I have soaped up screw threads before to make them go in easier, especially when working with hardwoods or screws that won't take much torque. I simply take a bar of soap and run the threads across it. Keith
These are self-drilling with a split tip AND one of the ones that broke was in a predrilled hole on an end board that I didn't want to split.
I got quite a few more boards down. Now, I'm trying to figure out the steps. The new boards are smaller than the old 5/4 boards by 1/8" so they took more to do the same area. Now, when I get to the lip for the steps, I'm 3/8" shy of covering the front band 2x10. I think I'm going to use a 3-step stringer instead of a 2-step that I had before and let the stringer support the first step/last deck board for a smoother transition. You can see the old 3-step stringers I've got against the 2x10 to mock up what I'm thinking. Also, I'm trying to figure out my stringer base. They were just sitting in the dirt last time and the old ones are rotted out on the bottom. I think I'm going to put them on pavers that I dig out and place level in the ground with some gravel underneath for drainage. Sound like a plan?
You don't want to hear this, but I would've started at the outer side exactly to get that board set perfect at the 12-ft wide step. The deck I just did, shaped like a fat letter 'L'... I started at the inside corner course of the 'L' and ran boards in either direction. My stairs were on the side, not at the end, so the last/outer board was under the railings. The ripped board goes against the house. You can pack out the ledger at the smaller steps in order to get the last board full, if you like. With no hand rails down the steps, I believe that would work fine. I also did what you suggested; used 3 stringers (4' wide steps), set each on a leveled paver over compacted stone dust. I had posts to either side at the bottom I buried 2.5' down, so the stringers being screwed to those posts will never move. The center one's paver could tho.
The board against the house had to go under the bridge ledge for the doors and also had to support the non-earth-mounted posts next to the house.
Maybe. It is 2x6 with a radiused edge so it isn't square lumber. I'd have to buy a standard 2x8 and bevel the edges with a router. It would probably work. I may look into that option.
Well, my rounding edge router bit is not nearly as big as I need. I'm going to buy another larger router bit and give it another try. Since I'm going to rip the board to a suitable size, I have been practicing on that edge. I need some warmer, drier weather to continue on the external work.
OK, got a nice router bit that puts a proper radiused edge on my 2x8 that I'm going to rip down to fit perfectly on the last board and I need to get busy on my steps. So far, I've got about half the deck done with boards screwed down. One stripped before it was all the way in. Talk about interesting. No bit would fit and an easy out wouldn't bite. Lucky for me I could grab it with vice grips and get it back out. Progress so far. I've got most of the rest of the lumber in the garage that I'm staining since I won't be able to stain the bottom once installed.
I got a little more done before the snow set in. I've got the prep work for the steps on the short side ready. Just need some decent weather to attach and assemble them. I wound up cutting down the old 3-step stringers to replace the rotted 2-step stringers. I have all new 3-step stringers.
We have a set of steps on the short side. Making progress is hard when the weather is so cold. It was a nice enough day today to get a little done. The steps are mostly square and level. Now, I need to do some landscaping around it with pavers to keep from tracking mud everywhere.
Got more of the deck done. Almost all of the boards are down. All of them are cut except for the last 2x8 that I'm trimming for the odd end before the steps. It didn't turn out to be an even board at the next to the last so I have a gap to fill between that board and the 6x6 post. I've got enough scrap to make it work so I'm just hoping it looks OK. It should. It won't be any worse than what I tore out of it. For reference, I found a picture of the house we took before we bought it in 2006. The deck was in pretty sad shape then and was bowed from day one of my ownership. Big difference from then to now.
My deck is finally level. Everything is screwed down and hopefully, not screwed up. Hoping to have the big steps on by Monday. Having to dig out the footer as the old stringers had sunk quite a ways into the earth. I won't be letting that happen again. Can you believe my wife wants the scraps cleaned up already? I mean, it only took me 4 months. I'm sure DaVinci didn't paint the Mona Lisa in one sitting. LOL