Deck building

so last summer my brother was able to help me get my deck rebuild going, but do to traveling with work and other family things we had to deal with, he has not nor will he be able to help me. And even if I stay at a Holiday Inn Express, I still can not claim to be a carpenter.

So here is where things are at.



I need to build a bridge across the bulkhead. It used to be one large platform that would lift to the left, but it was very heavy, and supports would crack.

Looking for ideas and any other thoughts folks have.

 

What I would do is this:
1. Remove the current stairs and little deck
2. Dig below your frost line, and install 4 sonotubes on each corner
3. Build a new landing, LEVEL with the rest of the deck
4. Re-install your steps.

 

Thanks.


That would be to low for the bulk head, I think.

 

What I mean is to make a new landing bigger, and level with the main deck, so you don't need a bulk head.

 

How do I get into the basement? I did think about digging out and making the entrance different, but cost and skills becomes a factor.

 

If you just add a bulk head, you will be walking out from the door onto an uneven surface

 

That white and brown thing in between is the entrance to your basement???

 

Yes, the thing in between the landing and deck is my bulkhead. It had one big platform that was on hinges and you lifted to the left. It was big and heavy, and became unstable.

 

Seems like removing that sliding door would be the more feasible option. But I don't know the layout of your floorplan. Would it be better suited on the bigger part of the deck? Then you wouldn't have to deal with a bridge.

 

Are you able to build your deck and make a trap door to the bulkhead?

 

Nope, my kitchen sink and what not is on that side. When the house was renovated, they added on the section to the left to the house, and moved the kitchen from where the doors are now, to the addition.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=dec...ment&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

 

I’m thinking of making two doors, meeting in the middle over the bulkhead. Trying to figure out how best to make it work.

One suggestion has been to make 5he bridge slide over on the deck.

 

Hmmm

 

Anywhere that the deck is making contact with the house needs to be flashed.

 

I think we did that, I used some copper if I recall correctly.

 

Exactly as I was thinking!

 

Well maybe just take it out anyway and put a normal door further to the right. Anything you do as far as a bridge whether it's a drawbridge or slider is going to have some serious challenges and longevity issues. Also if the bulkhead is the only point of egress from your basement you'd need to be able to operate the bridge from the basement otherwise you've got a serious fire code violation. Maybe that's not an issue if it's not a finished basement but I still say that door is the problem at hand.

 

Door is brand new, replaced last year.

Can get into basement through the house as well, but I bring in 2 to 3 tons of pellets a year to heat with.

 

Not necessarily. He can add removable (when the doors are open) 4x6s joist/supports held in with hangers to support the doors enough.

We had one similar to get into a crawl space in the house (1800s) I grew up in leading to the furnace. That thing was solid.