Experienced Deck Builders?

[sld]

When I built my 20 X 24 deck 18 years ago I wrapped 3 sides of the sub structure (top and 2 sides of each board) in tar paper and stapled it before screwing on the decking. All the 2X8 and 2X10 structure is still in very good shape. I need to replace the deck boards at some point though.

I spent extra for wrought iron railing. I've only had to repaint it once in all this time.

 

[dalola]

Geographic location must have a lot to do with how long decks last, as far as wood rot. The deck on the back of my house was built with the house back in '91, and still solid. I've only replaced a couple 5/4 deck boards in that time. So, around here, it seems the extra material/expense/time to put extra protection on the framework may not be necessary.

Certainly for my camp deck project, I'll just go straight up wood, as it's likely a temporary (~10 yrs?) feature anyway.

 

[crazyal]

My woodshed is 8x12 and holds a lot more weight than your deck ever will (2 cords+ of dry wood). It's made PT 2x8s. I doubled them up on the 12' direction and used hangers for the 8' joists. I have only 4 legs (4x4 posts) about 6" in from each long end. I used rocks about 16" to 24" in diameter from my property for the base. Dug 4 holes and used the tractor to push them in. I made a simple square boxs out of OSB that fit pretty tightly to the rocks and then filled in around them. I did use a hammer drill to put some holes for rebar into the rocks). Frost is a real issue around here and after 14 years that shed hasn't moved one bit.

As for decking, if you can afford it I would use hardwood decking. My decks are made with Tigerwood. It'll turn gray but it'll last forever and it doesn't get hot like the plastic decking.

 

[crazyal]

Yes, and those are mainly an attempt to make a better "toenail" type attachment, with nails properly 90 degrees across the grain in two directions instead of one direction on a 45. I really hate a standard toenail with the nail shooting 45 through the joist. I'll do a standard toenail if it's the only solution, but it's really a weak way to use a fastener in wood.

I switched to using the galvanized hurricane straps.

 

[PILOON]

We always installed decking with a 1/4" gap and used screwdrivers as a gapping tool.
Also (mentioned earlier) cut strips of 3"wide roofing membrane to cover the joists so that water would be shed away from them.
Shucks I also used nail gun and 3" common nails, 2 per joist.
If the decking is curved (often is) the screwdriver made 4 a good persuader, bang it into the joist an lever the deck board over in place.
Be fussy if you must but in the overall picture nails are not all that ugly. Who really checks out that detail.
For sure nail the deck down carefully spacing the fasteners to form a nice pattern.

I must have built 40-50 decks and nobody ever complained about nails. More important is to stagger any butt joints as 2 or 3 adjacent is plumb ugly.
Cut a deck board short every now and then to stagger the butt joints,
Pay more attention to carefully spacing railings as that really catches the eye and remember 3 1/2 spacing is the norm. (I used a scrap 2 x 4 as my spacer jig)
I always liked to use a 2 x 6 as my top and then capped that with a 1 1/4 x 6 as a finishing.
Makes a nice topping to lean on and holds a cool beverage as well.
Another feature is that it keeps water away from the upright spindles.
Very important is to use suitable flashing if a deck is attached to the side of a house otherwise you risk causing rotting of the structural wall base
If U use joist hangers remember that all those nail holes are meant o be occupied if U wish to meet code.

 

[Diggin It]

I use screws because they're usually easier to remove if you need to replace a single board for some reason. I've had a few heads strip out though which meant reverting to the pry bar.

 

[EddieWalker]

Geographic location must have a lot to do with how long decks last, as far as wood rot. The deck on the back of my house was built with the house back in '91, and still solid..

The method to treat wood was changed, and the new method relies on using a massive amount of water that is forced into the wood. This makes it impossible to predict what the wood will do when it dries out. I've seen 12 foot long 2x6's shrink almost an inch in length a year later, with a quarter of an inch shrinkage being very common. It is impossible to cut a 45 into two boards and expect them to stay tight. I tell my clients what will happen, and then come back a year later to fill the gaps with bondo. There is no point in replacing the boards because they will just shrink again. 45's are the worse because the longer part is thinner, so it dries unevenly. Because 5/4 lumber is so much thinner to begin with, it changes more dramatically when it dries out. There is no way to know what it will look like in a year except that it will be a lot smaller then when it was installed. I also avoid 4x4's and 4x6's for posts because of how badly they twist when drying. 6x6's will twist to some degree, but it's minimal. Cedar is the only other option around her, but it's 4 times the money.

 

[dalola]

The method to treat wood was changed, and the new method relies on using a massive amount of water that is forced into the wood. This makes it impossible to predict what the wood will do when it dries out. I've seen 12 foot long 2x6's shrink almost an inch in length a year later, with a quarter of an inch shrinkage being very common. It is impossible to cut a 45 into two boards and expect them to stay tight. I tell my clients what will happen, and then come back a year later to fill the gaps with bondo. There is no point in replacing the boards because they will just shrink again. 45's are the worse because the longer part is thinner, so it dries unevenly. Because 5/4 lumber is so much thinner to begin with, it changes more dramatically when it dries out. There is no way to know what it will look like in a year except that it will be a lot smaller then when it was installed. I also avoid 4x4's and 4x6's for posts because of how badly they twist when drying. 6x6's will twist to some degree, but it's minimal. Cedar is the only other option around her, but it's 4 times the money.

This kind of stuff makes me glad I'm not a builder, must be so frustrating to watch a nice new structure "morph" over the course of a year.

A well built brand new wood deck is so pleasing to my eye, you just want them to stay perfect forever!

 

[ovrszd]

The method to treat wood was changed, and the new method relies on using a massive amount of water that is forced into the wood. This makes it impossible to predict what the wood will do when it dries out. I've seen 12 foot long 2x6's shrink almost an inch in length a year later, with a quarter of an inch shrinkage being very common. It is impossible to cut a 45 into two boards and expect them to stay tight. I tell my clients what will happen, and then come back a year later to fill the gaps with bondo. There is no point in replacing the boards because they will just shrink again. 45's are the worse because the longer part is thinner, so it dries unevenly. Because 5/4 lumber is so much thinner to begin with, it changes more dramatically when it dries out. There is no way to know what it will look like in a year except that it will be a lot smaller then when it was installed. I also avoid 4x4's and 4x6's for posts because of how badly they twist when drying. 6x6's will twist to some degree, but it's minimal. Cedar is the only other option around her, but it's 4 times the money.

Good stuff Eddie. Have experienced all of it..... I built two wooden decks at my current house. Understand the necessity. Am totally over them.

 

[ArlyA]

Hummmm wood does not shrink much length wise.. Its mostly in the grains (wood width) that looses thickness as it dries.

which way does wood shrink - Google Search

The method to treat wood was changed, and the new method relies on using a massive amount of water that is forced into the wood. This makes it impossible to predict what the wood will do when it dries out. I've seen 12 foot long 2x6's shrink almost an inch in length a year later, with a quarter of an inch shrinkage being very common. It is impossible to cut a 45 into two boards and expect them to stay tight. I tell my clients what will happen, and then come back a year later to fill the gaps with bondo. There is no point in replacing the boards because they will just shrink again. 45's are the worse because the longer part is thinner, so it dries unevenly. Because 5/4 lumber is so much thinner to begin with, it changes more dramatically when it dries out. There is no way to know what it will look like in a year except that it will be a lot smaller then when it was installed. I also avoid 4x4's and 4x6's for posts because of how badly they twist when drying. 6x6's will twist to some degree, but it's minimal. Cedar is the only other option around her, but it's 4 times the money.