Thoughts on removing concrete deck.

89wrangler said:
Thank for all the replies. A few more notes
I have never trusted this "deck" since we moved it 23 years ago. Maybe it is psychological, not sure. Hell maybe it is safe and strong? But the reason the hot tub is on the bottom is to make sure there are no humpty dumpty moments with a full hot tube. Bikinis or no bikinis.
It does not appear to be attached to the house, just poured up to it.
The hot tube is leaving.
I would like to keep the brick columns
Building a new deck on back of house and concrete is in the way.
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If you want to keep the brick columns, I think hoisting it up and off is pretty much the only safe option.
 
jeepinmatt said:
If you want to keep the brick columns, I think hoisting it up and off is pretty much the only safe option.
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This.
Even if not keeping them I think its how I'd do it in the most controlled fashion.
Not being connected to the house hakes a huge difference. But that begs the question... why not, or over the years what has kept it from drifting away
 
RatLabGuy said:
This.
Even if not keeping them I think its how I'd do it in the most controlled fashion.
Not being connected to the house hakes a huge difference. But that begs the question... why not, or over the years what has kept it from drifting away
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There are two brick columns on the house side as well. It is sitting on top of those 4 columns. With the weight of it, not sure were it would go or why it would move.
 
89wrangler said:
There are two brick columns on the house side as well. It is sitting on top of those 4 columns. With the weight of it, not sure were it would go or why it would move.
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On side sinking or such. Must have a pretty decent footer to float the weight. My thoughts are even the pour required substantial cribbage til set. It was done pretty well or else it would have already deteriorated.

Can you see evidence of a form from underneath?

If not it may have been poured then set, but I doubt it. My father in law had a similar pad done as a roof for a bricked out shed/room. His water stove was in it for years. Sooted up, poorly lit its a little creepy!
 
I would get out there and beat it with my purse. look at it and drink fine IPA.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
On side sinking or such. Must have a pretty decent footer to float the weight. My thoughts are even the pour required substantial cribbage til set. It was done pretty well or else it would have already deteriorated.
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That is my thoughts. If I wanted a deck, I’d just use that one haha.
 
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WARRIORWELDING said:
On side sinking or such. Must have a pretty decent footer to float the weight. My thoughts are even the pour required substantial cribbage til set. It was done pretty well or else it would have already deteriorated.

Can you see evidence of a form from underneath?

If not it may have been poured then set, but I doubt it. My father in law had a similar pad done as a roof for a bricked out shed/room. His water stove was in it for years. Sooted up, poorly lit its a little creepy!
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Yeah this makes me think of one of those times…where engineer brain says “it ain’t right”…but real world experience brain says…how longs it been working?

There is a chance that damn slab has more fiber and bar in it than a Metamucil factory,,,you know good ole boy engineering, it needs to be strong add more.

The fact it’s been there this long, ain’t failed and looks good. Tells me it’s done right, whether “right” or not.

Now OP do you feel deflection and rebound of you do jumping jacks on it? Or does it feel
Solid
 
Hire an engineer to come out and look at it, Tell him the concerns, and ask him what he suggests, if he says it's solid the way it is, would you then trust it and just renovate the railings, and put an awning over it?

If he says it's going to eventually fall, Ask him the best way to take it down...

If that costs you $1000, I'd think it was money well spent to have a way forward, or confidence in keeping it.

All of us here looking at two pictures of it and guessing is not the way to decide such a major project.... It was good to get ideas and opinions, But I'd want a professional to look and put hands on it before making a decision.
 
zuke said:
Hire an engineer to come out and look at it, Tell him the concerns, and ask him what he suggests, if he says it's solid the way it is, would you then trust it and just renovate the railings, and put an awning over it?

If he says it's going to eventually fall, Ask him the best way to take it down...

If that costs you $1000, I'd think it was money well spent to have a way forward, or confidence in keeping it.

All of us here looking at two pictures of it and guessing is not the way to decide such a major project.... It was good to get ideas and opinions, But I'd want a professional to look and put hands on it before making a decision.
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In a way you are right, but if you hire an engineer to come look at it, it's most definitely coming down because he doesn't know how its made, so he can't vouch for it.
 
jeepinmatt said:
In a way you are right, but if you hire an engineer to come look at it, it's most definitely coming down because he doesn't know how its made, so he can't vouch for it.
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You're probably right for the area he's in, :(

Up here it's not hard to find a structural engineer with the tools and knowledge to make good evaluation of something like that, It'll cost, but it can be done.
 
It was definitely poured in place as you can see where the plywood forms were used on the bottom side.
It is solid as far as I can see/feel. There is no bouncing or movement when jumping on it, doing jumping jacks or doing backflips and whatever.
There is some natural wear on the top from rain and such being it has been there 46 years.
Leaving it there with the new proposed deck is not an option.
Thanks for everyone's input, both serious and non-serious, which was expected. This will probably be a fall project and I will report back on out it goes or did not go. I have a friend with a bigger ex and may see if it can lifted off in one piece. Cheers!
 
89wrangler said:
It was definitely poured in place as you can see where the plywood forms were used on the bottom side.
It is solid as far as I can see/feel. There is no bouncing or movement when jumping on it, doing jumping jacks or doing backflips and whatever.
There is some natural wear on the top from rain and such being it has been there 46 years.
Leaving it there with the new proposed deck is not an option.
Thanks for everyone's input, both serious and non-serious, which was expected. This will probably be a fall project and I will report back on out it goes or did not go. I have a friend with a bigger ex and may see if it can lifted off in one piece. Cheers!
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You might try setting it on fire. Even if it doesn't work, it will be fun!
 
jeepinmatt said:
You might try setting it on fire. Even if it doesn't work, it will be fun!
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My burn permit got cancelled a couple days ago. We need some damn rain!
 
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