Questions tagged [decking]

The tag has no usage guidance.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
1 vote
1 answer
241 views

Replacing a 4x8 deck beam

I am replacing a wooden deck with wrought iron posts and railings. The current beams are 4x8x8, but the wrought iron rails are welded in too close to the beam top for me to remove the beams without ...
0 votes
1 answer
237 views

can I do this to support a hot tub on a deck

I have a hot tub that measures 7x7 and weight is around 4400 pounds with 5 hefty people in it. I am in the process of building a new 16x40 deck and my wife wants the hot tub on it, the finished deck ...
0 votes
1 answer
844 views

Do I have to meet current code when replacing deck railing posts?

I replaced the pressure-treated lumber on my 1990 built deck and it matched what was there. The 4x4 rail post spacing width is 7 feet apart. I noticed recently that rail post spacing ...
1 vote
2 answers
101 views

What kind of fastener is this and how do I remove it?

(See images.) I'm trying to temporarily remove this plank of the deck to access the space beneath. The plank is being held in place by a type of fastener I'm not familiar with. Do you know what ...
0 votes
2 answers
656 views

How much can I plane/cut off of a deck joist / rim joist

I'm renovating a deck. Installing waterproof spline which goes between deck boards. Solution will have center boards in deck with gutters underneath and gutters around the deck. Install guide says to ...
-1 votes
1 answer
220 views

Can I span 36” with SYP 2x4 laying flat as roof decking

I’m redoing my garage roof, which has a 12” slope over 14’. I have left over SYP 2x4’s and some microlam beams, but only enough to set at 36” OC. Can I span 36” with 2x4 SYP as my decking instead of ...
1 vote
2 answers
496 views

Existing joists span max 17.5in OC - Trex composite says max 16" allowed

Does anyone have experience with pushing the limits of joist span for composite decking? My joists are generally 16" OC but a few gaps are up to 17.5" max (one has a short section at 18"...
1 vote
2 answers
438 views

How can I protect my foundation when removing old retaining walls and regrading?

I have this old and crumbling tiered stone wall in the back of my property. My deck sits on top the wall. There is a covered porch next to the deck, that’s built on top of block walls (not part of the ...
1 vote
2 answers
473 views

Building Ipe deck... How to butt joints with 45° Joists?

So, as the question states... What is the "right" way to do this? Purple are the joists. Orange are the edges of the board. Red is the butt joint. Cyan are the screws - mainly doing edge ...
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

Remove stubborn deck nails

I pried off some deckboards and the nails stayed in the joists. I want to replace the boards, so I need to remove the nails (yes, I could cut them, but I'm curious how to remove them :) ). Using the ...
0 votes
1 answer
81 views

Hardwood Deck Board Acclimation

So, I'm installing a deck. Just bought the decking, which should be here in 2-3 weeks. (A mix of Ipe and Cimaru) I've seen mixed answers on the "right way" to acclimate it. Is "in the ...
1 vote
1 answer
150 views

Should I replace my entire shed decking or just the rotted spots?

Redoing a shed roof, it's decked with 50 year old or so plywood, tore the shingles off, bottom 3 feet or so of the ply is bad, thinking of just replacing the bottom 4 feet of ply since ply is so ...
0 votes
1 answer
718 views

U brace/bracket to hold vertical 2x4 over wood floor?

Is there some type of 2x4 brace or bracket that will hold down a “standing” 2x4 on a wood floor? Here’s a very rudimentary drawing, and the brace Im looking for is in red in the corner. I know I can ...
0 votes
0 answers
69 views

Bring composite deck back to life

Is there a way to enhance the look of a composite deck ? This deck was built 5 years ago and looks little worn out. To make matters worse there were some paint droplets on the deck and i used a metal ...
0 votes
2 answers
213 views

Loading on 5/4 treated pine decking

I recently built a deck, and we are looking to make a privacy wall using pencil hollies. As I was making sure weep holes weren’t sitting on joists, it occurred to me that the way that these planter ...
1 vote
0 answers
1k views

angled bracket to attach a beam to a post?

I am in the planning stages to build a deck around an oval pool. I have angles like the picture shows below (probably 30 degrees).. Is there a bracket i can use instead of the connection shown? NY ...
0 votes
0 answers
51 views

Treehouse Construction

I want to run a treehouse design idea by you all. I'm building a treehouse around a tree (not drilling into tree). Beam is 20 feet by 10 feet. I have six, 6x6s, on concrete footings. I'm struggling ...
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

How would I add tile to a raised deck?

Does anyone have experience with the products designed for laying tile on top of a wood framed deck? (e.g. Slica Systems) It seems to me that over time even slight warping or shrinkage of the wood ...
0 votes
0 answers
89 views

How can I correct the rusting as seen here on deck railing?

I have a couple of questions. I have gotten tradepersons to install new deck railing back in Dec 2018. So it is about 2.5 years old. However I can already see some rust sipping out to the surface. One ...
-1 votes
3 answers
1k views

Covered porch drainage?

Currently, the porch uses tongue and groove boards that are painted. I think they might be original to the house. Whenever it rains hard, water will get on the porch. The water sits there in puddles. ...
0 votes
2 answers
173 views

What effect does the type of decking used have on the stiffness of the structure?

This is an extension to a previous question. I would like to know what effect the type of decking used will have on the answers provided. This question comes from the fact that although the best ...
0 votes
1 answer
696 views

Proper Method of Beam to Colum for two story column?

It's been many years since I built a deck, and never a two story one. Existing deck getting replaced, it's a two story, with the pitch of the house roof (1) extending a few inches past the face of the ...
0 votes
0 answers
63 views

Waterproofing flat balcony over a shed

I have a kid's club house built over a shed part of it exposed as a balcony with flat floor no roof over it . The old floor was an OSB flooring badly damaged with water, so I replaced it with a new ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

What's the easiest way to fix these deck joists?

Today I found some deck joists are either cracked or completely out of shape. I was wondering do I have to remove all the boards to replace these joists? There are two joists that seem to be really ...
0 votes
1 answer
244 views

Do I need to rip 1/4 of an inch off of my 2x8s to build box steps

I'm building box steps to go between the upper and lower portion of my deck. The total height difference from surface to surface is 24 inches. I'm planning to build the box out of 2x8s and use decking ...
1 vote
3 answers
967 views

My 3 inch by 9 grade 316 stainless steel deck screws are breaking

These are self-tapping screws, meaning that I don't have to drill a pilot hole, but I have broken 3 of them already and I think a pilot hole would help, or maybe a stronger screw. It seems to break if ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

What makes good deck footing substrate on clay soil?

We are building a raised deck on clay type soil. The deck will surround the entirety of the house with the intention it will still be standing 20-30 years. The deck will be raised about 5 ft to meet ...
1 vote
1 answer
62 views

Moisture collecting underneath condo terrace deck boards

A little history - We bought this condo unit last year and just noticed that the paint the previous owner used on the deck boards were bubbling and peeling. We inquired with the condo management to ...
1 vote
1 answer
330 views

Can an improperly attached ledger board be flashed correctly without removing the existing ledger? [closed]

I have a existing improperly installed deck attached to the house which I am retrofitting. I already have a permit approved but not sure how to flash the existing ledger board without removing the ...
2 votes
2 answers
909 views

What's the proper way to add spacers between deck beam and joists

I have a 20 year old deck. One of the foundation posts (4x4) has sunken about an inch. The 4x4 post goes into the ground where it is affixed in concrete. The 4x4 post is notched at the top and two ...
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

Should outdoor rug be used on wood decks?

I have wood deck. It get's periodically treated. The last treatment was 3-4 years ago. Was wondering if it's alright to put an outdoor rug (8x10 ft.) on it? Will be placing chair and outdoor gas ...
0 votes
1 answer
152 views

Should I use natural decking oil on a dark wooden deck?

I have some decking with a fairly dark looking wood (please see photo), although it hasn't been cleaned yet so may be lighter than it appears. I need to clean and oil this deck and I already have ...
2 votes
2 answers
603 views

Wood beams for pallet rack wire decking

What size, type, and grade of lumber would I need to use as joists to support wire decking used for pallet racks over an 11-foot overhead span? 42D" x 46W" wire decks supporting up to 2,500 lbs. are ...
1 vote
1 answer
748 views

Decking - Shorter Sister Joists for Abutted Boards?

I have an existing deck that I am refurbishing. The deck is only 18" off the ground. The existing joists are in good shape. I would like to use shorter deck boards with abutted ends due to the ...
1 vote
1 answer
293 views

Before Staining... Do I need to sand my deck first? Or just chemical wash/pressure washer?

We've been living in our new place for a few months now and now that we are more settled... I want to stay on top of maintaining the outdoor deck. But, I am unsure what's the material used for the ...
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Covering Trex Enhance Board Ends

I am installing Trex Enhance decking and would like to know how to cover the scalloped profile ends. I could picture frame the deck to cover the ends. How much overhang should the board have before ...
3 votes
2 answers
278 views

How to protect decking when it's already winter

I have decking that looks in desperate need of some protector or oil. In the UK it's already quite wintery - temperatures are consistently around 5C (~40F), most days are wet. The instructions for all ...
2 votes
2 answers
265 views

How can I replace missing parapet wall "joint caps"?

My home has a fiberglass roof deck with parapet wall surrounding it. The parapet wall is covered in aluminum (at least I think its aluminum) that matches the vinyl siding and color of the fiberglass ...
0 votes
2 answers
217 views

Hillman "Deck Plus" lag screws

I'm re-planking my deck and shoring up some of the substructure while I'm in there. The beams are side-mounted to the posts like this (from dca 6): This is obviously non-ideal, but is impractical to ...
0 votes
0 answers
2k views

How can I add a roof over the existing Deck?

I know how to build a cover, I just don't know how to attach it to the existing deck. Something like this:
1 vote
1 answer
945 views

Can I replace just part of a 1x6 roof deck with OSB?

Redoing Roof, Roof Decking is 1x6 inch planks, and some OSB so the sheathing is mixed materials. Is it ok to replace the lower half of the roof with 3/4 or 1/2 inch plywood and keep the top half ...
3 votes
7 answers
42k views

Can I get away with 5/4" cedar decking across a 24" span in a children's play structure?

I am currently in the process of designing/building a play structure for my son. The structure will include a 5' high elevated deck, that is 6'x4'. The supports for the decking will be 24" center-to-...
1 vote
3 answers
9k views

Should 24" deck joist spacing be reduced to 16"?

I just tore off the old decking from my cabin's deck. The joists are set 24" on center as opposed to the 16" on center that were in the specs. Should I take all the joists out and replace all of ...
1 vote
3 answers
3k views

How to raise an old footing?

I have an old deck taken down and the old footing is 3" above the ground but the building code requires 6". Do you have any ideal to increase the height of the footing without replacing it? Thanks a ...
0 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is it okay to use rain to rinse off a deck after applying deck cleaner?

I'm planning to refinish my deck soon. Here are some pictures of the current state of it. I bought this Cabot wood cleaner. The instructions say to: Apply cleaning solution liberally to problem ...
1 vote
4 answers
320 views

Deck screws undetectable and boards are rotting

I have a rotten deck, but the previous owners painted it in a Hardrock-type covering making the screws impossible to find. How should I remove the boards with this complication? Do I cut it off with a ...
1 vote
1 answer
65 views

Some advice on building decking for a hot tub

I am building decking 310 by 330 to support an inflatable hot tub and a gazebo. the ground slopes away from the house by roughly 10 cm/meter so will need to raise the decking about 30-40 cm at the end ...
3 votes
3 answers
3k views

Repairing cracks on deck joists

This year, being a beginner in handyman skills I decided to replace the deck boards and railings of my deck. When I bought the home about 1.5 years ago the professional who checked the house for me ...
2 votes
3 answers
9k views

Can I use knee bracing to cantilever a deck further than code allows?

I live in Florida and currently have a deck support by ten 9" round, 10' high pilings. The outer ledge boards are double 2x10x10 bolted to the piling which are notched to accommodate the double 2x10s. ...
1 vote
1 answer
93 views

Help Critique deck post and beam location

please critique my deck design and post locations. One side of the deck will be attached to multiple ledger boards, another sitting on the beam with 1 feet overhang. Deck is at most 1 1/2 feet of the ...