Moving a deck

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swimmer_spe

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I have a deck that is 8'x8'x 4' high. It is freestanding and siting on 4 concrete blocks.
I need to replace the siding on my house, and the deck is blocking one row of siding.

I was thinking of pulling it with my truck a few inches away from the wall. Would pushing it back with my truck work?

Other suggestions?
 
Pulling or pushing with the truck will most likely snap the legs, depending on how well it is braced. With photos from below I could take an educated guess.

I would jack it up and blot some runners on the bottom to ski it on myself. Bracing if needed. Or invite 6 or 7 guys over to get under it and lift it and walk it out.
 
Please post a picture.
No way is the post just sitting on blocks legal or safe.
 
Either attach skids to the legs or remove them if possible. Then use several sections of pipe as rollers. Put them under the deck and as you roll the deck forward move the pipes that were under the rear of the deck to the front. It worked for the guys that built the pyramids ;)
 
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Thanks for the photos. Mine is larger and built similar with many more poles and cross bracing. I consider mine safe and legal and I have a 6000 pound hot tub on it.

As to moving yours 25 years ago I would have crawled under it and lifted it with my back and walked it away from the house. Now I’m old with bad knees and back so I would talk a few young guys into doing that.
 
Thanks for the photos. Mine is larger and built similar with many more poles and cross bracing. I consider mine safe and legal and I have a 6000 pound hot tub on it.

As to moving yours 25 years ago I would have crawled under it and lifted it with my back and walked it away from the house. Now I’m old with bad knees and back so I would talk a few young guys into doing that.

Except for the railing, my deck is also safe and legal. No hot tub will be going on this one.

Would the deck be light enough to just lift it? Roughly how heavy would the deck be?
 
Add some 2x4s around the bottom of the legs to stiffen them up 4 guys on the deck, one guy on the stairs and set it back a couple feet or just lift it up a foot and work under it and set it back down
 
Add some 2x4s around the bottom of the legs to stiffen them up 4 guys on the deck, one guy on the stairs and set it back a couple feet or just lift it up a foot and work under it and set it back down

I like your idea. The stairs and railing will be coming off and replaced with proper to code stairs and railings.

Now to ask 3 of my friends....
 
Except for the railing, my deck is also safe and legal. No hot tub will be going on this one.

Would the deck be light enough to just lift it? Roughly how heavy would the deck be?

Count up all the boards and take a guess at the weights and add it all. If I had to guess I would say under 500 pounds.
 
I would want to beef up your posts to 6x6's. Around here we can't use 4x4's for posts. I'd also want to have Y braces in both directions.

I think 4 guys could probably lift and shift that deck.
 
I would also recommend 6x6 for uprights but if you do the column strength numbers on 4x4 they are quite strong when the length is shorter. I used 4x4 on my freestanding deck but my longest pole was only 30”. Cross bracing is a must and I would add it before I moved it if it is needed.
 
I would also recommend 6x6 for uprights but if you do the column strength numbers on 4x4 they are quite strong when the length is shorter. I used 4x4 on my freestanding deck but my longest pole was only 30”. Cross bracing is a must and I would add it before I moved it if it is needed.

What I was going to do is get 4 2x4s and screw them near the bottom of the legs. That should keep them together.

I do plan to build another deck which will be lower. Part of it will support a hot tub, but that is not till next year.
 
New code would want that deck to be down one step from the door to keep the snow from around the door.
 
We noticed, but I just noticed the window in the basement, so I guess you will not be lowering it. Nice place for a window,, planning:down:
You should put in a window well when you do build a new deck
 
Easy to move with two helpers and you. Stack some concrete blocks to the level of the bottom of the framing sitting about 3 feet from the deck and a couple feet past center away from the house. Take a long board, post, or pipe and fit one end about center of the deck across the blocks. Press down on the other end of the board and pivot the deck back. The other side goes the same way as the third person guides the stairs and balances the load. If it was sitting on smooth blocks the legs would slide and one person could do it, alternating sides.

Guess I've been working solo too long!

Phil
 
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