Hey folks,
I just got into this house and it has a “nice” PT deck of about 750 sq. ft. It was put on about a year ago and every one of the boards was put in upside down. When it rains it looks like a row of water troughs. It’s doing what pt does and my 2 yr. old kid is getting lots of splinters. I’d like to sand and stain the deck but I feel like I need to get rid of the cupping first. What should I do? Get a floor sander and flatten everything out? Would it recup? I would probably have to put a new radius on the edges after taking off the cup and I’d probably go through the screw heads. It’s screwed down but the heads snap when I try to back them out so flipping the boards isn’t a good option. I don’t want to spend the cash for new materials (trex, for instance would be about $2,400). I don’t want to get into the painting and scraping cycle either. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m all ears.
Thanks!
George
Replies
Are there any gaps between the boards? What'ds the chances of running a bearing-guided router bit between the boards to chamfer the edges? 'Nother thought - didn't I see where one of the trex-type boards is now available in 1/2" thickness, to be used as an overlay on existing decks?
There are gaps between the boards but the gaps are not big enough for a bearing. If I ended up routing I might have to go with one (or several) of those cheap stamped steel bits. I still don't know what to do about the screw heads though. I'm afraid it would look nasty to just sand them off and leave them and I still don't know if the boards would recup. I may be in a no win situation.
Thanks for your reply!
I can't remember which way the board should go to prevent the cupping in the first place. Should the growth rings on the end be a smile or a frown? My first thought would be frown but it seems like there was some discussion about this a year ago and the concensus was different.
Eric
Hey man,,,welcom to the cca pine support group,,,It is the nature of yellow pine to warp, twist, splinter and generly go crazy in the sun,,there is no way to stop it,no matter how you fassen it down or what kind of finish you put on it,,or how many times you sand it,,,it was not made to lay face down in the sun,,,its great for framing,,but even when we have to put the posts in the ground like for a trellis,,we always wrap them in what ever we are decking with,,then its like forever,it will last longer than steal in the ground,,,and as a side bar,,dont use Trex,,,they have a lot of problems down the road,,not to mention their business pratices in the last year or so,,take it up and use the decking for something ealse,,like I have a mountian of 2x6 cca at my shop totaly cracked and splintered on one side,,perfect on the other,or try the timber teck topper,,its 1/2" thick X51/2" wide,,made to cover the cca 2x6,,see what the price thing will do up against new decking,,,sorry man,,its a bitch,,,I see it all the time,,cca was just markted wrong,,,gready b######s,,,,John Hyatt deckmastersllc.com
Looks like John has the info I couldn't remember...if I could only remember what he said. Oh yeah...it's called timber teck topper (but I question his spelling) and it's 1/2 x 5-1/2. 'Course, you've probably got 3-1/2" boards :) As to the router, what about using a top-bearing bit with a rip of plywood temporarily tacked to the deck for a guide? Or maybe a Porter Cable templet guide. The boards would probably still cup when wet, but if the edges were relieved the water might drain faster. This also might solve some of the edge splintering.
OMG..I am geting nailed for spelling,,,ghessssss I cant do anything righy,rithr,,,Right,,,,I am just a poor craftmen, trying to ekk out an honest living with a few simple tools, no education,just trying to make an honest living in a dishonest world,,ok,,it dident work with the IRS nither,,,CCA Pine is whats going on here in OKC,,and I agree it is not made for decking even tho its marketed that way,but I dont agree with the rings down or up thing,,wood cups because its hot on top ,wet on the bottom,,its just the nature of wood even Ipe will do it ,I always install vents in the skirting to give some cross ventlation that helps a lot ,Trex,,,,,they really p###d me off with the big picture add they had all over,,you know the one, looks like its on big sur,,when its like a 4x8 model made up on plywood, if you cant build it dont show it then the repair calls I get form really mad people with black mold patches coming up in the decking and handrail,and of course Trex stonewalls and trys to sell them some type of cleaner,,and then there is the business pratice of the last 2 years or so,jamming up there retailers with all the product they can pile on the racks,no payment due you guys just keep the stuff,this makes it look like they had sold it on the Trex Books, they sell out,the stock goes down and a few guys make a lot of money,,sound a little like enron?,,this Co. does not deserve one nickle of my money John Hyatt deckmastersllc.com
So if you used wood, it wouldn't get mold on it like the Trex?
Ken Hill
Hey Ken,,,mildew will form on anythng,the Trex problem is coming from inside the stuff, OK one call I went on,,the worst case,,we power washed it with TWP striper,Oxlic acid wash,,the stuff was back in 3 months,,,,this is a project with no trees or plants around,,,it was coming from inside the trex decking,,,we went back and did the same thing ,,,put two coats of TWP cedar tone natural on it,,the color really sucked,,,that was 2 years ago,,its not great but its better,,Trex was total stonewall,,the whole business thing with them stinks,,,,,
Didn't mean to insult your spelling. I should have been more clear. I think you called it Timber Teck (can't get back to the origianel message on this #@%&%$# new format) but actually I think its Timber Tech. A minor point, unless someone is trying to do a search with the wrong spelling, and then they'll have problems finding the product. Hey! At least I didn't insult you for being from Okie-homa. (Know why Texas doesn't fall into the Gulf? Because Okie-homa #### so much.)
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Okie jokes,,,god,,,I got to tell you man,,I lived in Eugune Oregon for 12 years right after I got out of the military,,I had a 100' walk bridge made with steal cable and plywood over a fast runing creek with no handrail,,,the only way to get to my house,,,Lovley country,,so liberal anything goes kinda place,,when I got there Like no speed limit and no narcotic dept,,when I left,,the DA,young Pat Horton,,and his staff carried Uzies with them in the cars,,true story,,,the folks here are good old boys it too a little calture shock,,but is home,,,and I like NASCAR a lot better than any ball game,,if it dosent have fenders,,its just a bunch of guys playing with balls,,uppers,,almost forgot,,dont use cca pine as decking there is no fixing it,,tear it off and send it to green piss,,,O Imean green pease,,,come on!! Im just a red neck,,,really laughing out loud,,,John
John-
Hey bud, so enlighten us all and do tell about these Trex problems.
Ken Hill
John- what's up with you and Trex? I haven't heard of one problem here on the West Coast, and if there was Trex would come running to resolve it.
A treated deck here would be Hem/Fir (ground contact) guaranteed to shrink crack and cup if laid flat because it is deck framing material not surface material.
If your replacement Trex would be $2400 divided by $1.60 that means you have a 1500 lf or a 600 sq.ft. deck.
You could by 2100 lf of cedar to cover that X .40 for $840. if is is available in your area.
I would not try to save your existing decking unless you want to put a Band-Aid on the whole situation. But then that is only one mans opinion. Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
SYP PT Decks are usually decked with the best side up. I'll bet if you can look under your deck, you'll see a lot of bark edges and/or inked lumber stamps. The lesser of the two weevils...
with the frown down, the cup's up
lot to be said for porches...
How about putting some treated plywood on top, with indoor/outdoor carpet over it ???
Just kidding.................(-: