I am replacing the small deck on the side of our house. It's a very small deck that is roughly 5.5 x 3 feet and only 20 inches of the ground. I ripped out the entire deck and discovered that the two 4x4 deck posts were only seated 3 inches deep into the asphalt in our driveway. I had planned on using them as is to build the new frame on but they are very loose and not secure. I want to make sure they are secure but also don't want to go cutting up asphalt in our driveway. What would be best to do with these deck posts to make sure they are properly secured?
Posts like that should not be floating on a driveway, going up and down with the freeze/thaw cycles. They should be sitting on concrete piers that extend below the frost line, so as to be unaffected by temperature swings.
TECHNICALLY….. If the deck is attached to the house, then it has to have the posts reach to the frost line. In Minnesota, that’s a minimum 42” to the top of the footing. Technically. On a deck like that(stoop by a door?). I just build it with the posts floating on a 12”X12”X2” patio paver. I like having the ability to move it away from the house if the grass/ weeds become too pronounced around it.
^ Now there’s a simple solution with no digging required. Build a box and butt it up against the house. If it goes up and down it doesn’t matter. It only matters if it’s attached to the house via a ledger board.
