Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.

She has a deck held up by 6x6 posts. There is a 10 or 12 foot span
that sags and needs another post in the middle.

I could use a 6"x6"x8', but I'm not sure how to keep it from going
further into the ground in a few years, or even tomorrow. I could pour
redi-crete around the base, but I don't see how that would do more
than slow its sinking. (I would use a jackpost to lift up the deck
to put the new post in.)

Or I could use a 6 to 8 foot jackpost, and build a 6x6 box around it.
Then if it sagged, say the post sank into the ground, someone could
just open up one side of the box and make the post longer. The box
would still be ok at its original length. Because of the grain and
warping, I don't think this box could look exactly like the other
posts.



Unneeded? details:
This time I'd actually do some work and she offered to pay me.

Her deck was repaired a few years ago, and the repaired part is the
part that is already sagging. This part is about 3 feet wide, 6 feet
off the ground, and 15 feet long, with 6x6's holding it up maybe every
5 or 6 feet except one part 10 or 12 feet long with no post.

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me know if you have posted also.

I know a guy who can jack up any project...


"mm" wrote in message
...
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.

She has a deck held up by 6x6 posts. There is a 10 or 12 foot span
that sags and needs another post in the middle.

I could use a 6"x6"x8', but I'm not sure how to keep it from going
further into the ground in a few years, or even tomorrow. I could pour
redi-crete around the base, but I don't see how that would do more
than slow its sinking. (I would use a jackpost to lift up the deck
to put the new post in.)

Or I could use a 6 to 8 foot jackpost, and build a 6x6 box around it.
Then if it sagged, say the post sank into the ground, someone could
just open up one side of the box and make the post longer. The box
would still be ok at its original length. Because of the grain and
warping, I don't think this box could look exactly like the other
posts.



Unneeded? details:
This time I'd actually do some work and she offered to pay me.

Her deck was repaired a few years ago, and the repaired part is the
part that is already sagging. This part is about 3 feet wide, 6 feet
off the ground, and 15 feet long, with 6x6's holding it up maybe every
5 or 6 feet except one part 10 or 12 feet long with no post.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

"mm" wrote in message
...
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.

She has a deck held up by 6x6 posts. There is a 10 or 12 foot span
that sags and needs another post in the middle.

I could use a 6"x6"x8', but I'm not sure how to keep it from going
further into the ground in a few years, or even tomorrow. I could pour
redi-crete around the base, but I don't see how that would do more
than slow its sinking. (I would use a jackpost to lift up the deck
to put the new post in.)

(snip)

It ain't a fencepost. On a deck, wood and dirt should never touch. You need
a proper footer, sized for the frostline in your area, and the weight that
will be supported. Same store that sells deck parts will have the plastic
cone things to form up footers. Just bury them as indicated, fill with
concrete, and with whatever bolts local code calls for to hold the metal or
plastic spacer plate the post actually sits on. Same concept as a carport
post or centerline beam post in a basement. If the existing posts are in the
dirt, you may as well fix them too, while you have the jack there and are
mixing concrete. You can probably saw them off and reuse them, so the cost
will mainly be time.

Might I recommend one of they DIY deck books at the big box, or Google for a
deck building web site? The pictures will show what I am talking about much
more clearly.

aem sends...

"ameijers" wrote in message

It ain't a fencepost. On a deck, wood and dirt should never touch. You
need
a proper footer, sized for the frostline in your area, and the weight that
will be supported. Same store that sells deck parts will have the plastic
cone things to form up footers. Just bury them as indicated, fill with
concrete,

Correct advice. You can safely block up the deck using appropriate sided
supports and remove the post to dig the hole for the footers, then replace
it after it is cured. I extended the patio under my 12 x 16 deck and put
temporary supports while I removed the four on the outer perimeter.

mm wrote:
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.
s about 3 feet wide, 6 feet
off the ground, and 15 feet long, with 6x6's holding it up maybe every
5 or 6 feet except one part 10 or 12 feet long with no post.

Im pretty tired at the moment, but I've built a few decks.
Just wanted to throw my 2 cents on this.

I read some of the replies. about keeping the structure beefy.

Far as the design etc...I just drive down the road, when I see a deck I
like
I stop and notice how they set the band, the posts etc.

That was more like 3 cents worth.

wannabe wrote:
mm wrote:
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.

That was more like 3 cents worth.

Jacks:

Any any any kind of jack will work. It can even be a 6" bottle jack
from the car or truck.

make a T out of some 10 footers, or whatever you need.

sturdy up the jack, set a block on, set the long ass T on the block.

crank away! you can lift much with a T like that...

I replace 8 columns on a super old home, my T's were about 16 foot long
ea.
with two jacks, I worked my way down the powch!

"mm" wrote in message
...
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.
She has a deck held up by 6x6 posts. There is a 10 or 12 foot span
that sags and needs another post in the middle.
I could use a 6"x6"x8', but I'm not sure how to keep it from going
further into the ground in a few years, or even tomorrow. I could pour
redi-crete around the base, but I don't see how that would do more
than slow its sinking. (I would use a jackpost to lift up the deck
to put the new post in.)
Or I could use a 6 to 8 foot jackpost, and build a 6x6 box around it.
Then if it sagged, say the post sank into the ground, someone could
just open up one side of the box and make the post longer. The box
would still be ok at its original length. Because of the grain and
warping, I don't think this box could look exactly like the other
posts.
Unneeded? details:
This time I'd actually do some work and she offered to pay me.
Her deck was repaired a few years ago, and the repaired part is the
part that is already sagging. This part is about 3 feet wide, 6 feet
off the ground, and 15 feet long, with 6x6's holding it up maybe every
5 or 6 feet except one part 10 or 12 feet long with no post.

You got some good advice on how to correctly anchor the base of the posts in
concrete.
Re jacking the sagged part, I just use a 20 dollar hydraulic bottle jack
from home depot to raise a really heavy elevated deck, by the main
crossbeam. Used a 4x8 x 4 ft long, laid on its side for a base, put the
bottle jack on it, then cut a 4x4 PT fir to about 6 feet long, and attached
4x4 sheet galv caps on each end, so wood would not split under
compression.. Cranked it up with ease.

Thanks to all of you for the help.

I told her to get a price from the roofer, who I think does this kind
of thing too, and if I can beat the price by much without feeling
used, I'll do it. As you suggest.

On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 21:32:01 -0800, "Roger Taylor"
wrote:

"mm" wrote in message
.. .
Same friend who is getting a new roof, I looked at her home.
She has a deck held up by 6x6 posts. There is a 10 or 12 foot span
that sags and needs another post in the middle.
I could use a 6"x6"x8', but I'm not sure how to keep it from going
further into the ground in a few years, or even tomorrow. I could pour
redi-crete around the base, but I don't see how that would do more
than slow its sinking. (I would use a jackpost to lift up the deck
to put the new post in.)
Or I could use a 6 to 8 foot jackpost, and build a 6x6 box around it.
Then if it sagged, say the post sank into the ground, someone could
just open up one side of the box and make the post longer. The box
would still be ok at its original length. Because of the grain and
warping, I don't think this box could look exactly like the other
posts.
Unneeded? details:
This time I'd actually do some work and she offered to pay me.
Her deck was repaired a few years ago, and the repaired part is the
part that is already sagging. This part is about 3 feet wide, 6 feet
off the ground, and 15 feet long, with 6x6's holding it up maybe every
5 or 6 feet except one part 10 or 12 feet long with no post.

You got some good advice on how to correctly anchor the base of the posts in
concrete.
Re jacking the sagged part, I just use a 20 dollar hydraulic bottle jack
from home depot to raise a really heavy elevated deck, by the main
crossbeam. Used a 4x8 x 4 ft long, laid on its side for a base, put the
bottle jack on it, then cut a 4x4 PT fir to about 6 feet long, and attached
4x4 sheet galv caps on each end, so wood would not split under
compression.. Cranked it up with ease.



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.