Are Existing Joists For A New Deck Acceptable???

Vinyl decking is yet another low-maintenance option, although one that offers a particularly non-traditional deck. In general, first an aluminum or vinyl track is installed across the joists, and then top pieces are snapped into place. From an environmental standpoint, composite decking is considered a “green” product because it is constructed with recycled materials and is very durable. Experienced builders may want to skip this paragraph, but for most homeowners, it’s important to get your terminology right. Start with Joists… Joists are the heart of your deck infrastructure.

After I pull off the old PT boards and remove the nails, should I in some way treat the existing 20 yr old joists before the new boards are attached? Such as fill in the old nail holes to minimize water infiltration? Of course, any major damage will be repaired but just wondering. I read others talking about filing nail holes, putting down waterproof membranes etc.

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Before installing any type of decking, you need a solid, flat surface to work on — this is where your deck frame comes in. A decking joist is a repeated board used as the structural base for your deck frame that is attached to the ledger via galvanized joist hangers.

This fact will greatly influence how you go about working with the material to reduce waste and make your project easier. Composites are made in a range of profiles to make boards lighter, easier to install, or both. Everything you need to finish a deck—fascia boards, railings, balusters, treads, and posts—is made in matching colors using the same composite material. As idyllic as your backyard deck could be, maintaining that elevated expanse of lumber can be a downright chore.

Check Deck Joist Spacing

If you have ever looked up at a deck from underneath, you’ve seen joists, which are dimensional lumber, (often 2×8’s or 2×10’s). They are set upright for strength, usually fastened to the house at one end, and sitting on top of a central support beam near the other end. Joists support the decking boards, which are fastened onto the joists from above. Joists are typically spaced out evenly for stability, ease of board installation and a clean look.

Remember, don’t miter outside corners of the ribbon or post wraps. For herringbone decks the best place to start is the center of the deck because it’s the longest run. Starting at a corner means using a very short piece and there’s too high of a chance for error in the alignment.

How To Lay Decking Joists For Composite Decking

• We had come across several issues during the inspection of the deck.
• Like most decking wood or composite there needs to be some space for expansion and contraction.
• I recently was on a home inspection for a home that was approximately 10 years old.
• These decks were constructed of a composite wood material that has become popularized as a maintenance free alternative to wood.
• During the inspection I was looking at 2 decks that were part of the home.

When I installed the new boards, they revealed 1/2 inch of unpainted siding along the bottom of the three walls surrounding the deck. To hide this I needed to add trim, and settled on a kind of makeshift base moulding for the deck. Here, I should interject that the homeowner decided to keep the existing wood handrail system , with the intention to stain the wood to match the color of the deck.

How To Fasten Composites Down

If you’ve ever wondered what becomes of your recycled grocery bags, check out your neighbor’s deck—it might be made of them. Another approach is to install an under-deck system or to add guttering beneath the decking boards to draw away the water. Such flanges may require you to cut your boards to accommodate their shape. If the product breaks down over time because of improper installation, the waterproofing will not be effective.

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The sundeck we remodeled for this issue of EHT had certainly seen better days, before the wood succumbed to the perils of direct ultraviolet rays. The deck had been slapped with a clear coat of water preservative, but that was the extent of protection.

More and more homeowners are choosing to have their decking built from composite lumber rather than use real wood. Composite lumber is made from recycled plastic, sawdust, and other wood byproducts. Composite decking requires little to no maintenance and won't rot, twist or splinter. More expensive than wood, but valued for its efficiency and striking resemblance to real wood which manufacturers have perfected, composite material is an excellent choice for decking. All my composite deck installations get the complete PVC trim treatment. The posts, porch roofs and the beam of the roof have PVC trim.

Times have changed, and now composite decking materials are far more affordable. Combined with the bug-fixes and the aesthetic tweaks, composite decking is ready to serve as actual competition for traditional wood decks. Expert advice on how to install and work with TREX and other composite decking materials, how to cut and fasten TREX, and framing for composite decking. Joists are structural elements that make up the entire framework of the deck.

Apply Joist Tape To The Top Surface Of Each Joist

And being situated on the second-story of a townhouse, there were no trees to shade it from that enormous nuclear cannon in the sky that we call the sun. The 2-by decking boards were no match for the power of Mother Nature, and the lumber had checked, warped and grayed. The deck floor was no longer in the same plane, nails were popping like a pan of Orville Redenbacher, and the cap rail had bowed into the shape of a miniature ski slope. It was time to get out with the old deck boards and in with the new—the “new” being low-maintenance composite decking.