Deck Demo HELP-this deck will not budge!

[greggvt]

Removing an old PT deck boards on a large 1800 sq ft deck: the deck boards (6" x 5/4" PT) are held in with 5" barn spikes and 5" galvanized nails. Looking for heavy duty pry bar system-need a system-tried fat max by stanley-didn't work-I need assistance only got ten feet pulled by two guys in 6 hours-any new tool out there any one is aware of? For demo-ing a deck as such?

[jeffaah]

a long 2x4...8 feet or so...leverage is your friend

[jpierce]

Saw cut the deck boards between the joists so you are only pulling the nails in a single board at one time. This will allow you to pry the board up to a steeper angle. pole barn spikes are brittle and will snap if you can twist them enough.
If that does not help, get a couple of sawzalls and a big pack of Milwaukee torch blades, cut the nails between the board and the joist.
Good luck and have "fun".

[frenchie]

Are you keeping the framing? Around here, we usually cut decks apart - run the circ along both sides of the joist, the decking falls away. Leave the little 1 1/2 long piece nailed to the joist, it's all trash anyways...

Lots of small bits to pick up, but no nails to be careful of, and all the bits are about the same length, so they cord up nice & compactly like firewood.


If you're keeping the frame, use leverage. I wouldn't use a 2x4, they flex too much, & how do you get it onto a pry bar? Get a long piece of threaded pipe, just big enough to fit over the offset on you bar, and have at it.

Or, get one of these (pic). I have no idea where it came from, somebody left it here a few years ago... mine now! The thing's 4 1/2 feet long, plenty of leverage...

[Happy Home]

Read the reviews on Amazon. Seems like a weld on the end may be not hold up for what you're doing ?

http://www.thegutster.com/series2.html

Sold at Amazon and Northern Tool
http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Tool-...1867005&sr=1-1


I believe this is the tool Frenchie is refering to. Read the reviews. No problem there.... This is the 48" model. Search Amazon for "Fulton pry bars". There is a 30" as well as others.

http://www.amazon.com/Fulton-Corpora.../dp/B0000224V1

[Victorian John]

frenchie,

Good post. Greg is my buddy who posted this thread. He has to keep the faming. Pipe on tool I advised him. But what he's looking for is a supplier of your tool and other massive demo tools. Any help? Toolhore?

John

[m beezo]

I seem to recall seeing some sort of prybar just for your job. It was a prybar that straddled the floor joist and had the forks slide under the board. Then you pry down on the bar and it leverages the board out.

What was someone thinking in using that kind of nailing to keep the deck down? Either someone who did not know what they were doing or someone who had heard that the PT boards were going to warp and twist.

[Marco F.]

I seem to recall seeing some sort of prybar just for your job. It was a prybar that straddled the floor joist and had the forks slide under the board. Then you pry down on the bar and it leverages the board out.

What was someone thinking in using that kind of nailing to keep the deck down? Either someone who did not know what they were doing or someone who had heard that the PT boards were going to warp and twist.

Beezo, I think you were referring to this tool.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/DDW-...l-Deck-Wrecker

[Hoover]

Beezo, I think you were referring to this tool.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/DDW-...l-Deck-Wrecker

I remembered this post over at fine home building about that tool. He didn't like it. From looking at it, I don't think the handle could handle the pressure required to pop the decking. If the whole tool was heavy steel I would trust it.

If your keeping the frame, I would make one cut with a circular saw next to each joist then grab that piece and fold it over to snap the nails/screws/whatever. The 16" pieces of decking should give you plenty of leverage to snap the two fasteners you'll need to break. Quick and cheap.

http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breakti...es?msg=75410.6

[markhoni]

Cut the deck boards off around the nails, then chisel off to expose nail head. Use a hevy duty drill and put drill chuck over nail head, tighten chuck and spin the nail out like it was a drill bit.

[WarriorWithWood]

Cut the deck boards off around the nails, then chisel off to expose nail head. Use a hevy duty drill and put drill chuck over nail head, tighten chuck and spin the nail out like it was a drill bit.

Or after exposing nail, just cut them off with a torch blade in the sawzall.

[Kubbie]

I remember this post from David after a show that he saw this wrecking bar by Artillery

http://artillerytools.com/

In the video, they show a decking puller attachment.
http://artillerytools.com/images/home/Pry_Bar_Short.wmv

Again, if you are not saving it, throw on a respirator and fire up the Husqvarna...the chain saw will make quick work of it.

[VTNorm]

If your keeping the frame, I would make one cut with a circular saw next to each joist then grab that piece and fold it over to snap the nails/screws/whatever. The 16" pieces of decking should give you plenty of leverage to snap the two fasteners you'll need to break. Quick and cheap.

This is the technique I used last month and it worked great - although I didn't have any 5" spikes to contend with. Cleaned up the remaining nail heads with the sawzall. 1200sq ft done solo in about 6 hours.

-Norm

[always-learning]

How good will the deck joists be after all this pullin and leveraging? Removal of that large of a fastener will leave some pretty big holes. Future water infiltration issues? Bugs? physical splitting of the joists?

Sometimes it's better to just start from scratch. How about posting some pix of the this job.

If the intent is to keep, flush cutting the spikes with a sawzall after exposing is probably the best alternative.

[Overbuilders]

I have two of these for demo. Nothing better:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/64306.html