Wood Post and Footing Foundation Question

I took apart an old deck. The deck posts were placed onto concrete with a J bolt sticking out (rusted) and into the posts.

When i took the deck apart the posts were rotting because they didn't use a weather treated wood.

With a freestanding deck, does the footing have to be firmly secured into the concrete or does the structure of the deck prevent it from toppling over? Do i need to redo the concrete foundation?

Comments for Wood Post and Footing Foundation Question

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 21, 2012
Rating

Build the deck structure well
by: Editor-Rich Bergman

If the concrete is in good shape you don't need to repair it. The structure of the deck is typically enough and should always be enough to keep it from toppling over.

But a support post set into concrete, aside from being vulnerable to rotting over time if the post wicks water from the concrete, will provide some rigidity to the structure but that should not be what you totally rely on for integrity of the overall deck.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Deck Building Forum.