Deck Rebuild Project - Pressure Treated Wood After 2 Years

[@charlespaterson9714]

Just to offer a side note regarding laying the boards - One thing that happens to boards exposed to the element is that they may tend to "cup" if the grain is laid facing up and ends up collecting/holding rainwater for longer periods which impacts the overall quality of the board. Although hard to tell on some boards, for most boards, you can look at their cut ends and notice the growth rings forming a U shape. The board will tend to warp over time in the direction of the rings. To minimize the effect, lay the board with the open end of the U-shape facing down to the ground and secure the board down. The board may still cup slightly, but it will be facing downwards and not retain water.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

Just FYI …This is called CROWNING the boards 🙂

[@marvinmorgan4130]

I too noticed right a way some boards were wrong. I refer to making the end grain with a "Happy Face".

[@eskilover]

Marvin Morgan if you make a happy face when the boards shrink they will cup up and water will sit on the surface.

[@marvinmorgan4130]

I don't argue, but turned to the classic book "Understanding Wood", A craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology"; by R. Bruce Hoadley. Page 124 discribes CUPPING and notes the direction of WARPAGE. I will stay with the "Happy Face" on the end grain to avoid a gutter and to have water runoff. Look it up to understand.

[@eskilover]

Marvin Morgan I stand corrected. You are correct sir.

[@jimpie231]

Thanks for the video, great resource as always. I built a deck in 2014 on my ranch built in 2013. The deck was 16’ x 48’ long (768 sqft). The green deck board on the house was installed by the builder when the house was built, installed before & under the vinyl siding. I also installed a drip flashing in between. The surface boards were like yours but white cedar. The deck design was a cantilever off the home (13…4’ foot deep holes were dug and rebar was used and cement was mixed by hand in a wheelbarrow). The framing was 2 x 10’s all green lumber, 16” centers with double hangars with Tico nails. All boards were 16’ and 8’ long. First row (starting at the home) was 3…16’ boards, Second row was an 8’…then 16’….then 16’….then 8’. Third row was same as first, Fourth was same as second, etc. I used 3” colored screws with square holes rather than Phillips head all were painted. I used 2…screws on every stud. Drilling and counter sinking the end of each board (we used 2 electric screw guns with an insert using an end that had a square drive bit and flipped to an drill with a counter sink). Three of us did all the deck boards in 6 hours. I also installed a natural gas line with 2 shutoffs, one in the basement and another 16’ from the grill, for safety reasons. I also installed conduit and remote switches. One line for the grill (rotisserie power) and the other for outside lighting. All of this was by code with permit and inspections. I started on the deck in April and finished it in July. The deck was stained one time and it wore off during the winter (Chicago area). The 32’ railing is in good shape as are the 2 stairs (one in the center of the deck, other in a corner). Thanks…. Jim

[@gBayCanada]

Just built such a deck and used shorter boards with seam in the middle and picture frame around the outside. Looks great and you have more control over the quality of the boards. I also used the Camo system and like it. Clean your PT lumber well before sealing it and use and oil-based product and not a water-based one. Get one with a high UV protection. I now used joist-guard membranes as well. Worth the extra cost and time. Finally, after building and rebuilding decks over the years as a DYI'er, I now only use composite decking to finish them. I'm too old to be sanding decks!

[@JLocker]

Was shocked you didn't seal it buddy =). I can't speak though, put up a wood fence a month ago and have not yet sealed either. Let's both get to work!

[@mjc0961]

Wait, there's a whole series of deck videos? Time to get the popcorn.

[@claudiolima5523]

Scott...Great job rebuilding your deck & adding steps...one tip I would suggest to make your ledger board last much longer, (since it looks like the original builder didn't provide proper flashing on the ledger) before you seal the deck boards, remove the one deck board next to the house and use "Flashing tape" on the exposed edge of the entire ledger board ( the top edge of ledger boards & joists are the most prone spots for decay & rotting on the deck framing). All the decks I have ever been hired to repair have had the most damage on the top edges of joists & ledgers that were not properly protected by using "joist flashing tape." You can get G-tape acrylic joist flashing tape, 1-roll of 2"x 65ft from Decks Direct for about $23-$25/roll (also comes in wider rolls). This may make the difference on your ledger board lasting just another 6 years or making it another 12-15years. The deck framing is the most expensive part of a deck to replace, that's why most "Professional Deck Builders" never complete a deck frame without using joist flashing tape. Great videos....Keep up the Great Work...

[@moodberry]

Thanks. That's what I thought. Since composite is almost indestructible I think I will be using it for my next deck.

[@avalencia90650]

Thank you for your review bud I saw your original build series and it helped me to know what things to expect in the aftermath of the install! Blessings.

[@robinishmael7980]

I too used the Camo screws for my 1500 sq. ft. wood deck (3 years ago) but I have not had good luck with this overall. I think the Camo system is really meant for composite boards, just as an after thought. Many of my boards have pulled away from the screws as the boards shrank. The boards then curled badly resulting in me having to screw down the boards through the tops to the joists. The Camo system looks good (invisible) but I would not do it again for wood boards.

[@theElderberryFarmer]

I had a similar experience using 5/4x6 radius edge pressure treated deck boards with the Camo system. I was skeptical, so I installed 6 rows of boards and stopped. After only 3 weeks, the boards were warping and popping past the screws. I ended up face screwing the entire deck (about 600 sf). The boards stayed put by face screwing, and I used Thompson's water seal once the deck was complete. Despite sealing the deck annually, after only 5 years the deck boards look like hell. There are tons of checks and deep cracks on the surface of almost all of the boards, I scabbed scraps of 2x8 joists wherever I had to place butt joints to avoid screwing 2 ends into a single joist - but most of the deck boards have developed splits from the screw to the cut ends of the boards anyway. Note that I pre-drilled ALL of the holes before driving screws. This is the 2nd deck I've built using this trash decking material (the first was in NJ - the second in NC). It will be the last one. I'll try a composite decking material next time.

[@johnrussell1354]

I just commented on this video and I like the Camo screws, but there are some tips to make them work well. Check out my comment and let me know what you think.

[@Sara-es2hn]

Should have seen this video before I did my deck. I used Gorilla wood glue mixed with sawdust. It stained well, and has held up for 6 months. Looks fine.

[@smirkinatu5512]

Thank you for recording and posting this educational video.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Happy to help.

[@apfelbasket]

Thanks for the update. We prefer artificial wood for decks & other projects made pretty much of plastic/PVC!

[@readyplayer2]

There are upsides and downsides to both. Plastic decking doesn’t look as nice as a well maintained cedar deck, can get extremely hot in direct sun, and depending on shade and rain, can discolor badly from mold / mildew. After a couple of decades, you’re then adding a huge amount of plastic waste to the landfill. Of course, with wood, there’s a lot more maintenance. Few people ever said on a dry and beautiful summer weekend, “you know, I’d love to spend this weekend pressure washing, sanding, and staining my deck.” Or maybe they said that the first time, but never again. 😂

[@jonathans5278]

Just wanted to give a side note to your comment about how you didn't have an overhang on the end of your deck, when I build my decks I start on the outside edge first setting the desired overhang and layout towards the house that way when I get to the house I can measure and rip the last row of deck boards up next to the building.

[@carlb1409]

Hey sorry to bother. But you comment kinda hit my above question/comment. Moving from outside in does seem like the correct way. Here's my kinda-but-not-handy question - My deck planks have very slight gaps and in some cases no gap. Which I assume is the reason water sits much longer and sometimes overnight after rain. Given your statement, should I remove the closest deck plank that is maybe 3 inches to the house and pull up all the others and separate? Then just nail in different spots to stay away from the existing nail holes? Or will the existing bowing make that bad idea???

[@jonathans5278]

@@carlb1409 when I build my decks, I always put a 3/16 gap between all planks. That allows plenty of gap for water run off and for where I live allow for snow to melt and have a place for it to melt and run off. Easiest way I've found to gap the boards consistently is use the side edge of a speed square which is 3/16".

[@michaelmitchell6131]

I’m sure it’s been said, but definitely keep an eye on cupping the board correctly…that’s why that board and others I could visibly notice…also and I don’t know if anybody else has found this, if I have my lumber delivered and left on site for as long as possible before installation, I have better success with the gaps and shrinking etc

[@shubinternet]

Composite decking does have certain advantages, but it also has some problems. Among other things, composite decking is not as fire resistant as properly sealed and treated wood decking.

[@JM-gz1ej]

Would prefer composite decking instead to save all the maintenance hassles

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🙂 SCOTT …great to share your mistakes and lessons learned 🤗😞but sadly the quality of the lumber was not that good back in the day …and has gotten worse … making it VERY DIFFICULT to get good boards ( actually getting the longest boards was a wise decision …because they come from older growth trees )

[@tenzinminz5150]

oh wow i am so glad you made this video. saw your other video and needed to ask for updates! : ) i've bought the camo system but hesitant in using it. :) thanks

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

No, you should be good with the Camo system 👍

[@williamwatson171]

I installed a pressure treated deck only waterproof once and fifteen years later in full sun still in decent condition .

[@ajimenez251]

Congrats on the deck. I built mine 15+ years ago and used "Tiger Claws" for the fasteners (no longer available ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). I have mixed feelings about choosing them. They fasten to the deck structure & to each board on the sides. This is bad because you can't remove a board for maintenance, but good be cause they have not come loose and look great. A lot of warping though over 15 years with large gaps = 1/4" in some places. I also did not seal the deck right away but did later (2yrs) and then finally about 2 yrs ago got Red Valspar paint sealer from Lowes which covered up the imperfections in my 16 foot planks. My deck is 320 square feet: 16'x21'. I still get a lot of comments about how clean it looks. Its still in pretty good shape after 15+ years

[@Paarthurnaxdova]

Did you gap your PT boards on install?

[@DrLoveQc]

Is it treated wood? looks a bit green so maybe..nowdays I only see the brown treated wood in stores. Im very surprise to see that much gray and twist for such a new deck. I live in Canada with tons of snow/ice and my deck is 24yrs old, made with 2x6x12 boards. I had to replace some over the years but still going strong. I use opaque stain every 3 years on floor and every 6 yrs on vertical wood. I added a privacy wall 2yrs ago that I need to stain and it looks still brown wood color. For stain I would rather use semi opaque but the deck was opaque when I bought the house and sanding down to bare wood was lot of work on a 12x28 deck. The deck will be replace in the next 5yrs to redo the frame and sonotube that are getting a bit old but still strong enough.

[@eh2341]

Nice job. Too bad about the lack of overhang. When I put our deck/porch system 4 years ago I (immediately after completion) started sealing it with Thompson's. A roller couldn't be used as the sealer seemed to run and puddle on top of the wood. I ended up on hands+knees using a paint brush and it came out looking fairly good. In the years since I have rolled the sealer on. The difference (?), the wood had dried (at least I think that's the difference). I'm wondering how long the wood needs to dry before sealing. The decking was 5 quarter and purchased from a big box. It felt wet enough where I wore gloves while working with it. The Thompson's holds up great, especially on the porches.

[@Touch_Finger]

@eh2341 Someone at a big box store told me to wait two years to seal my PT cedar tone deck that I built last year. I decided to ignore that advice and sealed it after three months. It still looks beautiful after a second coat so far. I used composite decking though.

[@harvey66616]

While you're right, you should've sealed the deck long ago, I would suggest that your statement that it should've been sealed within a month or so isn't correct either. It's hard enough getting properly dried lumber these days, and there's no chance of getting dried pressure-treated lumber. It's going to be delivered sopping wet, and will take months at least, if not close to a year, to air-dry. If you try to put anything on it, the moisture in the wood is just going to make your finish fail early, possibly immediately. If you can get your hands on really _dry_ boards (maybe you've got a lumber store that goes above and beyond, or maybe you've got the luxury of buying the lumber months early, stacking it with stickers, and letting it dry before using it), pressure treated or not, then sure...go ahead and seal that right away. The sooner the better. But do make sure the boards are truly dry before you do that (moisture meters are not that expensive, so best thing is just to get one of those and determine for sure what the moisture content is, to make sure it's low enough to apply any sort of finish).

[@David.M.]

Thanks, I need to seal my deck as well.

[@honsville]

The prices right now in my area, 2x6x8 treated is the same price as a deck board. Hmm...

[@reaperasylum]

I would give those decking systems like deckrite or something like that a try, couldn't be any more expensive than the wood.

[@YSLRD]

The problem with the synthetic stuff is if you're off level or square just a tiny bit, it will squeak forever.

[@gpaul8062]

Good video, good job.

[@hassanbazzi3545]

Nice work. The pad looks nice 👍

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Yeah, I have a few guys that help me with rehab project over here today to get the landscaping in order. Need to start getting out and enjoying the weather a bit more ☀️👍

[@hassanbazzi3545]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs of course. I have finished mine since I live in Florida and I am extremely happy. Good luck

[@ralfkramden9291]

At current pricing there is only a $2 - $3 difference between PT lumber and the cheaper Trex. My son is looking to rebuild his deck (previous owner didn't take care of it and the builders did a half-assed job). So I'm steering him toward the Trex, with the notion of much less maintenance after the deck is laid.

[@Paarthurnaxdova]

Trex is awesome but gets mega hot and is extremely slippery. Just FYI

[@aabyron3471]

Good job! But was trying to understand why the starting point of the board layout was NOT at the front edge with an overhang, so that the cut board would be closest to the house. Same with laying tile. The starting point of tile should be at the door opening (usually centered) - that way the cut tiles will be by the tub or shower and/or behind the toilet.

[@smittyone66]

a nother question if I power wash the deck before I seal it how long do I need to wait after the wash?

[@Paula-vr5rm]

our deck when it was built it had no flashing installed , so how can we go back and put flashing without tearing up the deck , no flashing was put up around the deck and home

[@TonyMcCartney]

The board that curled is upside down. The end grain should be a smile. 😊 Bark side up.

[@jameslufrano8847]

What’s h4 and oil mean ?

[@wingdwolf56]

5/4 decking, especially from big box stores is crap! It is so wet, that it’s almost impossible to not get shrinking and warping; more so when not laid cup down. I learned long ago to always buy #1 treated for a quality lumber company. With treated lumber prices today, Trex, or another composite decking is the way to go. And just a bit of personal advice: use something better than Thomson’s Water Seal. It does ‘ok’ with water but not with the sun. Ok, I’ll shut up now!

[@ekummel]

I have to agree with you on both points you make. I purchased #1 decking boards for my staggered decks (one deck is 16X16 and the other is 15X16) Even after sealing them with Thompson's, it didn't even last two summers. The deck is southern facing and that side of the house is all windows..so the deck gets it from the sun and reflected off the windows...so super scorching sun! Thompsons just didn't handle that amount of sun. My project next year (after 10 years of this deck) is to rip out all the deck boards, railings and trim and replace with Trex or other composite dumber

[@tactileslut]

Do they still make Cuprinol? What would you prefer over Thompson's?

[@wingdwolf56]

I’ve had good luck with Cabot. It’s pricy but the UV protection is better than Thompson. My neighbor used Thompson Advanced 2 years ago and it’s holding up well.

[@geraldc.37]

Hi Scott Great you can provide a update long after your install with 20 /20 hindsight. Shocking to see the gaps from shrinking with zero clearance. Thompsons sealer would not be an option for me, anything else is better. My 30 year old deck is at end of life, and its highly probable I'm going to be using a cement pad with cement stairs to relace it. why? maintenance maintenance maintenance with wood. On hot sunny days the deck is unusable till shade.

[@carlb1409]

Hi I've got a few questions and didn't see where on your homepage to send a message. On this specific video - there looked like there was a bowing on the bottom of the boards. Did I see that wrong? I'm fixing and deck and thought it looked like that jig didn't secure the meat of the planks down. Also, you mentioned that you had not laid the planks with any gap. But the gaps were created during the 2 years since. I have the no-gap problem on my deck. Consequently, it leaves water on the surface for at least 1/2 day longer then evaporation would normally take. Which causes algae.

[@pdmark311]

I see two issues. One could have been fixed easy on install. You did not place the crown up as you installed them. Second issue is you didn't need 24ft boards given the shape of the deck. I would have done a picture frame box around the edge of the deck. And I stalled the boards at a 30° angle to match the door. So you could get away with 14' boards.

[@TxTropicalPond]

The board that is cupping and needed more screws is installed bark side up

[@samjones1954]

You need to scrub those boards with deck wash before you consider sealing them.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

for sure, needs a good cleaning 👍

[@jake9705]

1) Why not seal or varnish or paint the boards on all surfaces first prior to cutting and installing? 2) Why were the boards not glued down in addition to being screwed down?

[@marcmandel7195]

Green treated /pressure treated lumber (which is what he used here) will not accept any sealant / stain / paint (really any liquid) until it has been weathered. Depending on climate and exposure, that may take 6 months to a year.

[@butchs2337]

give your opinion on which side of the board should go, as in bark side up or down, i hear so many different answers

[@johnrussell1354]

I wish our deck was ONLY 350 sq. feet! Ours is 2000 sq. feet, around a 30 foot above ground pool! I NEVER would have installed a wood deck this big, but we liked the house and the pool and... now we have a maintenance nightmare! The previous owners did not use treated lumber for all the joists!!! @#$#!!! DON'T EVER DO THIS!!! Now we are rebuilding the entire deck! It's divided into 3 sections so we rebuilt the middle section 3 years ago. Now we are rebuilding the rest. Lessons learned: -Camo screws work good, but use the longer Camo screws. - Install double joists at the ends of the deck boards. This provides more area to install screws, and you can double screw the board ends to prevent them peeling up. - install 4" asphalt roofing tape on top of the joists to protect them - Thompson's water seal works the best, but you still need to do it every year, and you can't do it for 3 to 6 months after you install the boards. They need plenty of time to dry out before staining/ sealing or it will just peel up. It still peels a lot, but I think eventually it will stay on pretty well. - There are lots of good resources and ideas online. Do your homework before starting a deck project. - The number one lesson is DON'T BUILD A GIANT DECK! Keep the deck small and manageable.

[@BrianFarmer-o5q]

How much did the "new" joists shrink, and was it a problem?

[@mightymikee1]

why did you install your deck board with the grain in a smile (grain up) then grain down (rainbow or frown) ?

[@setdown2]

Just my two cents….😊 most of the boards are upside down….you don’t want smiling face you want a frown face A smiling face will trap water in the dark summer growth ring …

[@williamwatson171]

Notice some decking boards were crown up and down. Is that okay

[@smittyone66]

My deck is also about 2 years old and should seal it how do you recommend applying the sealer?

[@moodberry]

Since the cost of wood is more now, would you advocate for composite materials instead of wood?

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

The cost gap between pressure treated and composite has closed a lot so it is much more compelling to go with composite.

[@hawaiiantimes7702]

I can’t believe the boards shrank in length as well.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Yeah, unfortunately the modern pressure treated comes in super wet 99% of the time and that means when all that moisture finally pulls out the boards shrink fairly dramatically. Kind of a pain.

[@hawaiiantimes7702]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs thanks for the response. I’m picture framing the deck boards and this shrinkage is freaking me out now. I think I’m gonna make my center spine board frame wider just in case.

[@REDNECKCHANNEL]

INTERESTING

[@loopy7057]

You know pressure treated timber is only done to kill pests, not to protect against wood warping or weather damage? It has to be H4 treated and oiled regularly

[@Lboogie23]

Man, should have stained your deck around 3 days after installation. That worked for me and I had no splits or cracks since. 6 months now.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

CAMO WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN MY DAY or I would have used it …also Trex was not either 🤗😞

[@Sam-ey1nn]

Trex decks are so much better. Zero maintenance, never look old, never rot. Keeping wood outdoors looking good is so labor intensive. I'd recommend just painting the deck. You'll need to repaint eventually, but still probably less work than sealing the whole thing every year.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Does your Trex deck get pretty hot? That is the only regular complaint I hear.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

Actually IMHHO …staining works better than paint …But in any case the most important step is preparation and getting the Best Quality paint or stain …and all require regular maintenance 😍😍😍

[@readyplayer2]

Painting a deck is not good advice. Water will get under the paint, it’ll bubble, and you’ll have a huge job scraping it off and redoing it with stain. A friend made this mistake. Use an opaque stain if you want a paint like finish without visible grain. Opaque stains will also protect against UV damage much longer, but I personally much prefer the more natural appearance of a semi transparent stain.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

@@readyplayer2 🤗👍I Totally agree

[@toddodom1829]

Crown up

[@catblue6393]

👍🏻

[@vancedemoranville7677]

Your board was put in wrong grain of wood ring. Smiley face up not down

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

You kept no attention to grain orientation and all which is not "best practice" in such work...

[@avalon449]

Looks like you didn’t seal the boards. The “new” decking looks just like the old decking now.

[@johnmirbach2338]

😎👌👍✌️🖖🤓

[@richardlindsey7112]

Second