Deck replacement

[RalphVa]

We're at the point where our deck needs replacing again. Replaced the boards on the deck and rail top boards about 10 years ago. Two or 3 years ago, I had to replace several boards. Before that, I found that many of the torx screws had corroded and replaced more than half of them with SS.

Are the only 2 choices now either treated lumber or Trex? Today's treated lumber is a PITA. Won't hold a stain. Corrodes non SS screws. Just doesn't look good any more.

Trex seems beau coup expensive.

We've some roof rubber between joists draining to a gutter which drains to a 350 gallon tank underneath. Trex has something called Rainescape using butyl in place of the roof rubber and some downspout things.

Any experiences/recommendations?

Awaiting first bid and trying to get another outfit to come look and to bid.

Ralph

 

[4570Man]

How high off the ground is it?

 

[JJT]

Last year I replaced my 25 year old Cedar decks with Larch decking, I had a few boards that needed to be replaced, scope creep turned the project into replacing all the deck boards. I hate pressure treated and don't care for the plastic alternatives. I bought mine from a local mill for less than half the price of premium pressure treated. If it lasts as long as my Cedar decking, the next replacement will not be mine. I have neighbors that used Larch for in ground fence posts, 15+ years with no failures due to rot.

Larch is harder than Cedar, I had to drill pilot holes for my screws. It looks as good as the Cedar, mostly clear with a few small tight knots. Larch is often mistaken for Cedar. I will oil it every 2 - 3 years. I was lucky enough to get all 16' boards, I have no seams/butt joints in 500+ sq ft of deck.

If you cannot find Larch, look for Cedar. Cedar decking retails here for a little more than premium pressure treated.

 

[/pine]

Shop around...there are companies that specialize in pressure treating quality lumber...you may pay a premium but not much more than what you see listed as "premium grade" material at the box stores...

For instance...if you live anywhere near coast there are bound to be custom deck and dock builders...they buy their materials from specialty suppliers like I mentioned above...

You can get high quality #1 dense YP that is treated the same as telephone poles...it lasts much longer than what is sold at local yards and box stores...

Then there's the age old questions of how to lay the decking...i.e., bark edge to the weather (usually recommended by architects) or the opposite?...
check the boards on your deck and see which have held up better...!

 

[CH4Ohio]

There are quite a few different composite materials. And they vary a LOT in price.

Do they have Menards' stores where you are? I noticed that they have a great display showing the various grades of composite materials that are available.

Point is, I'd go with composite, but you can find options that are a lot cheaper than Trex. You'll just need to compare the various features and finishes.

I have a similar project on the horizon -- mainly railings. Good luck with it.

 

[Captain Dirty]

I had an IPE (Brazilian ironwood) deck installed over PT SYP framing about 7 years ago. No treatment (stain, etc.) except end grain sealer at installation. It has weathered to a pleasing (to me) grey patina; pressure washed last year, patina quickly returned. IPE is relatively expensive and difficult to work, cobalt to pre-drill for SS fasteners, carbide to cut. It has outlasted a friend's "mahogany" deck and is more stable and cooler underfoot than the plastic composite decks of other friends.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just replaced my deck boards; 1000 sq ft, about 8 ft above grade. I used YellaWood KDAT super select southern yellow pine. I believe they were right at $30 a piece for 5/4 x 6 x 16ft. Absolutely gorgeous boards with virtually no knots, all clear lumber. Picked them up in Rocky Mount, VA; the treatment plant is right across the street. Trex is not reliable in the long run, lot's of customer complaints.

 

[grsthegreat]

i made my forever deck using aluminum decking. Definitely not cheap, but will never do anything to it again except pressure wash.

Aluminum Decking

Enjoy your outdoor living with LockDry® and NextDeck® aluminum decking from Nexan Building Products, Inc. Why struggle with scraping, staining, seali...

www.nexaninc.com

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and it can be blazing hot, lake last months 106°, and i can walk on the deck barefooted.

 

[4570Man]

Just replaced my deck boards; 1000 sq ft, about 8 ft above grade. I used YellaWood KDAT super select southern yellow pine. I believe they were right at $30 a piece for 5/4 x 6 x 16ft. Absolutely gorgeous boards with virtually no knots, all clear lumber. Picked them up in Rocky Mount, VA; the treatment plant is right across the street. Trex is not reliable in the long run, lot's of customer complaints.

It used to fade badly but I’ve heard they’ve fixed that problem. I have no first hand experience with the product though.

 

[grsthegreat]

Neighbor has trex thats only a few years old. not only does it get so hot you can fry an egg on it, it is fading and warping.

 

[Jstpssng]

Last year I replaced my 25 year old Cedar decks with Larch decking, I had a few boards that needed to be replaced, scope creep turned the project into replacing all the deck boards. I hate pressure treated and don't care for the plastic alternatives. I bought mine from a local mill for less than half the price of premium pressure treated. If it lasts as long as my Cedar decking, the next replacement will not be mine. I have neighbors that used Larch for in ground fence posts, 15+ years with no failures due to rot.

Larch is harder than Cedar, I had to drill pilot holes for my screws. It looks as good as the Cedar, mostly clear with a few small tight knots. Larch is often mistaken for Cedar. I will oil it every 2 - 3 years. I was lucky enough to get all 16' boards, I have no seams/butt joints in 500+ sq ft of deck.

If you cannot find Larch, look for Cedar. Cedar decking retails here for a little more than premium pressure treated.

The only two drawback to larch are twisting and splinters. Once it's planed and screwed down properly though, it will outlast cedar and nearly any other common wood. In 2004 I built a deck with the old formulated pressure treatment. It didn't last as long as your cedar decking.

 

[ericm979]

My couple year old Trex deck hasn't warped. It's not significantly hotter in the sun than the redwood deck we had before, and it's a much darker color.

Since it's smooth and there's no splinters we can walk bare foot on it.

We considered ipe but if you don't stain it yearly, it turns gray which isn't what we wanted. To re-stain it you need to strip the old stain off first or it'll get really dark. That was a turnoff but what really killed it was the added work to install would have added a lot of cost to the project.

 

[RalphVa]

How high off the ground is it?

It is up high enough to put a 350 gallon tank underneath. About 6 ft.

 

[NorTracNY]

I would have never paid the extra cost for a Trex deck without the pain the front porch on the house had already given me. I am too busy to repaint every 1-2 years. Please be aware that the cost of a Trex deck is more than just buying the Trex boards. The material is a lot heavier and the substructure of your deck may need to be stronger. I've had the Trex deck now for about 15years. Zero boards have needed to be replaced, zero screws (used snapoff screws) have sheared or failed in any way, zero splinters in anyone feet, zero maintenance!!! We did have it washed about a month ago and it looks like new. Factoring those cost in, I'd argue that Trex is cheap! I still hate my front porch and may someday have it redone with Trex. I hate that I've been unable to keep a solid color stain or paint to last more than 2 years.

 

[coaster]

I would have never paid the extra cost for a Trex deck without the pain the front porch on the house had already given me. I am too busy to repaint every 1-2 years. Please be aware that the cost of a Trex deck is more than just buying the Trex boards. The material is a lot heavier and the substructure of your deck may need to be stronger. I've had the Trex deck now for about 15years. Zero boards have needed to be replaced, zero screws (used snapoff screws) have sheared or failed in any way, zero splinters in anyone feet, zero maintenance!!! We did have it washed about a month ago and it looks like new. Factoring those cost in, I'd argue that Trex is cheap! I still hate my front porch and may someday have it redone with Trex. I hate that I've been unable to keep a solid color stain or paint to last more than 2 years.

We've had our Trex deck now for a couple years and absolutely love it. Glad to hear that you've had no problems for 15 years. The previous posts talking about fading and warping had me a wee bit concerned.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Treated lumber made a few miles from me. 15 year ground contact. Bury it in a creek bottom for 15 years before it starts decay. But it may sound like a little place but he just sold it for 375 million. Canadian company bought it.

 

[grsthegreat]

The problem with trex up here might be due to snow and sun exposure. Not sure. Have had several customers complain about it. I did a gen service on one house month that had mold growing on deck in back yard. He said its trex deck. Deck was super slippery. But there ar3 millions of houses that love it.

 

[Jstpssng]

The problem with trex up here might be due to snow and sun exposure. Not sure. Have had several customers complain about it. I did a gen service on one house month that had mold growing on deck in back yard. He said its trex deck. Deck was super slippery. But there ar3 millions of houses that love it.

My PT deck gets slippery also, if I don't keep after it. I almost took a nasty digger last month when I stepped outside in a hurry and slipped on the slime. The only thing which save me was the railing the insurance company had made me put up.

 

[Passattdi]

We're at the point where our deck needs replacing again. Replaced the boards on the deck and rail top boards about 10 years ago. Two or 3 years ago, I had to replace several boards. Before that, I found that many of the torx screws had corroded and replaced more than half of them with SS.

Are the only 2 choices now either treated lumber or Trex? Today's treated lumber is a PITA. Won't hold a stain. Corrodes non SS screws. Just doesn't look good any more.

Trex seems beau coup expensive.

We've some roof rubber between joists draining to a gutter which drains to a 350 gallon tank underneath. Trex has something called Rainescape using butyl in place of the roof rubber and some downspout things.

Any experiences/recommendations?

Awaiting first bid and trying to get another outfit to come look and to bid.

Ralph

21 years ago put a 16x16 deck up. Standard PT structure and Thompson pressure treated decking. Kept it treated. No appreciable issues and hope it will last 20 more years with proper care.

 

[nyone]

Put a patio in..and never have to replace or stain it again.