Deck Materials

[vytoland]

our deck needs to be replaced...it sets entirely on the ground, currently made with treated lumber.... boards have begun to split, warp and screws come away from the foundation boards underneath....

which type of deck materials have you been happy with....why would you choose them again or not?

WOOD...treated lumber, natural (cedar, redwood)
Composite
Plastic

durability...long life; little/no maintenance.....

 

[SweetMK]

Depending on the age of the deck, and the materials originally used,,,
possibly you can just turn the boards over and save a LOT of $$$,,,

 

[dave1918a2]

Out here We use the compressed plastic. Lots of snow and rain.

 

[Maddog 521]

I don't like any pressure treated wood.

What Are the Dangers of Pressure-Treated Wood? | eHow
If I was building a deck I'd use cedar or redwood. That's just me though.

 

[arjay]

Ive built a lot of redwood decks,beautiful when new,ugly later.Id use trex on my next one

 

[SweetMK]

Ive built a lot of redwood decks,beautiful when new,ugly later.Id use trex on my next one

I would use Trex on new construction,,, but,,,,
support spacing may be too wide to replace wood with Trex.

I have heard many reports of spongy decks.

 

[amazingflapjack]

If I had one that sits on the ground, I would use concrete, and I would pour it 6 inches deep, with both steel and fiber reinforcement, and I would pour a 1 foot perimeter footer with rebar in it tied in to the enforcement wire. Even if you don't do the deck to this level of strength, I would definitely pour the replacement. I just did my drive way as described-no more driveway problems.

 

[LittleCooner]

Midwest Black Locust

I think you would be pleased with a black locust deck. Do a little homework and call a few local sawmills and see if you could pick up some 1 inch boards from a mill. I looked a long time in my part of the world and finally found a mill/timber buyer who cut me about 600 board feet at about the same price as red oak. Probably cost me about 50 cents a running foot for the one inch by 8 inch wide by 12 foot long boards picked up at the mill.

 

[federali]

Trex Also

I too would use Trex. I used it as the floor plate for my walls when I rebuilt my finished basement, following Hurricane Sandy. The stuff may be nailed, screwed or cut just like lumber but you don't ever have to paint it or treat it with anything.

 

[427mach1]

I would use Trex on new construction,,, but,,,,
support spacing may be too wide to replace wood with Trex.

I have heard many reports of spongy decks.

I built my deck and arbor out of the original Trex back in 2000. Other than a little dirt, it still looks new. You are right about joist spacing; they should be no more than 16 inch centers. Back then, Trex was about twice the cost of pressure treated but I have never had to stain or treat the wood. I would definitely use Trex or something similar if I were to do it over again.

 

[loutent]

We replaced our almost 30 yr old PT deck a couple of years ago - was really fed up with staining all the railing and floor every 2 -3 years so went with Azek - really happy with the results - easy to care for - basically just a light power wash each spring and its good for another year.

Old:

New:

 

[Rule3]

I do not know the exact composition of Trek but some of the recycled "plastic" materials used down here are terrible. In the Sun and heat they out gas a terrible plastic odor and get hot as hell. You may not experience that in your climate. Just check first!

Any natural wood product will require upkeep and most are expensive. Whatever you use (unless it is concrete) get it up off the soil.

The new PT wood is not the hazardous stuff it used to be, still requires maintenance though.

 

[islamoradamark]

i replaced an outdoor deck about 15 yrs ago and still looks preety new we used trex

 

[DWalt]

I built a fairly large deck in 1994 using 2 x 6 treated wood, and apply preservative water seal annually. I have needed to remove and invert a few planks over the years, but it has held up very well - maybe that's more because of the South Texas climate, generally dry and hot, and it seldom gets below freezing in winter here.

 

[ordy]

I used pressure treated at first and when it checked and started looking bad, I turned the boards over and got a few more years out of it. I then went to trex but had to put the beams 12 inches on center for 1x6 flooring. You can't use trex for anything structural. I also had trouble with mold and had to power wash it every spring. I next went to Azek last year and so far, it has performed well.

 

[arjay]

I would use Trex on new construction,,, but,,,,

support spacing may be too wide to replace wood with Trex.



I have heard many reports of spongy decks.

Yup,the original stuff was 1 1/2" thick,but the newer stuff isn't.

 

[427mach1]

Yup,the original stuff was 1 1/2" thick,but the newer stuff isn't.

Original was 1-1/4", I wasn't aware the newer stuff is thinner. Good to know!

 

[arjay]

used an awful lot of it back in '95,could have sworn it was 1 1/2" ��

 

[427mach1]

used an awful lot of it back in '95,could have sworn it was 1 1/2" ��

Could have been, maybe they reduced it between '95 and 2000? I just went outside and measured mine at 1-1/4.

 

[arjay]

When it first came out a number of my clients wanted new decks,it was pricy stuff.A 1x6x20' was about $20 and really heavy lol and I think shortly after it became thinner and a little cheaper.I haven't built a deck in a dozen years though,who remembers [emoji1]