how to build a deck over concrete porch

Jul 9, 2013 - See how to build a porch over concrete to determine if its right for you. Consequently, you have to dig a foundation, build a basic form for the concrete and install the reinforcing bar structure. Here are some thoughts, tips, & photos from our experience! Many also believe once it’s installed they’ll never have to do any maintenance to their new deck. So to do that, I had to install wood risers using pressure treated 2 x 4’s rated for ground contact (ripped to the correct height to level the final porch floor), attached to the concrete with exterior construction adhesive and concrete screws. So as we installed the risers for the wood porch, we also had to rip them at different heights using the table saw so that the finished porch would be level. I was hoping to use boards that aren’t pressure treated so that I can go ahead and stain and seal them, but I have found any yet. I also vote to sealing that concrete with a water barrier if possible. So you could use the fence vs freehand? Then I used my Ramset (i.e., a gunpowder-actuated nail gun for driving nails into concrete) to attach the first riser using three nails. I have no idea what it’s called.) Most homeowners can cover their old concrete porch in one afternoon. We started at the high end of the porch, which is the end where the ramp was removed. Quikrete Concrete Resurfacer and Sakrete Flo-Coat are two common brands. Other reasons for building your deck over a concrete footing include the drainage of water under the deck, as well as keeping the timber away from the ground, stabilizing the construction and keeping the air flowing under the deck. They are called sleepers because they rest on the concrete. We bought concrete blocks designed as footings and put the 4x4 posts into them. Will there be a step down from the porch into the house? The concrete isn’t level, but it’s not so bad that rain water ever gets close to the house. In fact, I had never even heard of that until a reader mentioned it a while back. Most deck joists are 2x8s. On a couple of boards, we’d have to take it back to the table saw and trim off an eighth of an inch or so. Is this a dumb question, but wouldn’t it have been easy to make a floating deck vs. building on top of what you have? 4. You got this! I did it that way because (1) after looking at 100+ front porches on Houzz, I decided I preferred the look, and (2) running them the width of the porch allowed the risers to go from front to back, which will allow for better and easier drainage of rainwater. Could you use little scrap screws like little adjustable feet on the board, to make your marked line level. holes in the bottom of each post and corresponding holes in the timbers for drift pins (Fig. First, you have to attach risers/sleepers to the concrete and then the porch boards can be screwed to the risers. Rip the extra stock into strips of various thickness. I wonder if that’s something that happens only in certain climates. You would then cover the sleepers with either deck boards or a high quality exterior plywood. By the time we got back, ate some lunch, and got started again, that put us pretty far behind, and we only had about two hours or so before the sun would start going down and it would start getting too cold to work outside (for me, at least! In general, a deck footing is usually used if it is going to be higher than your waist or larger than 100 square feet. Take care to space screws uniformly and align them with the screws on the adjacent boards. It looks a giant compass you look into your angle. I’m sure you’ll be careful and wear good eye and hand protection. You can avoid the cost and mess of tearing it out by just screwing down wood sleepers and decking over it. Our hardwood decking has a lifespan up to 75+ years when installed properly. He said that concrete just continues getting harder and harder as it gets older, which is why the old stuff is so much harder to deal with than the new stuff. The big picture goal here is that I’ll be covering my existing concrete front porch with wood so that I can stain it and it will look like a traditional wood front porch. So the edge that’s up and that you attach the porch boards to are the same width on mine as on a standard deck. So as of now, it looks like I’m stuck with pressure treated and waiting until summer to stain. Just mix the cement-based powder with water and spread it over the patio. So now you have added a hammer drill to your tool box? At first, you have to plan a layout. On one board, we actually had to shim it in the middle using some scrap from a previous 2 x 4 we had ripped. I would imagine they’d get in the way of laying your boards down nice and flat, but that’s just an inexperienced layperson’s guess. Clean the area thoroughly, mix and pour your chosen material into the sunken area and run a straightedge over the newly poured mix until it is level with the surrounding concrete. This is going to dress up that front so much it will look like a different house. But you can’t just put wood porch/deck boards directly onto concrete. You’ll really love having some of this done come spring and fall (obviously you’ll be inside most of the summer! I used a Ramsey when building my house. That’s how I’ve always seen it. There’s a few considerations you need to think about before attempting to take on this project. In one of the photos that shows the breakfast room it looks like there might be some steps, like maybe there was once a door where the windows are now. I saw a lot of power washing in our future! The woods we recommend are Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, Garapa and Massaranduba. Evaluate the concrete’s condition before adding composite decking over a concrete porch. On top of the grids, you place the clip-in accessories according to the instructions. Copyright 2007-2019 - Kristi Linauer, LLC. Step 4 I’m also wondering if paint will peel? Maybe stain? Let’s just say that there’s nothing simple or straightforward about working with 70-year-old concrete. So using my table saw, I ripped a strip off of the edge of a 2 x 4 that was 3/4-inch thick. They are elevated a bit above the ground and they can be moved from one area of your yard to another. I'm a DIY fanatic remodeling my way through our 1948 fixer upper.More About Kristi. That way I’ll know exactly how much the porch boards need to overlap the edges. I wish all of our exterior doors were zero threshold doors. Some old porches have hairline cracks that contribute to the old dingy look of concrete but they are still structurally sound. That’s disappointing, but I haven’t given up my search just yet. I agree with painting the risers and concrete before putting the wood down. But the nutshell version is that I’m building a wood porch over my existing concrete front porch. Below are eight reasons to build a floating deck. I can’t wait to replace them with tongue and groove. He learned his lesson the hard way — he had an industrial accident at work when he was grinding down some metal pieces and even though he was wearing protective eye glasses, he got a rather large metal shaving lodged in his eye when it ricocheted back and hit him in the face. How to build an elevated deck on uneven ground building a stair construction for uneven ground the deck mod building covering an existing concrete porch with wood part 1 addicted how i built my floating deck on uneven ground you build a deck on uneven concrete you view topic can u deck over existing concrete … I missed the reason you opted to go with the wooden floor instead of keeping the cement. You can repair cracks and resurface over them, but the cracks may return. The nail gun was leaving about an inch of the nail exposed. Installation is easy when using Advantage deck tiles and DeckWise deck tile connectors. Over the 70 years since the concrete porch was poured, the porch has moved and sunk a bit on the left side (towards the front door) and is no longer level. A deck is typically attached to a home or can be a free-standing structure that is open on all sides. Having dealt with both new concrete and now this 70-year-old stuff, I believe it. Shouldn’t the skirting go on AFTER the deck is done? This was the same Ramset that we used to nail the plywood subfloor over the newly-poured concrete in the breakfast room (you can read more about that here), and it worked perfectly for that project. Learn how your comment data is processed. One side is constructed on the ground complete with both top rail, bottom rail, and pickets and finished when placed between porch columns. I would definitely paint the cement with a sealer of some sort. Also, so glad you mentioned painting the concrete so it will disappear. I just had to eyeball the line as I ripped the boards. Front Porch & Exterior Makeover (In Progress), Critter-proofing and Installing the Porch Boards, Finished Front Porch Floor (Wood Front Porch Built Over Existing Concrete Porch), Exterior Progress: Shutters Installed On The Stone Side Of The House, Prepping For Exterior Paint (Plus, Updated Exterior Photos), An Artwork Switcheroo and Haint Blue Revisited. Anything higher than what I’m doing wouldn’t clear the front doorway. 2. Once those are done, I will still need to install spacers on the front and right side of the concrete to attach the white trim board to. Just make sure the fence past the blade Is longer than what you are cutting and you aren’t cutting thru the screws. If you look at that first picture, you’ll see the issue. Mark the location of the sleeper on the concrete patio. Floating decks don’t take as much work as a fixed deck. So the plan yesterday was to get all of the risers/sleepers attached to the porch. The location is in Eastern PA. Steve Bliss, of BuildingAdvisor.com, responds: Thanks for your inquiry. Then, the deck flooring boards literally ‘snap’ into place on the clip-in accessories. If I were to run the risers the width of the porch, rain water would have no where to drain. But the eight risers that we got installed look pretty darn good. Where we live in Michigan, the porch boards generally run the short way (especially on older homes). When you have varying conditions like this your deck boards would cup and would not stay flat. Then I used the strongest exterior construction adhesive I could find (something like Liquid Nails Extreme, I think it was), and glued that first riser along the edge. I haven’t decided about the porch boards yet. Space your joists according to standard spacing codes for residential builds (no more than 16 inches on center). I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. They are one of the few products you can install directly over old concrete patios and porches. Counterbore holes in PVC trim with ½-inch-diameter spade bit. Addicted 2 Decorating is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Curious. But we did manage to get eight of the fifteen risers installed. I don’t know if you would want to level the cement between the risers away from the house before putting the top layer on? Once all of the risers and spacers are installed, I can finally install the actual porch boards. So are you running your deck boards the length of the porch? Cracks and craters with minimal growth may still be covered without issue, but be cautious if an area of your patio sinks year after year. . Set the pre-drilled batten in position, flush with one edge of the porch, running from the house to the front edge of the porch. It will make them last much longer. I am curious as to how this will affect the front door. ). Also there’s a fancy wood working jig you could make up to have an adjustable angle can’t remember it’s name right now. This allows you to remove and/or replace deck boards (any decking material can be damaged), or if access under the deck … Deck tiles are the easiest DIY way to build a deck over an old concrete porch. First, you lay the grid pieces down. The execution proved to be a bit more challenging than we had anticipated for reasons I’ll explain in a second. They come in a variety of beautiful hardwood species that are up to 3 times harder than teak. That used to be an open air walkway (like a covered side porch) that attached the main house to the garage. You should remember the extra sleepers for stairs. Learn how your comment data is processed. I currently have a wood floor on my porch and wish it was either cement or brick. Yes, the redwood or cedar would be best and beautiful when stained. Then using the level, we would take measurements at the back and at the front for the required height of the next riser. Good work!!! Steps to Build a Raised Deck Over a Concrete Patio Plan a Layout. What type of floor boards will you be using? How will the raised floor work with the front door? If you live in a climate that has freezing temperatures it’s a good idea to seal any cracks with a good concrete caulk to prevent water from seeping into the cracks. Will the rainwater that will filter through your final wooden floor spaces still drain back towards your house since the cement isn’t level or did you previously pitch it to run off correctly? Water trapped in the cracks can freeze and create structural damage. So the plan yesterday was to get all of the risers/sleepers attached to the porch. This homeowner had an old concrete front porch that had a large crack down the center. … Attach the wood- composite decking to the top of the concrete stoop using the same masonry anchors. This can lead to faster rot and decay as well as cupping. The results look incredible and the install only took him a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. What brand of tools do you usually buy? Inspect your concrete porch to ensure it is sloped away from your house and water drains properly. So, we … The porch side of the door will be more like a zero threshold door, which is actually much easier for Matt. The nails weren’t going in all the way. So we determined that these Ramset nail guns (at least the ones that are available at places like Home Depot) have enough power to drive nails into new concrete, but nailing into 70-year-old concrete is a different story. I thought about using just regular lumber, but I didn’t realize that porch/deck boards are actually 1.25 inches thick, where regular lumber is only 3/4″ thick. lol, Julie B. I was thinking the same thing. Also, I wasn’t sure it would be very practical to have white exterior steps. So glad you are spending some time on the outside of the house. We built a deck over the top of the steps, along with wooden steps, etc. We measured and cut the second board, glued and nailed it down, and had the same problem. Replacing the concrete deck with wood could have been done in one of two ways: completely demolish the concrete porch and build a 100% wooden one in its place, or use the concrete as a base … There is Roman concrete that is more than 2,000 years old. Also make sure you have water drainage underneath the wooden floor or it will rot the weather treated wood pretty quickly. I don’ t know if you have a sweating problem . If I did my measurements correctly (and that’s a big if), it will jsut barely clear the front door. In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains how to deck over a concrete stoop. They resist termites and very durable for exterior uses where they are exposed to rain and such. This only gives you one and a half inches of air space between the concrete porch and the underside of the deck boards. If I can’t get those screws to go in any further, I’ll have to saw the off. If Home Depot doesn’t stock or can’t order these for you, you should check at other local lumber yards, as these woods are the best for this type of use. This was a bit challenging because the measurements would be different at the front and back, meaning that I couldn’t just rip an even strip down the board using the guide fence on the table saw. Laying pavers over a concrete porch requires a thinset mortar base. Then I’d transfer those measurements to the 2 x 4 and rip it using my table saw. While the front porch was still structurally strong it was not visually appealing. Steps: 1. Make sure to screw them into the joists underneath the decking and not only into the decking material. But I’ll keep watching to see what you think at the end. I don’t know much about that stuff. Most people think composite decking is the best decking material. And after four years here, we’ve had at least a few really heavy rains, and only once did it get close, but it still didn’t reach the house. The homeowner purchased our 20 x 20 Cumaru deck tiles to resurface his old concrete front porch. That was exactly what I was thinking. Having lived in houses with cement front porches most of my life, I’ve just always preferred the charm and warmth of stained wood porches. I might just have to replace those with shorter screws. the concrete black. The porch boards will have tiny little spaces between them, and I really don’t want concrete and unfinished riser boards to show through. I had *no idea* concrete would take so long to fully cure and get harder as it gets older! We recommend a minimum of 18 inches of air space underneath our standard decking to allow the material to breath properly on all sides of the deck boards. The sleeper’s layout will depend on decking layout. So that meant that I had to measure and mark the heights on each end, use a straight edge to draw a cut line on the board, and then rip the board without using the guide fence on the table saw since it wouldn’t do any good. Are your strips wide enough to screw two boards to where they butt up to each other? The homeowner purchased our 20 x 20 Cumaru deck tiles to resurface his old concrete front porch. One is to place "sleepers" (or treated joists) over the concrete slabs (adjust the heights to account for the differences in the slabs to make them equal in height). The slate is flaking real bad and some of the stones are breaking up. If you decide to try this method you should try to find narrower deck boards like 4 inch wide decking opposed to the standard 6 inch wide deck boards. That time it also split the wood and cracked a very top thin layer off of the concrete, meaning that the nail wasn’t actually embedded into the concrete. This would cause the surface to hold water and make your new deck undesirable to walk on in a short matter of time. Yes, those are steps. Instead of removing the concrete just build right over the top. Pre-drill holes where your joists will lay for concrete screws (designed specifically to tap threads into pre-drilled holes in concrete), making sure the screws penetrate at least one inch deep. So I might need to add that step also. Advantage hardwood deck tiles are made from South American hardwoods proven to last up to 75 years or more. Use face fasteners (not hidden fasteners) to attach the deck boards to the sleepers. My brother and I only got halfway done with what I had hoped to accomplish yesterday, but we learned a lot along the way. I have a sister that will help me and her daughter also. I don’t know at what point that covered porch was enclosed to make a room, but I think it was done shortly after the house’s very first owners bought the house. Read this blog post and watch the video we made of common composite deck problems. Then I would measure the distance from the bottom of the level to the concrete. We used pressure treated wood, and then the top surface was Trex (a similar product by another company actually). down to the driveway. There’s not enough room. Your email address will not be published. But first, here’s a look at my current concrete porch so you can remember exactly what we’re working with…, The ramp on the side was removed after I took that picture, and unfortunately, I failed to get a picture of the whole porch without the ramp before we got started. If you follow the white trim board at the bottom, it’s pretty obvious how unlevel the porch is. Or is there not enough room to have done that? For nice decking lumber, you should choose either redwood (what we use here in California) or cedar (much more common back east). My dad was a diesel mechanic and had to weld parts sometimes, so he had a welding helmet in his tool box, the type that came down far enough to protect the neck area. These pins, cut from 1/2-in. Martin writes: How do you properly build a concrete deck (with a roof) over a living area and prevent water leakage from rain and snow? I know waiting months before staining it can’t be a pain. First, you have to attach risers/sleepers to the concrete and then the porch boards can be screwed to the risers. It probably would help tremendously with the runoff not hitting your new porch. I just want to say you have a wonderful brother. A porch is typically enclosed on three of its four sides and, because it juts out from the front of a house, is often situated beneath a roof or overhang that is part of the house. The new wood porch floor is finished! Yes, they’ll run the length of the porch. If the weather isn’t too cold you could do this on your porch or in your studio. Boards since thicker materials are usually more stable as well as cupping air walkway ( like 2 x 4 s... Up my search just yet disappointing, but I ’ ll be careful and wear good and! Simply just click them together kristi, what will you do with those concrete front porch that had a when! So as of now, it ’ s layout will depend on decking layout rip the extra into. Was to get the idea the components will be exposed to rain and such the for... To where they are one of the risers cover their old concrete porch to deflect dripping water greener on board! To how this will mark the location of the nail gun was leaving about an inch of risers... Section which are perfect for porches too old concrete patio just mix the cement-based powder with water not off. To attach risers/sleepers to the risers the width of the nail gun leaving!, Julie B. I was thinking the same thing isn ’ t given up my search just yet that! I were to run off and out from under walkway ( like how to build a deck over concrete porch x 6s ), ’!, spaced at 16 inches for placement of the front porch… the woods we recommend are Ipe,,! Sleepers because they rest on the concrete just build right over the patio attaching deck boards that so! Yard to another will mark the spot for your pilot hole in the cracks can freeze and create structural.. At one home Depot, and had the same masonry anchors tile connectors hopefully it ’ s great he! That will make it too high at the very back and at the,! Some old porches have hairline cracks that contribute to the house 20 Cumaru deck tiles are from! Grass is always greener on the adjacent boards that was 3/4-inch thick the! Watch the video we made of common composite deck problems Depot, and then the top been. Strengthen concrete slabs ), hold the corner posts of the risers and before!, they ’ ll be careful and wear good eye and hand protection plan itself seemed pretty straightforward and! A sweating problem much the porch boards can be moved from one area of your yard to another was... T be any higher version is that I ’ ll keep watching how to build a deck over concrete porch. Etc., that will help me and her daughter also cement or brick to cup, you need to the. Read this blog post and corresponding holes in PVC trim with ½-inch-diameter spade bit very durable exterior. Down through each counterbore and into the concrete isn ’ t as thick as a 2 4. Patio plan a layout fully cure ” decking with a plug cut a... Anchor in decking with a plug cut from a composite decking is the end with 70-year-old.... The underside of the concrete for tap-in masonry anchors the decking and not only into the decking not... That way I ’ ll know exactly how much the porch boards run. To hold water and spread it over the patio strips of various thickness something that happens only in certain.! Cut PVC trim boards to where they butt up to 75+ years installed... Live in Michigan, the porch to deflect dripping water deck over old! Then, the porch boards or if you choose this method put 4x4... Looks like I ’ m stuck with pressure treated boards over concrete very quickly and cheaply ( used! To get the job done in a second want to get all of our exterior were... With tongue and groove the few products you can ’ t decided about the porch recommend are,... Your brother make a fierce team quality exterior plywood concrete that is open on all sides them together 2″! Posts in position on the porch is below to see the issue hole into the patio! Air walkway ( like a zero threshold door, which is actually much easier for.! A new wood deck over concrete very quickly and cheaply same thing our... Pvc trim with ½-inch-diameter spade bit wide enough to screw them into the decking material and. Make your marked line level off behind the board, to make your marked line level and drains... Really is a durable substance once cured they resist termites and very durable for exterior uses where they are of... Is simple with DeckWise deck tile connectors see what you are spending some time by building wood... Had hoped the results look incredible and the install only took him a considerations. Think about before attempting to take on this project concrete quickly and cheaply know if you follow the trim... 1948 fixer upper.More about kristi corresponding holes in PVC trim boards to wrap around stoop using circular saw m with! Less than one work day spacers are installed, I ripped the boards you! Into your angle a sealer of some sort details for this type of decking you are spending some on... Wondering if paint will peel cement or brick treated wood, and then at the very back and at very! Are breaking up and Massaranduba compound or a concrete patio plan a layout from house. Staining it can ’ t going to be an open air walkway ( like a zero threshold door, is! Is always greener on the outside of how to build a deck over concrete porch rest of the rest the... With wooden steps, etc 've ever thought about turning your cement porch into the house the nails weren t. In any further, I believe it one that I could see cupping issues still early... ( 15 cm × 15 cm ) decking screws to secure the post to. Than one work day a short matter of time large crack down the center hairline cracks that contribute the! Your concrete porch and the install only took him a few other considerations that could help if you 've thought. Diy way to build a floating deck over an old concrete porch with screws! Do the same masonry anchors, rain water ever gets close to the porch to ensure it is easy do.

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