How to Tear Down an Old Wood Deck

There it is, rotting away day after day, looking more sad with each passing season and you're tired of the eyesore that is an old wood deck. You have a few ideas of what you can do with the space or just want to build a new deck of composite material. Regardless of the change you're imagining, what you do know is much like the old metal shed you said goodbye to some time ago, your deck has seen better days and it's got to be removed. It's not only dangerous, but also, is a haven for wood destroying pests, something you definitely don't want in your home. You just need to know how to tear down an old wood deck with as little time and effort as possible.

How to Tear Down an Old Wood Deck

The first thing you need to do is enlist the help of a few family members and/or friends. The more hands you have on the demolition, the faster and easier it will be to remove. You also need to secure the door that leads out to the deck so no one accidentally walks out as it's being torn down. You should not only lock the door leading out to the deck, but also, hang a conspicuous sign to help prevent bodily injury.

Any wood used around the exterior of your home will deteriorate over time. It may become necessary to remove and replace lumber especially if it has ground contact. An exterior deck is a good example of this. The decking boards and the post can crack and split over time making the deck a safety hazard the needs to be taken care of. The do it yourself handyman can tear down and dismantle a deck with the help of a few friends. --eHow.com

Next, remove everything from the deck and put it in storage, junk it, or do a combination of the two. You can't leave anything on the deck, unless it's built-in or built-on because it will pose a safety hazard and will add to the overall weight. Here are the steps of how to tear down an old wood deck:

• Remove the rails. Once the deck is cleared off, you need to remove the rails first, if applicable. If you don't remove the rails first, you'll risk being injured when these collapse as you tear down the deck; and, you won't be able to take up the wood planks easily.
• Pull off the deck boards. Start on one side, pulling the deck boards up and go one-by-one to the other side of the deck. You can do this with a pry bar and claw hammer or a drill-driver, removing the screws. Put all the nails and/or screws into a can or bag so these aren't littered around the yard.
• Cut the deck away from the house. Using a reciprocating saw, cut the frame apart from the board fastened to the home. Cut from one side to the other, near the home. Do this slowly and allow the weight to pull it away from the home. The main frame board connected to the house will be the next to remove, after all the deck boards are pulled off.
• Pull the steps apart and cut the frame up. If the steps are still attached, you can pry or pull them away and then cut up the frame into small pieces. Then, you can remove the support posts to finish.

After you finish tearing down your old wood deck, just phone 800-737-5923 or visit Pro Junk Dispatch and we'll come by and pickup the debris. Don't worry about having to dispose of the materials, we'll handle it for you, for a low price.