I have a perfectly good wood deck. 2×6 treated appearance grade decking. No signs of rot or deterioration. No splitting or damage. I wanted to clean and paint it, but my wife insists on Trex. (It’s her money paying for it.) Is there any reason not to put the Trex right over the wood, board for board? The difference in height is not an issue. Part of the decking is cantilevered slightly so leaving the wood would eliminate the need for any tricky framing. Wetness is not an issue. (It may never rain again here.) Lots of other reasons I can see for leaving the wood. Are there any good reasons to remove it?
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If this deck is outdoors how can moisture and rot not be an issue? Where do you live, Namibia?
Also, I hope they've improved trex over the years because I've seen it fail notably in direct sunlight.
For the most part I've stopped using wood decking here at all due to sun and dryness. I've never experienced any problem with Trex. There is an existing Trex deck at this same location at least 10 years old with no problems. This is So. Cal. What little rain we get drys up quickly so with proper drainage and flashing trapped moisture is rare. I intend to seal the existing decking before installing anything over it. The only reason to replace/cover it is appearance.
If you're in a place where it rains with any regularity, and you place Trex or something similar directly over wood decking, the Trex will trap water and will greatly accelerate the rotting of the wood.
(About 20 years ago you'd see at building supply places some thin (maybe 1/2") plastic decking designed to go over the top of wood decking. I haven't seen it for a long time, and I'm wondering how it turned out for people who tried it.)
If she is paying for it, let her install it too?
Or a new wife?
You are married and it is still 'her money' and 'your money' ? So old school never heard of such a thing <G>
Actually ...
Not old school at all. Probably more new school. Sounds like togetherness. This is mine, that is yours, hey that is mine, this is ours. Ok, to each their own.
As for deck over deck. I would not do it. Even wihtout rain you will hose it down now and again and water will be traped. And teh Trek may well out live the wood and then you get to prematurely ripe the wood and the Trex out. Ok, to each their own