Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - New Patio vs. Cedar Deck

I have a 25-year old patio (approx. 15' x 15') that slopes towards my house's foundation...so when it rains the water "pools" up against the foundation.

I'm concerned that if I don't fix this, I'll eventually get cracks in the foundation.

My question is this...: If I'd rather replace the current patio w/ a deck, is there a way I can alleviate the "slope" problem or am I going to be stuck busting up the current patio and re-pouring a new one?

Thank you

It depends on the elevation of your house relative to the yard and the drainage.

A low deck with less than 18" or so clear under it will have a short life.

Since you have negative drainage (toward the house), it sounds like you may not get the ground low enough to provide clearance AND proper ventilation for the wood to last as long as it should.

Dick

I can build the deck more than 18" from the existing patio...that wouldn't be a problem.

My concern though is if I build a wooden deck over an existing concrete patio that slopes towards the house, when it rains, the water will still fall between the decking...on to the patio and pool up against the house....is there any way to stop this without re-pouring the patio?

Fix the drainage problem. If the slab is sloped towards the house, you have virtually no choice but to break it up and remove it. And, since the slab slopes towards the house, I'm willing to bet that the entire yard does as well. Once the slab is gone, slope the dirt away from the house. That will probably mean installing a retaining wall and a drain system on the house side of that wall. A lot of work, but at least ADS and Basalite keystone or garden wall blocks are fairly cheap. Hopefully you have enough access to the area that you can get a Bobcat or small tractor in to move the dirt.