Tips for Tearing Down a Rotten Wood Deck

There’s nothing more of an eyesore than a deck rotting away on the back of a beautiful home. Whatever change you are planning to make to reclaim this space, the first order of business is deconstructing and disposing of that worn-out platform. Aside from the obvious dangers of falling through weakened wood, it will also attract all manners of pests, including termites. It has got to go, and below are a few tips to consider when undertaking this type of a home project.

Don’t Do It Alone

It’s important to have a group of family, friends or hired help to assist in taking down your deteriorating deck. The reasoning is that you will get the job done faster, but also safety. Having additional hands available means you are less likely to hurt yourself while attempting to lift a heavy board alone. Make sure to lock the door leading out to the deck until a new one is in place to stop someone from falling and getting injured.

Have a Dumpster Ready to Catch Debris

Trash bags are not going to work when it comes to disposing of splintered woods, wood screws, and other hardware holding your deck together. Dumpsters are a smart option for this purpose, and those at Bin There Dump That are not only residential friendly but come with driveway protection and a thorough sweep up after hauling out. They are also safer because everyone will have a centralized location to dispose of the debris.

Removal of Railing

Removing deck railing is an important first step in tear down because you risk these pieces collapsing on others below as you slowly destabilize the platform. Also, it’s hard to remove wood planking with these pieces still attached.

Pulling Apart the Decking

This process is fairly straightforward, but try to move from one side to the other and not just randomly pry off the boards. You want to keep the structure as stable as possible while you deconstruct it. You should also be aware of any nails or screws and dispose of them safely in a can or bag to avoid injury.

Detaching it From Your Home

One of the most exciting parts of this process is detaching the deck from the house itself. This step takes careful cutting of the frame away from the mainboard attached to your home. Take your time and do this step slowly to allow the shifting of weight as it comes away. Once you have achieved this phase, remove the larger frame piece fastened to the house.

Removal of the Steps and Framing

Depending on the height of your deck, you may have already done this step in partial phases, or will at the end. Just take your time and pry them away, followed by a quick cutting up into smaller pieces to easily toss into your dumpster. Finally, take down the remaining support posts.

Don’t Keep Debris for Firewood

It may be tempting to keep the larger posts and wooden deck boards as firewood or kindling, but this is not safe. Decking typically gets chemically treated, which helped yours endure all those years out in the elements. Burning this material could release toxic fumes and make you sick, so toss it in the dumpster you rented and forget about it.

Rent a Dumpster Sooner than Later

While you may not be sure you want to use a roll-off because of size concerns, a quick call to one of our helpful Jacksonville, Florida office team members will quickly answer any concerns you have about this issue. Bin There Dump That offers several compact sizes that neatly fit in a driveway, and all of our bins feature double-doors on the back to make disposal easier and safe.

Call our office today at (904) 500-2838 or contact us online to learn more about our fast delivery times, driveway protection, and post haul out sweep up. You won’t find such an affordable value from 3rd party brokers. Don’t forget to check out our blog for additional tips and tricks to maximize the benefits of your dumpster rental experience!

Remember to use Bin There Dump That for all your dumpster needs.