Deck Removal Tips & Tricks

Techniques and tools to consider if you're deconstructing or demolishing a deck. This job is made much easier with the right tools:
Sawzall: amzn.to/2PTAAau
Rock Bar: amzn.to/2ZHrT7I
Deck Wrecker: amzn.to/2LEfpUJ
Burke Bar: amzn.to/2LznzO2
Impact Driver: amzn.to/315oYCl
#deckdemo #demolition #deckdemolition
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[@mack3141]

One of the most informative, well-executed how-to videos I've ever seen, thank you

[@metaspencer]

Great to hear! Thanks for checking it out

[@alexcampbell124]

Took my deck out today, best piece of advice from this video is “take your time”. Thank you! This is hard work (I await the hamstring pain tomorrow) and trying to go too fast is just going to end in tears. Second gem is leverage... go back to your maths and science lessons about levers. Once you have one board up you can use that board to lever each next one. The smaller the gap between the falcrum and the board you’re trying to lift the better. Obviously the longer the bar, the better, but my 36 inches was plenty provided I got in nice and close. Very useful vid, thank you! Now, where’s the ibuprofen...?

[@metaspencer]

And I'm guessing a new deck or patio or something like that is in the works, which can only mean that spring has sprung! Cool that the video was useful and even better that you got it done. It's day three, for me, that the soreness really hits :)

[@kricklin]

Good video. I'm going through a deck removal now - the deck is constructed of treated lumber that my city would not take and I had to have it removed. Please keep in mind old, treated lumber (circa 1980s in my case) MAY contain an ARSENIC based preservative (mine did), so ALWAYS wear gloves and cut as little and neatly as possible to prevent spreading preservative laden sawdust on your lawn. I wore an N-95 mask to be safe, and washed my clothes right away when done.

[@metaspencer]

Great advice, man. Back when I first got into construction work I remember reading an account of a guy who was building a deck, cutting lots of treated wood, and ended up dying (the dust was sticking to his sweaty body for days). Fortunately, this deck was largely redwood with treated framing. But that N-95 mask is always a good idea! Take care man

[@mikesheakley2689]

This was fantastic, especially for a homeowner that has never built a deck or tore one out before. Thanks!

[@metaspencer]

Excellent! Good luck with the project

[@sandrarowney]

Wow, thank you, that was so informative and well made. I have just taken on a place and by clearing the overgrown shrubs can see that the decking is rotten. Didn't like it anyway, far to slippery and harsh looking. Thought, OK, maybe I could tackle this with the correct info and tools.....now I see the extent of the job to come! This is too big a job for me but your video has enabled me to talk sensibly with a professional and understand a quote. Thank you again.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out and I'm glad the video was helpful! Good luck with the new place!

[@streetkombativesystem4704]

From one tradesman to another, that was an excellent description of how to rip out a deck and what to expect. Salute.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@BRANDRUMZ]

This video makes the last two days I’ve been using a 6lb sledgehammer and small crowbar seem a little unnecessary. Thanks for all the tips, going to home depot tomorrow for a Sawzall and longer pry bar 😂.

[@metaspencer]

You're gonna get it done! Hang in there ... you got this!

[@aj7803]

Thanks Spencer. Slow and steady wins the race

[@metaspencer]

You said it

[@damienshannon8954]

Excellent stuff!! Just what I needed. Thank you!

[@tyronh2896]

How did it go?

[@damienshannon8954]

@@tyronh2896 Project on hold....

[@dowhileloops6793]

Highly informative and highly useful. Thanks for the video.

[@metaspencer]

good to hear!

[@alpinealpine2793]

You are a man of many projects.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks! I do try

[@julie1462]

great demonstration thanks

[@mcmatt9332]

Just started mine today and I definitely will need a Reciprocating Saw (Sawzall) since whomever built this beast used like 10,000 nails.

[@metaspencer]

Cut that baby out! You'll get there!

[@fatimabourji4712]

Thank you so much for all the tips, I need to remove my deck soon. You video was very helpful.

[@metaspencer]

You can do it! Take it slow and be careful ... it'll turn out great

[@p3l1k44n1]

As a demo guy, i can tell you. Invest in your sawzall if you're plannin on doing demo work.. And get both metal and wood blades.. Some work like roof demolition will eat those blades for breakfast. For a regular joe doing stuff at home, you can just use a cheap 100 dollar sawzall and get away with it.. But if you use it over 8 hours a day for work, you can really feel the difference on a higher quality expensive sawzall. Not only it does the work faster and doesn't overheat. But also for ergonomy and vibration reduction to help not get your arms tired. HILTI is my favorite brand of tool for demo work.

[@metaspencer]

I've never used a Hilti! I burned up some cheap ones over the years and completely share your view: a good one will last and cut longer/better. I'll have to find a Hilti some day! :) Thanks man

[@p3l1k44n1]

@@metaspencer No problem. Hilti stuff are very robust and high quality. But they're pretty expensive. I also like makita tools. They make the best battery powered stuff.

[@BRANDRUMZ]

HILTI is what you see on massive construction sites - definitely the top pick, but very expensive. You can get away with less and still have good quality.

[@LoneWolf-yp2mo]

I bought a "DECK WRECKER" and it works INCREDIBLY WELL !!!! Saves a lot of aches and pains the next day .... trust me. I'm 67 and that investment was worth EVERY penny I paid for it. Buy one used if you can find one. They work great on pallets too.

[@metaspencer]

It's definitely on my list for the next deck I take out: good leverage is where it's at! Thanks for that tip

[@joejackson73]

Thanks for the info!

[@wildlifegardenssydney7492]

Thank you very much for all this information. “You are not going to be able to wish away all the wood from a big old deck”….that part made me really smile. I am an older woman 60 plus…strategically thinking about dismantling mine. The deck is 35 meters knee high off the ground. I nearly fell over when I got some astronomically expensive quotes. So I have got to do it myself As the deck has already collapsed in sections! Soon I will lose access! Getting it out (down 20 steps is the thing). I am thinking of making a core flute tube to throw things into…then sort it down there. 50 meters to the driveway (ugh). Bit by bit.

[@metaspencer]

Take it slow and work smart ... you'll get it done for sure! Sounds like a big project

[@wildlifegardenssydney7492]

@@metaspencer Thank you

[@brianbaker359]

Great use of the pry bar really did the job. Thanks for posting.

[@metaspencer]

Sneakers were about as far from safety footwear as one could get. These days I wear better stuff :) Hey, thanks for checking it out and good luck with your project!

[@mrmosty5167]

I have to do this with a set of stairs on the front porch that a contractor was supposed to do two months ago. I will likely use a circular saw to cut lines then pry whatever I can off

[@metaspencer]

sounds like a good plan

[@brianbaker359]

Man that was terrific effort and techniques. My grandson and I have a big deck demolition to do and will surely use similar tools and methods.

[@metaspencer]

I'm sure you guys are going to get it done!

[@brianbaker359]

@@metaspencer Just checked Princess Auto (Canadian Harbor Freight) and the 60” Pry Bar is on sale so better pick that up and be ready for my son’s okay to demolish.

[@metaspencer]

@@brianbaker359 Oh yeah!

[@rtbrain]

Well done and narrated. Very informative.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for that! Big job but nice to get it done

[@trimley]

Thanks from 🇬🇧

[@metaspencer]

good luck with the project!

[@leestarling2671]

EXACTLY what I wanted to see & learn. Damn good video. 👊

[@metaspencer]

Great to hear. Good luck with the project :)

[@banquorebuechett9914]

Many thanks. Lots of helpful advice.

[@metaspencer]

Oh good! Best of luck with the project

[@kevindunnell7150]

Excellent, very helpful video, thank you.

[@metaspencer]

Big thanks!

[@robertogle3009]

Thanks my friend, most helpful -

[@metaspencer]

Good to hear! Good luck with the project

[@bingefox4056]

Bro, a Deck Demo tool will change your life.

[@metaspencer]

I gotta get one! they look sweet

[@wantapgt]

Thank you for recommending using that bar. I ordered a 68” long one from bully tools and it had those boards just flying out!

[@metaspencer]

Oh excellent. Yeah, you definitely want some leverage for a job like that

[@thelmalee2157]

Thank you for sharing your great idea.where to buy that tool

[@jeremymckeithan7675]

shit... gets... heavy.... shoulders.... ouch....

[@metaspencer]

Haha

[@RafaJack90]

Thanks for the help, im gonna do it next weekend, the only thing i don't wanna find under the deck are wild animals!

[@metaspencer]

Just make lots of noise and the critters will scatter 👍

[@juanmontenegro2025]

07:21 for a deck demolition like that i charged 1300-1500 /3/4 hours labor, price include labor and hauling and one team of two can do that easy with a gorila cart,a truck and all the tools in the video!

[@metaspencer]

sounds like you did a good job!

[@iamtheonewho]

Also, starting further from the truck allows for less back and forth as you progress and get tired 😁

[@metaspencer]

Yesssss! Way better 😀👍😀

[@leffycleanse336]

bro........i didn't know you were completely taking it all down.....one word.....CHAINSAW!

[@metaspencer]

Chainsaw! I didn't think of that ... I guess as long as you miss the nails and brackets it would be super fast. Oh well, next time. :)

[@jschwa7390]

Go Ford Ranger!!

[@tyronh2896]

Thx

[@metaspencer]

YOu bet good luck with the project!

[@RobertwJones7967]

Thanks for sharing

[@metaspencer]

Absolutely :)

[@justinhunt4767]

Great video

[@metaspencer]

Big thanks man

[@carolinegray3150]

Nice video

[@DetroitLovefit]

Awesome video

[@metaspencer]

Big thanks!

[@irmaheredia5945]

Thanks!!

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@luisfernando-mm3jt]

Nice video.. Nice work

[@metaspencer]

Thanks man!

[@InJusticeAustralia]

Great info

[@metaspencer]

Thanks!

[@kurugode]

If he adds a fulcrum below that Jack bar about 1 ft from the bottom edge he can get much higher Leverage, in technical terms called Mechanical advantage. That will put much less stress on the body and arms. Regards Unscrewing Don't try. They look easy only on fast forward. All screw heads will be rusted and it's a waste of time trying to unscrew thousands of screws. Good tips Thank you

[@metaspencer]

That fulcrum is a great idea ... thanks!

[@glittertoons63]

I was going to go straight to a sledgehammer but I guess this is good too😅

[@metaspencer]

Hammer time!

[@shirleyyeo1232]

Excellent video! We have a LARGE deck surrounding an above ground pool that we are going to demo ourselves. It is has cedar planks and pressure treated wood. What are the best blades that I should use on the Sawzall as there are so many types, lengths, TPI, wood, wwod/nail/multi purpose, etc Also, I am 5' 3" female 125 lbs - what would be the best sledge hammer to buy? 8lb or 10lb? Thanks ever so much - hoping to start tomorrow! :)

[@metaspencer]

Great questions: that sounds like a big project, but you can do it! Diablo makes great blades but don't get the super long ones unless you have to, as they bend very easily. As for the hammer I'd go with the lighter one: you don't want to have a hammer you don't want to swing that often. Use lots of leverage and you'll get it done.

[@lowhertzhighspl]

Thanks

[@metaspencer]

Absolutely!

[@DaRaven9187]

Hi ! Nice channel. I take a chance to ask a question : i demolished my deck, and found that the house side was directly nailed to the ledger board, not bolted. The ledger board is capped and in good shape, but how can i remove the nailed piece without damaging the ledger board ? It seems that they are stuck together. Should i use gently a crow bar ? Thannk you, keep on going !

[@metaspencer]

You should start with a crow bar, and see if you can get it to come off. If that fails you can individually dig out the nails using a cat's paw ... good luck with it!

[@filipevalente4025]

Video is super helpful! Thank you! Any recommendations on a socket set to go work my 1/4in Dewalt impact driver to remove the lag bolts?

[@metaspencer]

I've been using a deep impact set kinda like this one, just because it's more versatile than a traditional socket set. Good luck on that project! amzn.to/38xxwb5

[@filipevalente4025]

@@metaspencer thanks again!

[@filipevalente4025]

@@metaspencer ... Is it possible this is the wrong type of set? They seem to be hex bits for a socket wrench...

[@metaspencer]

Hmmm ... could be. Just look for an impact set. Harbor freight sells them

[@jyotipoojari6280]

Thank you for your video. Where and how to dump the old wood?

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out! A lot of the pressure treated wood I reused on other projects, like this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnOwnYqrnNidmbs ... after pulling the screws and nails, and the cedar was still in good shape. For the really rotten stuff it went to the dump.

[@nateg5915]

I just remove deck boards from my deck thats 50ft X 12ft. I opted to use to circular saw. I had to do 15- 20 seperate 12ft cuts along the length of the deck. I wanted shorter pieces of boards to remove. The whole thing took me 3 days 😢

[@metaspencer]

Good job!

[@MrGeoffreySmith]

FIREWOOD!! 😀😀😀

[@johnpossum556]

Not good to burn the green stuff as it has arsenic in it.

[@metaspencer]

@@johnpossum556 yeah, I'm gonna build some stuff out of the solid pieces, which were all treated ... the decking was cedar, so likely okay to burn

[@bodhisattva6308]

I dont want to buy a Deck Wrecker bar just for one demo of my deck. I have a crowbar/pry bar and hammer. I am thinking Ill buy a impact driver and try to remove screws to make it easier. Will it help since i dont have a deck wrecker or a longer leverage>?

[@metaspencer]

Yeah if they come out that’s great

[@DonPancho05]

Very cool and full of good info! May I ask what were the dimensions of this deck? If you happen to recall

[@metaspencer]

That deck was sort of L-shaped or Oklahoma shaped, but square footage was about 550 square feet

[@DonPancho05]

Youre respond time is top tier level! Thank you, god bless you and yours 💯

[@scottjohnson1757]

Great video. I see you state this deck was over 500 sq.ft. How long did it take for the demo and hauling? I am looking to bid one similar. Thanks!

[@metaspencer]

It's been a while now but I think it was a one or two day job. Ya never know what might slow you down on a job like that

[@jenniferbecker7611]

I'm taking out my deck and I don't mind putting the muscle into it to get it done, but mine is just split and beat up enough to need gone but not rotted enough to break apart. Especially the ones closer to the house as they are covered. Am I going to be able to get them off? I tried unscrewing for a while, but about half the screws stripped pretty quick and some snapped off partway down or crumbled into rust. If the boards are in good shape but I still need to remove them, what is my best bet?

[@metaspencer]

Those are tough to disassemble. You might have some good luck cutting all the boards out between the joists, then getting under them and prying them up ... or cutting the screws out with a sawzall

[@agriffin5308]

Checking out this video after hearing animals underneath the deck at 3:30 in the morning...

[@metaspencer]

Live trap should work

[@oceano_drive241]

When removing a deck to pour concrete. Once I remove the deck ledger and flashing. Do I need to replace them with something else?

[@metaspencer]

That all depends on what's left behind on the house ... if it looks great and will shed water, no need to do anything. But if there are seams and holes where water may get in, you need to repair where the ledger is so that it's water tight like the rest of the house should be. Good luck!

[@BRANDRUMZ]

What did you quote them for on this demo?

[@metaspencer]

This job was a while back when I worked hourly, I believe ... so sorry, but I don't have a number for ya.

[@nonamenobody8590]

I have to remove mine but each plank is 17ft each I need to build a new support frame then put the old planks back on it is risky coz some are really bad dry rotted but I think it’s possible

[@metaspencer]

Sounds ambitious! Just replace the bad ones ... good luck!

[@monkyballs475]

Just learning bids what the best way to bid a job like this

[@metaspencer]

Bidding is tough, man, and takes some time to get right. When you can estimate how long it will take you and dumping fees, you can get close to calculating a good bid. One way to think about it that kind of simplifies things is to ask yourself "How much do I need to take in for the business to survive, paying all bills and salaries?" Then you have a per/day baseline. I always try to consider the hidden costs like hauling, gas, and extra time if the job is far from the truck or trailer.

[@monkyballs475]

Thanks

[@tallswede80]

but how much did you charge, and how much money did you make?

[@metaspencer]

This job was a while back so I can't say that I remember ... it was good work though for sure

[@passive_income35]

Whats the attachment to remove the ledger bolt ?

[@metaspencer]

Impact socket

[@carolinegray3150]

Hard work

[@metaspencer]

oh yeah, but satisfying!

[@lclundeby1703]

How long did it take you to completely remove this?

[@metaspencer]

About a day ... always depends on what you're dealing with

[@skandaa]

Can I cut my deck in half using a circular saw whilst it's still in place? and demolish and repurpose the other half of the decking.

[@metaspencer]

A lot of people do that. Just adjust the blade depth on your circular saw, avoid metal, and make sure there are no wired beneath the decking.

[@skandaa]

@@metaspencer thank you for the reply, gotta now figure out how to get a straight line and follow it whilst cutting

[@metaspencer]

@@skandaa Yep! you can do it

[@jeremymckeithan7675]

just done an estimate for a 1000 sq ft deck, but gotta tear out first... trying to save as much as possible, thanks for the video

[@metaspencer]

Good luck with that job! I hope you get it ... sounds like good work

[@6ftS]

how are you landing these jobs? are you doing these projects for fun and favor or is it part of what you do for a business now? Also... Are they building a new deck or are they landscaping around the house now?

[@metaspencer]

Yeah I’m doing more handyman jobs around town ... not sure if they’re building a new deck but we’ll see

[@williamkeehn3637]

At some point in the near future I'm going to have to disassemble a deck at Mom and Dad's place but the advantages it's free standing that due to the bedrock we got what they called it was called elephants feet that the 4 x 4 legs sit in The disadvantage with free-standing deck is it in Setteled more but in a case of Mom and Dad's place there was a lot of bedrock so there was not a lot of settling what song mostly the is just rotten from being old that deck is been there for about 25 years and it was used decking material was given to me from another project

[@metaspencer]

Sounds interesting... I did some building in Seattle and really liked it

[@benholioo]

If you wanna show people the fast way - do a video on Demo-Dek

[@metaspencer]

Looks like a nice, simple tool

[@HongsiquanWingDing]

just hire a laborer to do the demo!

[@metaspencer]

Sounds like a plan!

[@martinsanchez1949]

Why are you dropping the saws all like that terd?

[@metaspencer]

Saw abuse!

[@Danny-ju2ip]

Why r u getting rid of the whole decks. Why not just replace the floor boards . Bam . New deck 😎

[@metaspencer]

These guys wanted no deck and a patio

[@ohske]

😯👏👏👏👍👍👍👌

[@metaspencer]

thanks man!