"Dizzy" m wrote in
message ...
Im trying to help my best friend fix stuff around her house. Video games
are
what her 'man' around here is good at so she calls her bestie lol. First
is
this porch, idky theres a gap but its causing everything to be bowed. I
just
need to move it down to even it off but the nails are too deep set. Need
to
save the wood to reuse it but it wasnt weather treated so its falling
apart.
Whats a trick to get these nails out without damaging the wood? I dont
have a
drill, only a mini hammer and mini crowbar.. Ok guys ty for any help.
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/av

1. I can't tell if the fastenings are screws or nails. Yes, the DECK has
screws but there is only one fastener in the rail that looks like it MIGHT
be a screw and that is where the baluster is loose at the bottom.

2. Don't worry about trying to jack up the deck, that isn;t the problem.

3. Don't worry about taking out fasteners, you don't need to.

Your problem appears to be because the top rail has bowed. You could knock
it off and replace but you'd wind up pretty much rebuilding the whole thing
because knocking off the top rail is likely going to disrupt the balusters
at the bottom as well as the top.

The alternative to replacement is fixing and to do that you need to bend the
top rail back down. A pipe clamp between the rail top and underside of the
deck would work. Once repositioned, keep it there by screwing a short piece
of 2x4 to the post so that the end is against the repositioned rail.