Someone wants to expland an existing deck. The deck boards themselves will of course be all replaced. The joist structure underneth looks to be in very good condition (although the 4×4 post supports need replacing), so I was pondering the possibility of saving the existing joist structure. The deck is about 15 years old.
I’ve done several deck replacements before where I just ripped out everything and started new… obviously the safest bet, but does seem wastfull to throw away so much wood that is still in good shape and appears to be stable for a long time to come. Decking boards do seem to go down hill around here (Raleigh NC area, pressure treated) after 15 to 20 years. I’ve never really seen a deck joist rot out though. What’s the life expectancy for the treated joist?
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Memory isn't what it used to be but I think above-ground CCA-treated wood was rated for a 20-year lifespan. I'd go ahead and replace the joists and bands.
But that's just MHO, YMMV.
Bill