Any decking professionals out there?

[biosurfer1]

The deck I have on my new (to me) house is garbage so it's getting replaced.

Still zeroing in on what I want to replace with but thinking about Tigerwood for several reasons.

The deck was originally made with 24"OC joists that seem fine for the 2x6 currently out there (I assume, most existing boards are rotted). I know 4/4 x 6 Tigerwood boards would be pushing it but what about 5/4?

From what I have read, it looks like I'll be going to 12"OC most likely, so my next question would be what is the best way to add the joists to an existing deck. Currently the deck is about 3' off the ground. For ease of leveling, should I try and add the joists with the current deck boards left in place? I inspected the existing joists and luckily they have aged well, no rot etc. At least if I have to go to 12" joists I can easily for 4/4 boards.

[drcoastline]

Good choice to go to 12"centers. will stiffen the entire structure and remove any bounce. Removing the existing decking first it will make hanging the joists easier. After removing the decking and prior to hanging new joists you can re-square the deck. Hang the new joists with the appropriate sized joist anger available from any hardware store.

at 12" centers 4/4 or 5/4 will be fine. your choice

Screw the new decking down. Screws hold faster and are easily removed with out damage in the event a repair is needed.

[drcoastline]

BTW- by going to 12" centers you will be doubling the amount of joists so adding a lot of weight. You may want to add additional support under the deck prior to re-decking to prevent sagging and add strength.

[biosurfer1]

Thanks...just went and crawled under there to take a good look. Wood looks fine but oh man did the original contractor do **** work. Looks like most of the joist hangers have common nails that are rusting and several I can see are pulling out.

I'll be going with hidden fasteners and getting pre-grooved boards. I actually don't mind the exposed screw look (as long as its done correctly) but after seeing some well done Tigerwood decks with hidden fasteners, I like the look better.

Sure aren't giving away those boards but the money I'll save doing to work myself will help.

[Tobra]

I hope you are not starting that this weekend, you might spontaneously combust. Supposed to hit a buck ten by Monday

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by Tobra

I hope you are not starting that this weekend, you might spontaneously combust. Supposed to hit a buck ten by Monday

Not a chance Toby, this is a late fall/winter project. I'll be floating my pool all weekend😀

[dad911]

Just curious, what is the depth of the joists (2x8, 2x10)? and the distance (span) from the house to the girder?

[john70t]

That rings a bell.

Tiger wood is quite exotic, strong, and extremely dense.
Hard as nails.
What about stain? Will tigerwood grain even accept stain other than Penofin?

Any decking material is only as strong as it's foundation and drainage.
You are in California and probably not have any moisture/rotting problems long term.
Is this overkill?
I just have to ask.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by dad911

Just curious, what is the depth of the joists (2x8, 2x10)? and the distance (span) from the house to the girder?

Existing joists are PT 2x10 as they span 14' at the longest section (roughly half the deck, other half is ~8'.

Tigerwood does accept some stains specifically formulated for it, however I like the natural look and would probably only use penofin.

Overkill? Maybe but I'd rather not do this more than once. I can deal with maintenance once a year but replacing a deck of this size (750sq. ft.) is a one and done project for me.

[john70t]

I'm a cheap bastard, personally, and would take a floor sander to it as long as there is integrity left in the existing wood.
Sorry for the off-topic comments.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by john70t

I'm a cheap bastard, personally, and would take a floor sander to it as long as there is integrity left in the existing wood.
Sorry for the off-topic comments.

If only I could John, I would love that. Unfortunately the previous owners did a terrible job maintaining this house and the deck was no different.

They put down boards that don't appear to be pressure treated then just painted it with some thick crap that makes getting screws out a huge pain. I would say 75% of the boards have rotted, some very badly. my friend already put his foot through the middle of one board. Can't put enough lipstick on this pig😀

[john70t]

Yeah if you can stick a screwdriver deep into the wood it's probably close to being toast.

Putting a foot through it? Dig it all out and start from scratch. OMG.
Double up the foundation posts and the joists.
Sister together using toggle thru bolts if necessary.
Don't trust the existing to carry load.

[msk1986911]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

The deck I have on my new (to me) house is garbage so it's getting replaced.

Still zeroing in on what I want to replace with but thinking about Tigerwood for several reasons.

The deck was originally made with 24"OC joists that seem fine for the 2x6 currently out there (I assume, most existing boards are rotted). I know 4/4 x 6 Tigerwood boards would be pushing it but what about 5/4?

From what I have read, it looks like I'll be going to 12"OC most likely, so my next question would be what is the best way to add the joists to an existing deck. Currently the deck is about 3' off the ground. For ease of leveling, should I try and add the joists with the current deck boards left in place? I inspected the existing joists and luckily they have aged well, no rot etc. At least if I have to go to 12" joists I can easily for 4/4 boards.

What did you end up using? Our deck (pressure treated pine) has seen better days and needs to be replaced (just the decking and rails, not the framing). The cost for just the deck boards, in Tigerwood, is about $1,600 plus about another $1,400 for railing and other hardware items (the deck is only 16' x 12'. Pressure treated pine costs about $500 just for the boards. Any thoughts on either? If you installed Tigerwood, how well has it held up and what kind of maintenance does it require?

Thanks

Mike

[stealthn]

Doing ours now, going with TimberTek decking, tired of wood...

[911boost]

I used TimberTek the Tropical collection in Antique Palm last fall. I am very happy with how it came out.

12" OC

The deck is pretty large and I can take some pictures if you would like.

[biosurfer1]

The Tigerwood looks good, but I'm not 100% happy with the deck. It's fine and will do and should last a while, but there are imperfections, which maybe are bigger in my mind since I did the work, but it's still bothers me. Some shrinking, warping and gaps are growing between some boards. I've fixed a bunch but it's not 100%. It was a HUGE price difference for composite decking so not sure if it would have been 5x better for the 5x price difference.

With that much of a difference for the pine, I would just go with that if it were me. The cost, expertise and luck involved to get a perfect deck isn't worth it to me knowing what I know now.

Sure is beautiful wood though.

[biosurfer1]

Picture of almost finished deck:

[biosurfer1]

BTW, some eagle eyed viewers might be able to spot my giant brain fart in this picture.

Hint: the old man is snoring

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

BTW, some eagle eyed viewers might be able to spot my giant brain fart in this picture.

Hint: the old man is snoring

Where is your downspount going to drain?

I just finished a deck. I put in a 20' long, 3' deep french drain, and used a hole saw to make a nice neat hole for the downspout to go through the deck into the drain.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Where is your downspount going to drain?

I just finished a deck. I put in a 20' long, 3' deep french drain, and used a hole saw to make a nice neat hole for the downspout to go through the deck into the drain.

You got it. Luckily I can easily remove the board it has to pass through and clear a path. I wanted to do it before I screwed it down but oh well.