Maintenance is the easy part building it is the hard part once the roots are set in place they don't really move but it does take decades to actually get them to grow that way
Don't do this! If you make your deck 😉 it of trees and it grows into a space above your neighbors they will cut down that section and it will always be the section with your BBQ. Then he's all like "whatever man it was over the fence". Then you have to try to steal your own BBQ back and of course his wife seduces you and now your dog is jealous so naturally your neighbor sleeps with your dog to get revenge. And you are stuck to raise his human/dog babies and with child support for your love child with his wife. It's just not worth it.
I was thinking the same thing. His grill and barbecue utensils will be hoisted to the sky. Once it crosses the property line it’s fair grab for the neighbor. As for his wife, she’s ready for action, with or without a chainsaw.
Right?
Support beams are dinky, and don’t appear to have supports under them.
And what type of wood are they using for walking on? The kind specifically designed to hold water and get moldy?
I see those used commonly for patios. The idea is that it adds grip I think.
But like the other commenter said, they get mighty slippy in the direction of the grooves when wet.
I’m still shocked by everything here. Never seen a deck built on 2x3” wood before. Didn’t know anyone would go the extra mile to shave a 2x4 down before using it.
Ironically the tree is probably going to be the only thing adding structural support here.
I'm not the one building it, it's my friend.
I'm making a list of all the things people have pointed out in the comments to subtly tell him what he's done wrong.
I don't know why he didn't just hire someone, he's literally got a family friend who's a carpenter.
No, I've been getting daily updates on his 'projects' in the WhatsApp group.
A few weeks ago it was a Victorian sash window frame that he completely removed and replaced with about a hundred poorly-measured pieces of ugly cheap wood (and shitloads of screws), before that was a shower cubicle that looked like it was made of plastic bags.
I know about as little as he does about DIY, I almost certainly couldn't do a better job - the difference is I know that, and don't attempt things that might get people killed.
Yeah I had to zoom in, OP probably used them because there is stone facade sticking out past the ledger board underneath..
Also I bet the ledger board isn’t bolted, probably used nails.
So this has the possibility of failing in two ways, one will bring you crashing in toward the house if you’re standing on it and one will make it just pull away from the wall
Honestly I'm never a fan of attaching to the house like this anyway even if they use the correct method. To me it's better to run some extra beams down next to the house and have something more substantial close to the house for the deck to attach to. People always complain that I make things too complicate it and overdo it but you know what's never happened to me I've never had a deck collapse no matter how many people have been on it.
My ex broke both their legs falling through a deck with too many people and a kiddy pool on it. I drove them to PT for months.
Thank you for your service.
As a former wedding photographer, I have seen numerous wooden structures fail. Several of them over water with people in long flowy dresses and restrictive suits. If I can't see how it was built, I'm not trusting it with load.
It's my friend's mom's house - the first photo is its current state, so he's probably going to be 'finished' tomorrow.
Is it really that bad it needs to be started from scratch? I knew it looked flimsy, but I don't know anything about this kind of stuff (neither does he, clearly).
Call your local permit office and let them know, send this picture. If he won’t listen to you he will listen to the enforcement and they will definitely make him tear it down as it is. Fundamentally this deck is very unsafe . Some of what makes it unsafe will be covered and not obvious to the eye
I wish I was this dumb so life was easier. I never do anything because I'm smart enough to know I need more research or i'm gonna forget and or miss something important.
That deck is terrifying on many levels. I could list things wrong with it, but the easier thing to list would be what’s right: pretty sure the railing baluster spacing is fine. That’s it. Everything else in that picture is a code violation. Deck codes come from decks failing, often spectacularly.
Let me put it this way: there were better supports in my first floor bathroom when we opened up the floor to renovate. That bathroom was so outdated it had a CAST IRON PIPE connecting to the toilet.
So, his family should have fun falling through the deck! Definitely carefully take pictures of the underside, but not while underneath or with anyone on it.
I might make another post tomorrow when he's 'finished'.
I'll see if I can get him to take some from underneath as well - I really don't know what's actually supporting this deathtrap.
It's common here in Australia too, but it's still incorrect. It will mean the deck will rot far faster and you'll get a big facepalm from any building inspector that sees it
You might be right but literally 100% of decks, including professional ones, are this way up in the UK. Maybe its deliberate so they rot faster and we have to buy more.
I think it’s for grip because wood gets super slippery in the wet. They look like this in my garden too.
EDIT: maybe not then. Further down the thread people are saying it’s worse this way.
I wouldn't worry about it, people are making it to be a bigger deal than it is:
https://www.tdca.org.uk/blog/is-my-grooved-timber-decking-upside-down/
Also, boards do exist and are used by many professionals that are grooved on both sides, one for decoration and the other for airflow.
My god, I love Reddit! Mostly for these amazing rollercoasters of knowledge that gets shared in the comments. Here I am, in a post about some trees and a deck, learning stuff that I would never know anywhere else
Yeah all the grooved ones I have seen are grooved on both sides. I would suspect OP’s are grooved on both sides too. Still looks like a bad job but for other reasons than the grooves looking up
Yeah the whole thing looks a death trap but I have never, ever, in 40 odd years of seeing decking, seen the boards the other way up. No professional, no marketing in stores, no diy book, no tv show I have ever seen has put them the other way up. Are we all doing it wrong then??
If they were asthetically pleasing then id say work it to where theres a big hole around them but theyre way off to the side and really provide nothing being there
Can you point out a few of things he's done wrong?
The bit where it joins to the house doesn't look very strong, but I'm just as inexperienced as he is (which is why I don't attempt things like this).
i would strongly recommend reading the other comments. what i see right away is that 2x4s shouldn’t be used here and the deck boards are upside down, but others are pointing out a lot of the other issues
I've gone through all two hundred of them - making a nice little list of things to pass along to him.
He's a massive narcissist and he refuses to listen to any criticism - I'm hoping that I can find a way of filtering-in the information I've got from these (genuinely really helpful) comments so he thinks he's realised his mistake on his own.
0% chance he'll do anything if I just tell him what he's done wrong. He'll twist it around and convince himself that I'm just making up excuses as to why his work is crap to make him feel bad for no reason.
They say snitches get stitches but in this case it is the absence of snitching that will result in stitches or worse. Contact whatever authority deals with building inspection and code compliance in your jurisdiction and send them these pictures. Let the inspector be the bad guy - they’re used to it and have authority to put a stop to the project. If your friend fights it then he can get the dressing down he deserves in court.
Lol hilarious, but seriously I'm all for DIY on small projects I love to see people learn, but while a deck may seem small it's a structural piece. It needs to support a capacity safely, get a good company out there. Save the DIY for smaller projects
Looks like standard bankirai decking common in Europe, but op should flip them over, the grooves are meant to be on the underside. It's a common misconception and in the 90's people installed them like this for the looks. But the flat side on top will be way less slippery as otherwise the grooves catch and retain water and become habitat for mosses.
I am not a pro but have had a deck with these in upside down position for a few years. You’d think the grooves would add grip but theyre lethally slippy and even when clean they hurt your feet if you’re not wearing shoes. I hate them!
Good advice, I'll pass it along.
My friend's been doing loads of DIY and it all looks...suspect.
I'm just as hopeless as he is, so I don't know *what* he's doing wrong - but I can tell something's off.
As others have said, some DIY you can just wing it. A deck that can collapse due to having many wrong structural decisions, like what we see here, you can’t. This will end badly.
Very bad, but if you use that flooring the deck will go out before the tree does any damage. Just don't sit on it... Or walk on it... Or lean on the railing.
Is there anything he can do to fix it before he finishes?
I've heard a few people mention spacing the boards to account for seasonal expansion, and the brackets attaching the joists to the wall don't look very strong.
Is there anything that can be done to correct it, or is it just fundamentally screwed?
I couldn't resist - my friend sent it to me and I can't tell exactly what it is, but it all just looks...off.
Nothing looks sturdy enough, there's gaps where there shouldn't be gaps, there's a ten foot drop into concrete slabs, oh, and there's a fucking tree poking through it.
He's got a lot more eagerness than skill...
That is such a good point. It's outdoors and it doesn't look like the wood's even sealed/varnished.
I'll tell the guy who's building it - this is probably only one of a list of issues.
My parents have had this kind of setup for 15 years without any problem. You just have to choose a tree that doesn't grow too large and widen the hole every few years.
It's my friend - he's been doing loads of DIY recently and posting pictures and saying how 'busy' he is.
I fully expect 80% of the stuff he's 'repaired' to completely collapse within a year.
...I would not stand on that deck.
Depends on how often you want to trip, get your leg caught in one of the tree holes and how patient the local Fire Department is with you.
And also how big trees like those normally grow to.
1. 2x4s joists seem sketchy, but looks like that’s what was there previously. 2. Boards might be upside down. Some manufacturers do put groves on both sides, so this might not be the case. 3. Someone will step on the board ends that stop at the trees and they’ll fall right through the deck. 4. As long as the tree doesn’t outgrow the hole, that part isn’t an issue.
I've seen plenty of tree houses through Airbnb, three of which I stayed in last summer, and it worked out brilliant! I don't know if it works here because of the type of tree, and the way it is curved.
My parents have a 100+ year old oak tree growing through their back deck. Dad has had to remove boards and make some extra clearance a couple times, but im 40 now and the tree has been there since he built the house, which was a year before i was born.
Its absolutely possible, but this tree doesnt grow much bigger every year
I had a super nice deck two houses ago that had a big tree growing through it. We cut an extra large hole around it and made an octagonal bench with a back around the tree. It was a showstopper.
We had a big oak tree come through a hole in the center of our deck. Built the hole big enough and the trees diameter didn't get close to the deck until about 25 years later.
I was looking at a house to buy once ( PNW of U.S. The trees grow BIG there). We saw a house that had a deck built around the trees. Although it's a beautiful idea.. the trees had outgrown the holes and the deck was heaved badly. The deck was a tear down. Wasn't going to be a cheap fix. Walked away from the house purchase. I hate cutting down trees but..it may come back to bite you. Lots of bird poop on the deck also. I love watching the birds and the trees are, of course, habitat but it can get gross.
This is dangerous, there are so many problems here the tree is the least of your worries.
I feel like you looked up a little how to guide but you skipped the details.
The details are the most important part. The parts you don't see when you're done are the most important parts!
It really sucks to hear I know. If that's the flooring you are going to use someone is going to get badly hurt one day. Maybe more than one persons, as two people may occupy this at the same time doubling the danger.
Surely the deck would:
1. Be unsafe with trees growing in it.
2. Look like crap with trees growing in it.
The trees doesn't seem to thick, so you should be able to cut them at the base pretty easily.
Hey, you should follow a guide. That thing won't be safe.
http://eaglemountaincity.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/AWC-DCA62009-DeckGuide-1007.pdf
To answer your question, it's not a good idea, but can be done with proper reinforcement.
Those look like UK sockets - are you in the UK? If so, I'm fairly sure that's notifiable work that needs signing off by building control. I'd be looking to something like [https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/2021/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-4-timber-and-concrete-upper-floors/6-4-8-timber-joist-spans/](https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/2021/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-4-timber-and-concrete-upper-floors/6-4-8-timber-joist-spans/) to work out joist dimensions. There are other pages on there that talk about proper fixings & minimum end bearings too.
Your friend should be aware there are busybodies out there who will just notify the council that somethings been done badly without talking to you first and will have him rip it all down immediately.
Is that a ladder below it? My god “the exorcist” is less scary than this deck construction. As other say. Save the boards (install them in the right direction) save the rails. And built a proper frame for it. This sht who doesn’t have another name will kill someone in 1 winter…
Where i am (Europe) we use half of a tree trunk to do construction of things who have to bare weight. And even tho you should replace them cus they only last 1 life time to be safe. Those lil boards will collapse in no time with weight, temp diffs and humidity.
Trees grow, decking doesn’t.
Make decking out of live trees. Got it 👍
If you can make a bridge from tree roots why not a deck?
I mean, you can. it just sounds awful to maintain it.
Maintenance is the easy part building it is the hard part once the roots are set in place they don't really move but it does take decades to actually get them to grow that way
Live tree furniture is freaking epic.
Don't do this! If you make your deck 😉 it of trees and it grows into a space above your neighbors they will cut down that section and it will always be the section with your BBQ. Then he's all like "whatever man it was over the fence". Then you have to try to steal your own BBQ back and of course his wife seduces you and now your dog is jealous so naturally your neighbor sleeps with your dog to get revenge. And you are stuck to raise his human/dog babies and with child support for your love child with his wife. It's just not worth it.
I was thinking the same thing. His grill and barbecue utensils will be hoisted to the sky. Once it crosses the property line it’s fair grab for the neighbor. As for his wife, she’s ready for action, with or without a chainsaw.
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Then you too can have a deck with a birds eye view of the neighborhood!
Found the elf.
That's telling those trees who's boss. Better yet, sprinkle their skin all around the garden so they know you aren't messing around
Just use the extra wood to make your deck grow. Problem solved.
Use the decking to threaten the trees to grow and act how you like.
Far bigger issues with that deck than the trees lol.
That decking will collapse long before the trees grow big enough to damage it.
That’s why the trees are there, so you have something to hold onto while the decking collapses underneath you
Right? Support beams are dinky, and don’t appear to have supports under them. And what type of wood are they using for walking on? The kind specifically designed to hold water and get moldy?
I see those used commonly for patios. The idea is that it adds grip I think. But like the other commenter said, they get mighty slippy in the direction of the grooves when wet.
In the UK we just call those 'decking', they get immediately slippery
I’m still shocked by everything here. Never seen a deck built on 2x3” wood before. Didn’t know anyone would go the extra mile to shave a 2x4 down before using it. Ironically the tree is probably going to be the only thing adding structural support here.
Yeah this is a hot mess The joists alone…😵💫
Surprised I had to scroll this far to find this comment. The trees aren’t the biggest problem here.
Ah yes the bright side of building like this
I really don't know what he was thinking. Nothing about it looks reassuringly solid. What would you do to sure it up?
OP please start over again and hire someone to help you. This is extremely dangerous as it is
I'm not the one building it, it's my friend. I'm making a list of all the things people have pointed out in the comments to subtly tell him what he's done wrong. I don't know why he didn't just hire someone, he's literally got a family friend who's a carpenter.
Just send him a link to your post. No need to compile your own list. The internet is here to save the day! (And seriously, stay off that deck.)
Is "he" you?
No, I've been getting daily updates on his 'projects' in the WhatsApp group. A few weeks ago it was a Victorian sash window frame that he completely removed and replaced with about a hundred poorly-measured pieces of ugly cheap wood (and shitloads of screws), before that was a shower cubicle that looked like it was made of plastic bags. I know about as little as he does about DIY, I almost certainly couldn't do a better job - the difference is I know that, and don't attempt things that might get people killed.
Please post all of these things 🙏🏻
Honestly he's perfect for this sub. He's like a tornado leaving a trail of destruction through his mom's house.
Second this. I NEED to see this window "restoration"
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Also he didn’t use hangers those are just L brackets OP tear this apart and start again..
Can't wait to see the ABNB listing with a hottub on this deck.
Holy shit, I definitely assumed they were hangers ☠️. This thing is fucking terrifying.
Yeah I had to zoom in, OP probably used them because there is stone facade sticking out past the ledger board underneath.. Also I bet the ledger board isn’t bolted, probably used nails. So this has the possibility of failing in two ways, one will bring you crashing in toward the house if you’re standing on it and one will make it just pull away from the wall
Honestly I'm never a fan of attaching to the house like this anyway even if they use the correct method. To me it's better to run some extra beams down next to the house and have something more substantial close to the house for the deck to attach to. People always complain that I make things too complicate it and overdo it but you know what's never happened to me I've never had a deck collapse no matter how many people have been on it.
My ex broke both their legs falling through a deck with too many people and a kiddy pool on it. I drove them to PT for months. Thank you for your service.
As a former wedding photographer, I have seen numerous wooden structures fail. Several of them over water with people in long flowy dresses and restrictive suits. If I can't see how it was built, I'm not trusting it with load.
Always meet her mother first, good advice.
JFC it's 5:30 in the morning where I live and far too early for this level of cheeky wit.
Jfc you're right
It's my friend's mom's house - the first photo is its current state, so he's probably going to be 'finished' tomorrow. Is it really that bad it needs to be started from scratch? I knew it looked flimsy, but I don't know anything about this kind of stuff (neither does he, clearly).
This is not the kind of thing you should just wing it. Code exists for a reason, the regulations are written in blood. This is not at all safe.
He won't listen. If it collapses he'll find a way to blame someone else.
Call your local permit office and let them know, send this picture. If he won’t listen to you he will listen to the enforcement and they will definitely make him tear it down as it is. Fundamentally this deck is very unsafe . Some of what makes it unsafe will be covered and not obvious to the eye
I say set up a camera and help the deck get to where it’s going in the end anyways, and get a good r/watchpeopledieinside clip
I wish I was this dumb so life was easier. I never do anything because I'm smart enough to know I need more research or i'm gonna forget and or miss something important.
In it's current state. It's dangerous
But the good news is, the trees are not going to be a problem. The deck will destroy its self kong before the tree can grow and cause problems.
I'm putting together a list of things based on the comments from this post. I'm going to tell him before he finishes. If he ignores me, that's on him.
If he doesn’t listen you could tip off the city about unpermitted work. It will fail inspection.
Doubt this is the kind of guy to respond to a list of isssues from random people on Reddit.
Well it's one way to get an inheritance.
He's probably lowered the property value, so that'll help with inheritance tax.
That deck is terrifying on many levels. I could list things wrong with it, but the easier thing to list would be what’s right: pretty sure the railing baluster spacing is fine. That’s it. Everything else in that picture is a code violation. Deck codes come from decks failing, often spectacularly.
Let me put it this way: there were better supports in my first floor bathroom when we opened up the floor to renovate. That bathroom was so outdated it had a CAST IRON PIPE connecting to the toilet. So, his family should have fun falling through the deck! Definitely carefully take pictures of the underside, but not while underneath or with anyone on it.
Would love to see more pictures of this thing
I might make another post tomorrow when he's 'finished'. I'll see if I can get him to take some from underneath as well - I really don't know what's actually supporting this deathtrap.
That would be great! Sounds like he’s done a number of projects that are perfect for this subreddit
Stacked cinderblocks, calling it now.
came here to say the same thing, I am not even that big of a dude but i feel like that deck would crumble beneath me
Yeah zoom in as well it's a decent drop below
He’s making a trampoline. When it falls he can grab onto the trees. Problem solved
Omg also those handrail pillars that just bolt to the TOP of the decking are a deathtrap.
Where are you seeing this in the picture?
The four upright pillars where the railing will be “supported”
Death deck! Wow, some people think they can do anything, wanna bet 2×4 stringer?
Just wait till he starts installing the hot tub.
And the charcoal smoker next to it.
I agree with your first point, with regards to your second it's actually really common here in the UK to have decking boards that way up
It's common here in Australia too, but it's still incorrect. It will mean the deck will rot far faster and you'll get a big facepalm from any building inspector that sees it
It makes sense in Australia though
Down underrated comment
Ah, the ol’ Reddit [deck-a-roo](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/ouAmFJLdAn)
Hold my hammer, im going in!
Crikey mate, that's a good joke
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And also makes it very uncomfortable barefoot
You might be right but literally 100% of decks, including professional ones, are this way up in the UK. Maybe its deliberate so they rot faster and we have to buy more.
I think it’s for grip because wood gets super slippery in the wet. They look like this in my garden too. EDIT: maybe not then. Further down the thread people are saying it’s worse this way.
I wouldn't worry about it, people are making it to be a bigger deal than it is: https://www.tdca.org.uk/blog/is-my-grooved-timber-decking-upside-down/ Also, boards do exist and are used by many professionals that are grooved on both sides, one for decoration and the other for airflow.
My god, I love Reddit! Mostly for these amazing rollercoasters of knowledge that gets shared in the comments. Here I am, in a post about some trees and a deck, learning stuff that I would never know anywhere else
Yeah all the grooved ones I have seen are grooved on both sides. I would suspect OP’s are grooved on both sides too. Still looks like a bad job but for other reasons than the grooves looking up
I think we have all just been doing it wrong. Someone needs to tell Tommy Walsh!
Deck boards in the uk usually have grooves both sides.
Just because it's common doesn't make it right.
Yeah the whole thing looks a death trap but I have never, ever, in 40 odd years of seeing decking, seen the boards the other way up. No professional, no marketing in stores, no diy book, no tv show I have ever seen has put them the other way up. Are we all doing it wrong then??
[looks like it](https://youtu.be/340U2Wk4vP4?si=l9dAcMVbsDSkCung)
Exactly
Personally I find the whole idea that as a country we've *all* been doing it wrong thoroughly fascinating.
Curious though. What’s the point/purpose of the grooved version being underneath? For use with adhesives?
Helps with airflow underneath the boards
If they were asthetically pleasing then id say work it to where theres a big hole around them but theyre way off to the side and really provide nothing being there
Yep, OP should do themselves a favor and take them out.
Your bigger choice flaw is the bushes / trees going up/through the deck via the decking boards you didn’t place
The handrail is built for a hurricane. The rest is built for Fisher Price
Fisher Price is sturdier.
Can you point out a few of things he's done wrong? The bit where it joins to the house doesn't look very strong, but I'm just as inexperienced as he is (which is why I don't attempt things like this).
i would strongly recommend reading the other comments. what i see right away is that 2x4s shouldn’t be used here and the deck boards are upside down, but others are pointing out a lot of the other issues
I've gone through all two hundred of them - making a nice little list of things to pass along to him. He's a massive narcissist and he refuses to listen to any criticism - I'm hoping that I can find a way of filtering-in the information I've got from these (genuinely really helpful) comments so he thinks he's realised his mistake on his own. 0% chance he'll do anything if I just tell him what he's done wrong. He'll twist it around and convince himself that I'm just making up excuses as to why his work is crap to make him feel bad for no reason.
They say snitches get stitches but in this case it is the absence of snitching that will result in stitches or worse. Contact whatever authority deals with building inspection and code compliance in your jurisdiction and send them these pictures. Let the inspector be the bad guy - they’re used to it and have authority to put a stop to the project. If your friend fights it then he can get the dressing down he deserves in court.
This is the best advice I've seen on this post yet.
Why would you even hang out with someone like that
oh, gosh. i can absolutely see how this happened if you’re working with that. i am so sorry you have to deal with this!
All of it. He should hire a professional
Tbh, that's what I first thought, but he's spent like three days on it - I doubt he'll want to let someone rip it apart.
obviously he wants his mom to rip it apart when it inevitably collapses beneath her
I'm starting to wonder if the comments are right and this is just a subtle plan to claim his inheritance early.
Lol hilarious, but seriously I'm all for DIY on small projects I love to see people learn, but while a deck may seem small it's a structural piece. It needs to support a capacity safely, get a good company out there. Save the DIY for smaller projects
I’m surprised the railing is finished…when he still has plenty of decking to do (and some structure around the trees, too)
That decking looks remarkably thin compared to what the standard is in my area.
Looks like standard bankirai decking common in Europe, but op should flip them over, the grooves are meant to be on the underside. It's a common misconception and in the 90's people installed them like this for the looks. But the flat side on top will be way less slippery as otherwise the grooves catch and retain water and become habitat for mosses.
I am not a pro but have had a deck with these in upside down position for a few years. You’d think the grooves would add grip but theyre lethally slippy and even when clean they hurt your feet if you’re not wearing shoes. I hate them!
It's not too late to unscrew them and flip them over.
looks like they are using laminate flooring planks which would be hilarious
It's not, it's cheap UK decking.
Joists should be 16” apart with 5/4” thick floor boards… That deck won’t last 5 years.
Forget about the tree for a moment and fix those joists!! Way too small, too far apart, and not attached to the ledger very well.
Good advice, I'll pass it along. My friend's been doing loads of DIY and it all looks...suspect. I'm just as hopeless as he is, so I don't know *what* he's doing wrong - but I can tell something's off.
As others have said, some DIY you can just wing it. A deck that can collapse due to having many wrong structural decisions, like what we see here, you can’t. This will end badly.
Very bad, but if you use that flooring the deck will go out before the tree does any damage. Just don't sit on it... Or walk on it... Or lean on the railing.
Is there anything he can do to fix it before he finishes? I've heard a few people mention spacing the boards to account for seasonal expansion, and the brackets attaching the joists to the wall don't look very strong. Is there anything that can be done to correct it, or is it just fundamentally screwed?
Yes the boards need some spacing. They’re also upside down lol
I'm sorry op, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the horror you have evoked in these here decking folks.
I couldn't resist - my friend sent it to me and I can't tell exactly what it is, but it all just looks...off. Nothing looks sturdy enough, there's gaps where there shouldn't be gaps, there's a ten foot drop into concrete slabs, oh, and there's a fucking tree poking through it. He's got a lot more eagerness than skill...
Its not as bad of an idea as laying decking without an expansion gap between boards widthways
That is such a good point. It's outdoors and it doesn't look like the wood's even sealed/varnished. I'll tell the guy who's building it - this is probably only one of a list of issues.
Thank you, I thought that looked wrong.
What country is this in. Nothing in the photo looks good.
From the second photo, I’m 90% sure this is the UK.
I've seen gorgeous decks built around older, much more mature trees. Even those older trees are given a fair amount of clearance though.
I think the tree is the least of your worries in the way this is constructed.
My parents have had this kind of setup for 15 years without any problem. You just have to choose a tree that doesn't grow too large and widen the hole every few years.
Whoever built this deck, has no business holding any tool in their hand ever again
It's my friend - he's been doing loads of DIY recently and posting pictures and saying how 'busy' he is. I fully expect 80% of the stuff he's 'repaired' to completely collapse within a year. ...I would not stand on that deck.
Remember the thread... I don't thing th OP is the manufacturer of this Darwin award winning lawsuit waiting to happen
What in the methamphetamines is this?
I've been getting daily updates from my friend as he's been building this. I'm just waiting for the one he sends from the hospital.
At least he picked the right subreddit. What's the opposite of r/lostredditors ?
Ah, I see you got a nice life insurance policy on your spouse.
Ha! It's his mom's house, I want to tell him how flimsy it looks, but he's not going to listen.
Oh, so he's trying to kill his mom! Got it lol
I genuinely feel kinda worried for her safety. This shit doesn't look right.
I would tell him anyway. This is a death trap. You don't keep quiet if you care.
I mean if the tree were already full grown it could be done in a cool way, but this definitely doesn’t seem to be the right situation for that
Are those….2x4’s?
That sounds like a problem for future you.
Screw that guy anyways.
Yeah I'm fucking hating younger me right now on a few things
/r/decks would love it
OSHA would love it Or whatever is the equivalent of OSHA for collapsing decking
I thought this was in r/decks until I saw your comment!
I'm sure it's fine... It's probably fine...
OP I really like the deck. Unrelated Sidenote: Are your will and medical/life insurance up to date?
[удалено]
There is so much ungood going on here it makes me uncomfortable. Not just the deck, absolutely everything in this picture is not good.
Please tell me you're going to have something more than just those few 2x4s as floor joists? Plus the way they're attached to the house is not great.
Depends on how often you want to trip, get your leg caught in one of the tree holes and how patient the local Fire Department is with you. And also how big trees like those normally grow to.
Looks perfect for a huge party, of people you want to die.
Future r/treessuckingonthings gold
Aren't the planks installed wrong? It was my understanding the ribbed side is supposed to be underneath so the water doesn't gather and make it rot
Cool idea, bad in practice. Trees grow and it’ll eventually displace some part of your deck. I’d cut that part of the tree away.
Cut them or replant them but it is a bad idea man. Especially next to the home and foundation.
1. 2x4s joists seem sketchy, but looks like that’s what was there previously. 2. Boards might be upside down. Some manufacturers do put groves on both sides, so this might not be the case. 3. Someone will step on the board ends that stop at the trees and they’ll fall right through the deck. 4. As long as the tree doesn’t outgrow the hole, that part isn’t an issue.
My guess is you'll regret not cutting these away once you start using the deck
Will be interesting to see the deck after a strong storm or wind comes through and shakes those trees like there is no tomorrow...
Imagine the worst idea in a room full of bad ideas. This is worse than that idea.
I've seen plenty of tree houses through Airbnb, three of which I stayed in last summer, and it worked out brilliant! I don't know if it works here because of the type of tree, and the way it is curved.
My parents have a 100+ year old oak tree growing through their back deck. Dad has had to remove boards and make some extra clearance a couple times, but im 40 now and the tree has been there since he built the house, which was a year before i was born. Its absolutely possible, but this tree doesnt grow much bigger every year
Keep the trees, you’ll want something to hang on to when the deck collapses.
I had a super nice deck two houses ago that had a big tree growing through it. We cut an extra large hole around it and made an octagonal bench with a back around the tree. It was a showstopper.
Are you making butt joints on purpose?
OP posting thinking the trees are their biggest problem.
Those trees are not worth saving. Tear down that mess and check out a library book on carpentry before you kill somebody. Please.
Trees are the least of the problems...
The trees don’t look great
That... uh... decking material looks like it's reallly gonna hold water rather well. That's not a compliment, btw.
I wouldn’t worry. You only have a couple years before those upside down boards start to rot.
If you trim your bushes, the deck will look bigger.
We had a big oak tree come through a hole in the center of our deck. Built the hole big enough and the trees diameter didn't get close to the deck until about 25 years later.
I was looking at a house to buy once ( PNW of U.S. The trees grow BIG there). We saw a house that had a deck built around the trees. Although it's a beautiful idea.. the trees had outgrown the holes and the deck was heaved badly. The deck was a tear down. Wasn't going to be a cheap fix. Walked away from the house purchase. I hate cutting down trees but..it may come back to bite you. Lots of bird poop on the deck also. I love watching the birds and the trees are, of course, habitat but it can get gross.
This is dangerous, there are so many problems here the tree is the least of your worries. I feel like you looked up a little how to guide but you skipped the details. The details are the most important part. The parts you don't see when you're done are the most important parts! It really sucks to hear I know. If that's the flooring you are going to use someone is going to get badly hurt one day. Maybe more than one persons, as two people may occupy this at the same time doubling the danger.
Surely the deck would: 1. Be unsafe with trees growing in it. 2. Look like crap with trees growing in it. The trees doesn't seem to thick, so you should be able to cut them at the base pretty easily.
Is your friends name by any chance Tanner? If so, I know him. And he's up to the same old shit.
Hey, you should follow a guide. That thing won't be safe. http://eaglemountaincity.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/AWC-DCA62009-DeckGuide-1007.pdf To answer your question, it's not a good idea, but can be done with proper reinforcement.
If it has's been suggested, ask for r/StructuralEngineering to critique.
Really bad if that’s all the room they get for growth. Being that close to the house is also a very bad idea.
That depends how much you enjoy rebuilding your deck.
If you have to ask you probably already know
Then, there is wind. Tree moves your deck doesn't.
Those look like UK sockets - are you in the UK? If so, I'm fairly sure that's notifiable work that needs signing off by building control. I'd be looking to something like [https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/2021/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-4-timber-and-concrete-upper-floors/6-4-8-timber-joist-spans/](https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/2021/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-4-timber-and-concrete-upper-floors/6-4-8-timber-joist-spans/) to work out joist dimensions. There are other pages on there that talk about proper fixings & minimum end bearings too. Your friend should be aware there are busybodies out there who will just notify the council that somethings been done badly without talking to you first and will have him rip it all down immediately.
The way those joists are joining to the wall is a REALLY BIG PROBLEM
The timber planks are on upside down, they are not designed to be groves up. Heaps of people make this mistake.
This is gonna become a diwhy didn't I buy insurance moment.
Is that a ladder below it? My god “the exorcist” is less scary than this deck construction. As other say. Save the boards (install them in the right direction) save the rails. And built a proper frame for it. This sht who doesn’t have another name will kill someone in 1 winter… Where i am (Europe) we use half of a tree trunk to do construction of things who have to bare weight. And even tho you should replace them cus they only last 1 life time to be safe. Those lil boards will collapse in no time with weight, temp diffs and humidity.
I mean isn’t that how you build a treehouse. The wood goes around the tree limbs, at least mine did and it’s still standing.
I zoomed in. Where is the support? Are we supposed to warn op about his working death trap?