Building a New Deck

RonR · May 2, 2005

I started with a new circular saw & blade. The stuff cuts like butter! No splinters. It does create a pile of "chips", but I just left them on the ground and they are in grass now--can't see them.

It has no strength though! I cut out for the rail posts and had only 2 inches left of the six inch piece. I lifted the board and it broke at one edge of the cut. Wasn't really an issue as I still used it, but be cautious if you cut down the width in areas.

marks · May 3, 2005

I've had good experiences with Trex, cuts, finishes, and paints nicely. Don't know what your joist spacing is, but due to the weight and characteristics of Trex it can become somewhat wavy. I used a finish nailer and Liquid Nails, the psi on the compressor had to be increased to 120# in order for the heads to set. The slight mushrooming that did occur with the nailing was readily tapped down and sanded out. Lastly I read a thread recently, that reviewed the incompatability of the chemicals currently used in pressure treated wood and common fasteners. I'll see if I can locate it.

For what it's worth...

theboman · May 6, 2005

( Originally I was going to dig square footings, but decided to use concrete tubes instead. )

I'd love to have a PHD like yours. I didn't know they could dig square holes! I reckon it's only in Vegas /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

HuckBB62 · May 7, 2005

( I've had good experiences with Trex, cuts, finishes, and paints nicely. Don't know what your joist spacing is, but due to the weight and characteristics of Trex it can become somewhat wavy. I used a finish nailer and Liquid Nails, the psi on the compressor had to be increased to 120# in order for the heads to set. The slight mushrooming that did occur with the nailing was readily tapped down and sanded out. Lastly I read a thread recently, that reviewed the incompatability of the chemicals currently used in pressure treated wood and common fasteners. I'll see if I can locate it.

For what it's worth... )

That "mushrooming" is certainly different isn't it! Our front porch, built at the factory, seems to me as if they had the nailer set too high, as the heads are buried almost 1/4". Do you think this is bad?

RonR · May 7, 2005

The place where I bought my Trex said if using screws, drive the heads just below the surface, then squish the mushroom over the head and tap it gently with a hammer.

Worked fine for us.
ron

HuckBB62 · May 7, 2005

Aha, exactly what I have. Thanks!

2nstonge · May 8, 2005

I just started working with another lumber yard near me, they offer free deck design assistance. They use a software package called 20/20 Deck Design, man this thig was slick and easy. I had plans in my hand including parts list (down to the sono tubes, # of 80lb bags of concrete and all fasteners), engineering data, framing detail with views from above and 3D below and a nice color perspective view for my customer...all in 20 minutes. It took them another day to price it out but their plan is to tie this package into their price system so a costed parts list is generated at the same time.

My question was "when will you give this package to your contract customers and tie us into your price system - we can do all this stuff at home, online and just show up at our customer site when the material gets delivered!".

-Norm

Poncho · May 9, 2005

Absolutely beautiful backdrop... just what the wife and I want in the future. Good luck on the deck. One future project you may want to think about is gutters. When I put a deck in at my last house, I got tremendous back splash and the T1-11 rotted.. had a lot of replacing to do before selling. Also retained a lot of moisture around the sliding door... you may not have that problem though as your area looks like it may get a lot of sun light.

DaMadman · May 10, 2005

Man I totally agree the mountains in the background are schweet. I hope my Property in Montana has a view like that.
I guess I will be finding out in a month and a half /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

obrien73 · May 10, 2005

I didn't get as much completed this weekend as I had wanted - too much rain. It wasn't really heavy, just enough to be annoying. Anyhow the joists and hangers are installed - just need to level everything and toe nail the joists in