Deck Question

[myrnab]

Hello! This is my first time posting but I've had a yurt fantasy since high school which may be coming to fruition soon. My husband and I are considering buying an existing Colorado yurt on a couple of acres. My question is - has anyone ever had to rebuild the deck their yurt is sitting on without removing the yurt? It looks like something we would need to do if we decide to get it. Here is the property so you can see what I mean: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...82085004_zpid/

Any input would be appreciated!

Myrna

[Bob Rowlands]

Well I will assume the decking under the yurt is in good shape and structurally sound. If not take the yurt down. That would be preferred but if you gotta stay in the yurt there's another way. Remove all decking as below.

If yurt stays up, hike up the cover from the deck and secure it so you don't cut it. Run a sawzall reciprocating saw around the perimeter of the yurt, cutting loose all the decking. Do 'NOT' cut the framing!

Getting the boards off the floor framing. If nailed, pry the boards up with a large prybar. A 3 footer is ideal. Grind a sharp edge on the business end and slam that sucker under each nail between the bottom of the decking and the top of the joist. They will come right up REAL easy with that kind of leverage.

If screwed, there's gonna be so much crap on top of the screw heads you likely won't be able to simply unscrew them. You just might be able to pry them up if that platform is as old as it looks. Try it. If not, then simply cut each board free from the joists it is attached to. Cut the boards loose either side of a joist-just follow up the joist bay. Get LOTS of perfect length firewood that way.

Just set to and beat the decking chunks loose from the framing with a heavy framing hammer. The screws will break right off. Just set to and tell them what's what. I have done this a few times. Lay waste to those mothers. lol

Add framing around the perimeter of the yurt, under the floor to support the existing decking. Flat, vertical, whatever it takes. If something sags, jack it up with a hydraulic jack and a block of wood on the lift. You'll figure it out.

Again the best way is dismantle the yurt and redo the deck. But-there you go. Have fun enjoy your work. Many are on their keester idle right now.

[Bob Rowlands]

More details. If yurt stays up for redo, flash the perimeter of the yurt wall with 12" roll flashing, so it extends below the top of the joists. Screw the new decking down, don't nail it. If you say BS on that use galvanized 16b nails. Also, if using wood decking, PRIME the underside. PRIME the top of the joists. Get cheap 'ooops' paint at Depot Lowes etc. Priming is the key to longevity. And get the new deck wood coated. Recoat every three years, so you don't have a deck that looks like the one you got now.

All that said, the >absolute best< job is, take down the yurt, redo the decking, and build ANOTHER yurt sized platform with 2x on edge. That's what I would do, it is a big investment and a whole lot of labor, but worth it in the long run. Redoing the deck with the yurt in place is pretty much making do monkey farting around. OK i'm done.