Jeanette Searcy Project

Deck in Kelso, Wa., WA

The Hurulas were hired to tear out the old rotted decking and handrails on this two-story deck and rebuild it in cedar — new decking, new cedar handrails, top to bottom. What started as a re-deck turned into a full structural recovery once the old material came off and the true condition of the framing came to light.

Scope of Work

James Hurula Construction will remove the existing approximately 80 linear feet of railroad-tie retaining wall and prepare the work area for the new masonry retaining wall installation. Work will begin with site protection, access setup, and controlled demolition of the existing timber wall. Removed railroad ties and associated debris will be hauled out of the work area, and the wall line will be cleared to allow excavation and layout for the new footing. The wall alignment, grade, and footing area will be established prior to forming.

The footing area will be excavated for an approximately 18 inch wide by 6 inch deep continuous footing running the full 80 foot length of the wall. Forms will be installed as needed to maintain the footing width, line, and height. Reinforcement will be placed as required for the footing and wall support, and the footing will be poured to provide a stable base for the new split-face cinderblock wall.

After the footing has cured sufficiently for masonry installation, the new split-face cinderblock retaining wall will be laid approximately 2 feet high by 80 feet long. Blocks will be set in sequence along the wall line with reinforcement installed as specified using half inch rebar in the block cells. One cell in each block will be reinforced and filled solid to strengthen the wall assembly. Block placement will be kept straight, level, and consistent to provide a clean finished face.

Once the block wall is completed, the reinforced cells will be filled with concrete grout as required, and the top of the wall will be finished with smooth block caps. Caps will be set securely and aligned for a uniform finished appearance along the full wall length. Any required cuts at ends or layout transitions will be made as needed to complete the wall cleanly.

At project completion, the work area will be cleaned of construction debris, loose block fragments, excess concrete, form materials, and demolition waste related to this scope. The finished wall will be reviewed for general workmanship, alignment, and completion of the described work. James Hurula Construction, WA# JAMESHC764LM, will leave the project area in a neat condition suitable for normal use.

Rebuild

With the rot exposed, James Hurula Construction built temporary support to carry the load, then used a material lift to raise the new 500-pound pressure-treated glulam beam up onto the posts. The new beam was wrapped in cedar to match the deck, and a custom-bent metal cap was fabricated to sit on top and shed water, protecting the beam from the weather for the long haul. Rotted joists were replaced and every joist re-secured to the new beam — and the same beam repair was carried out on the second-story deck above. A new 4x4 post was added to carry the weight of the house roof that had been bearing down on the deck for years, and a 20-foot run of rotted fascia along one gable end of the house was replaced while the framing was open. With the structure made right, the deck was rebuilt the way it should be: fresh cedar decking, new cedar handrails, new stairs, and a grab bar added at the steps for safe footing.

Demo

The old decking and handrails came off first, and that's when the real story showed itself. The main support beam was found rotted through, along with several joists — damage that had been hidden under the deck surface for years. On a job like this, the teardown was where we found out what we were really dealing with, and pulling it apart carefully was what made the rest of the repair possible.

Project Gallery

• New cedar decking installed over rebuilt framing.
• Adding a sturdy railing to the new deck.
• Power drill securing railing for safety and stability.
• New wooden stairs with handrail are fully installed.
• Freshly built deck with decorative overhead structure.
• Deck construction nearing completion with new supports installed.
• Damaged wooden beam needing repair in Kalama project.
• New support posts being installed for structural integrity.
• Worker preparing fresh materials for deck renovation work.
• Overview of newly repaired deck structure in Kalama.
• Wooden beams secured for deck support in Kalama.
• Deck framing with new supports for added stability.
• Partial view of wood framing before renovations in Kalama.
• Reinforcing deck structure with new wood beams and cleanup.
• New wooden railing installed on the front porch.

What came back was not just a new-looking deck, but a sound one — the rot dealt with at the source, the loads carried properly, and the whole thing built to last. If your deck is hiding problems under the surface, this is the kind of work that fixes it right the first time.

About the contractor

James Hurula Construction is a licensed Washington general contractor (JAMESHC764LM) based in Kalama, serving Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Kalama, Woodland, Cathlamet, Vancouver, Battle Ground and Ridgefield. Thirty years of field experience, owner on site. Electrical and plumbing go to licensed trades. The carpentry is mine.

Phone: (360) 431-9382. Address: 200 Confer Rd, Kalama, WA 98625. Free project sketch.