Initial assessment of front deck- three posts are rotted, two sections of railing and about ten or twelve boards.
I redid my deck about 5 years ago. Went with Trex. No splinters, and will last forever. Bit more pricey, but I won't have to do it again.
Before 2004, CCA pressure treated lumber was used from the 1930's. After 2004, ACQ pressure treated lumber is most common used. Very corrosive to metal. Electro-galvanized nails won't work. Hot dipped galvanized or stainless if you are using nails. I would recommend torx screws designed for use with ACQ lumber. If your have questions on how to correctly build a deck, go to American Wood Council and search for deck construction. Approved by the governing body of most jurisdictions in the US., The International Code Council, ICC.
When I redid my deck in 2020, nobody could get me all the Trex I needed. I wanted bull nose boards for steps and ends of the deck. I didn't want the grooved end to show. Not the local lumber store, not Lowes and not Home Depot could source all the product in the color my wife picked out. That's when I went with 2x6 rounded edges. If it lasts 20 years, I'll think it was a good deal. Did you find Trex to be a little bouncier than wood? When I was researching it, they local lumber store suggested 12" on-center. That would have meant pulling 2 joists every 48" and respacing with 3 across my entire 16'x16' deck.
Yes it needs more joists for sure. Mine is on 12" centers as you stated. Also, it's not as "Maintenance free" as they advertised. I still need to pressure wash it annually. Basically i think it's saw dust glued together with plastic resin. Positives? No finishing, it's dimensionally perfect, there are no splinters, and it does still look good after 15+ years here.
I've seen Trex lose its color in a few years and some folks tell me it gets really hot if exposed to the sun. Comments?
...current Trex must be better made, early version's surface would decompose back into trashbags it was made from....
I replaced almost all of the trim on our house in Massachusetts with Azek, which is pretty much the same stuff as Trek. After doing that, I swore that I would never use wood for trim again - ever, and I haven't.
Agreed, I wouldn’t put wood in the outside of my house if you gave it to me for free, treated lumber for a deck being the exception. Azek is a brand of foam PVC trim. Versatek, and Kleer are other. Trex brand decking traditionally was wood fiber mixed with plastic and shaped in boards. They have evolved into a similar core with a plastic veneer overlay. The company Azek, now owned by Timbertech. Makes a full PVC composite decking. I like it better than Trex. It’s lighter, less expensive (notice I didn’t say cheaper) that term doesn’t apply to any composite. It’s stays cooler. I prefer it down the shore where sand and salt can eat away at the overlay of other. Now guys I hope you’re sitting down. Composite decks with all the trim and composite railings are retailing for $75-$100 per. sq. ft. and climbing in my market.
My railings and trim are all cedar. I don't really like the look/feel of the plastic stuff that well... My house is pretty much ALL wood. It was built in the 50's and here in the Pacific Northwest, it's all about wood. I have beveled cedar siding that is 5/4" at the thick end. If you look at the back of it, it's friggin' gorgeous. Couldn't afford to get near it nowadays... Wood does require maintenance, for sure. But plastic looks and feels like plastic. If it's a painted surface like trim or siding, I guess there is no real visible cue. Here is the back of a scrap of the beveled cedar siding. Yes I have Daffodils blooming here...
Sounds beautiful, not many being built like that anymore. I guessing that siding is $8-$10 per. ln. ft. With trim and waste your looking at $2,000 per square (100 sq ft). Add another $1 per sq ft for nails. This is just materials, still need to install and paint/finish.
I hate treated pine with a passion. I dislike Trek and don't trust it's longevity. I went with some tongue and groove Ipe for a covered porch with and old fashioned look. Worth every penny this poor boy spent on it. Hope to do a deck with it or Tigerwood someday. https://www.advantagelumber.com/decking2.htm
This is my deck I built last summer/fall. It's 5/4 cedar with no fasteners showing. All the decking is screwed from the underside. 90% of Wood decking rots because of fasteners used from the top and it doesn't matter if you use screws or nails! Water will be set on top of the heads and absorb into the wood and rot it out. Keith
...I didn't have any rot problems at screws on 30 y/o decking when I recently replaced deck boards. My problem was weathering. Based on what I'm already seeing w/new boards, I don't expect these to last anywhere near that long this time. IMO wood/drying/milling/treating quality have all deteriorated dramatically...
So Woody, I have to ask, does this mean you crawl under there to fasten the decking? I suppose you use screws at an angle through the joists? Do tell...
https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...tem-reg/1551376/p-1642874294392351-c-5728.htm That is the hidden fasteners I used. Yeah I crawled underneath and screwed every board (2 screws per joist), with joists 12" oc. No screws on an angle. I used the screws that were recommended by the hidden fastener manufacturer. Keith
Trees are definitely harvested early. In 2013 new standard for joists and rafter came out after 7000 samples were tested. It has been revised since.
