How to repair the decking and supporting posts?

[Laubi]

Hi all,

Looking to replace rotten decking and posts which support a porch roof of my shed.

I was wondering what the best approach in doing so and if it's possible to decking whilst temporarily supporting the roof.

Please note the posts in the middle are not that supportive and one provides no support.

I was thinking of temporarily propping the roof up in the middle with a couple of timber beams. whilst I repair/beef up the base frame; do the decking; and then replace the poles

 

[foxhole]

A couple of Inverted L shaped supports would allow you to place temporary posts outside the footprint of the shed allow easier access to replace everything.

 

[Laubi]

A couple of Inverted L shaped supports would allow you to place temporary posts outside the footprint of the shed allow easier access to replace everything.

Thanks, do you mean something like this?

 

[foxhole]

Inverted

 

[cdbe]

Unless it's the picture the roof appears to be sagging in the centre so probably needs jacking up a bit after you've reinstated the base.

 

[Laubi]

Inverted

Just to be clear, is that two timbers (c16 ok?) joined by a bracket. And the screwed to the underside of the roof? Should I screw the bottom to the base frame to be safe?

 

[Laubi]

Unless it's the picture the roof appears to be sagging in the centre so probably needs jacking up a bit after you've reinstated the base.

Yes, it's sagging as the centre-right post is completely rotted and doesn't actually bear weight!!

 

[Laubi]

Inverted

sorry to bump, but was hoping to get materials this week and get it done for the weekend.

could you expand on how to set up and fix the inverted L support please? would seem unstable if not fixed to base and roof?

 

[noseall]

sorry to bump

I think most tradesmen are looking at the porch and are wondering why you have not give it a decent funeral.

 

[Laubi]

I think most tradesmen are looking at the porch and are wondering why you have not give it a decent funeral.

I know it looks bad but is it not rescuable?

I am looking to replace all decking, middle two posts and probably beef up or replace where needed the base frame. I just didnt know best way to jack up the roof.

 

[noseall]

I know it looks bad but is it not rescuable?

DIY'able - probably, if you don't value your time. You may feel like you are putting lipstick on a pig though.

Those jobs typically get to a stage where you are left scratching your head asking the age old question - it would have cost less to renew the lot. Same with cutting rot out of a sill/mullion junction versus replacing the whole window, etc.

 

[Laubi]

DIY'able - probably, if you don't value your time. You may feel like you are putting lipstick on a pig though.

Those jobs typically get to a stage where you are left scratching your head asking the age old question - it would have cost less to renew the lot. Same with cutting rot out of a sill/mullion junction versus replacing the whole window, etc.

yes, totally get that and I did think it. but guessing the cost of timber to replace entire decking, base frame and couple of posts would roughly be £100-£200 as decking area is actually quite small.

Cost to get someone to demolish the entire shed would be few to several hundreds? (if not over a thousand) and to rebuild it would cost even more?

 

[noseall]

yes, totally get that and I did think it. but guessing the cost of timber to replace entire decking, base frame and couple of posts would roughly be £100-£200 as decking area is actually quite small.

Cost to get someone to demolish the entire shed would be few to several hundreds? (if not over a thousand) and to rebuild it would cost even more?

The problem is, the façade is wood. Wood requires love and lots of it.

We have gone through three inexpensive timber sheds in a couple of decades. The latest shed I have built to last - I hope. We clad it with a decent exterior mineral shiplap and used UPVC windows. I built the superstructure with damp resisting materials.

20221203_133018.jpg

• noseall
• 4 Dec 2023

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Hey @noseall why don't you just use that photo as your avatar?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Wood is nature's bug food. There are armies of creatures ready to turn any fallen tree into compost. A plank or joist is just nature food with the bark removed. Wood is OK for use in deserts, where there's no water, or in sub-zero climate, in either case most lifeforms won't survive. But in our green and pleasant land, wood is just compost-to-be.

Almost every old building you see is stone or brick. Not because they didn't use wood back then, they built lots. But because those they did build haven't survived.

It's a DIY forum. Get a breaker bar, pull it down and take it to the tip. Don't sit in a chair and complain that someone else wants money to do the stuff you could do.