
of the post to prevent further decay.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what could be done to salvage

the
project?

Thanks!
Andy