Maintenance-Free Decking: PVC vs. Composite
Practice you know how to avoid staining a deck? Build it from something other than wood similar PVC decking boards.
At that place are a hundred different low-maintenance decking products on the marketplace, but the two most pop are composite and cellular PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Both volition salvage yous from your summer staining rituals, but there are differences betwixt the ii. And even within these two categories, in that location are many unlike manufacturers and a broad diverseness of products, but here are some full general characteristics:
Composite decking has been around since the early '90s. Many popular brands are made from fifty percent woods fibers and fifty percent recycled plastic. Blended decking is a solid color all the fashion through, and then the ends of boards are non as noticeable. It'due south stiffer than PVC decking boards and can span greater distances. Its stiffness as well makes information technology easier for one person to handle and helps hide modest imperfections in the framing. Blended is also less slippery than PVC decking boards when it's wet. You should exist able to get at least twenty years of utilise, depending on the conditions. Expect to pay almost $6 per sq. ft. just for the decking.
PVC decking is the relative new kid on the block but is quickly gaining popularity. Most PVC decking is made from 100 percent plastic—and no wood means no mold or mildew. It holds its color, it'southward piece of cake to clean and it won't stain if you lot spill a lilliputian suntan oil or hamburger grease on information technology. PVC is much harder and more than scratch resistant than composite decking, which is skilful news if you have a big domestic dog or heavy patio furniture. All these benefits don't come cheap, notwithstanding: PVC decking will price you lot almost $ten per sq. ft. Some companies offer a limited lifetime warranty.
— Marking Petersen, Contributing Editor
For more information on decking products, ideas and techniques, search for "decks" at the tiptop of this page. Plus, check out seven deck-building tips from the pros.
15 Modern Deck Building Tips and Shortcuts
Deck Board Spacers
These yellow deck board spacers can be used to infinite boards either 1/8 in. or 3/16 in. apart. Large spacers work well considering they're like shooting fish in a barrel to grab and pull out, and less likely to autumn downward between the boards. They're also highly visible, which makes them less of a trip hazard. You tin can detect deck spacers at some home centers or online.
Choosing Deck Materials
In addition to selecting the color of deck boards, you'll also have to decide on the colour of the fascia boards, railings, spindles, hardware, posts and caps. And those aren't easy decisions, especially when all you lot have to go on is a brochure with tiny color swatches. Azek has a new, free app for the iPad that tin can help. Check it out at Azek.com or the App Store on iTunes. The app allows you to change the color and texture on several different stock deck scenes, and once you find the combination that suits you best, there's a place to go along notes and so you won't forget and accept to start all over. Visualizers like this are super handy, simply null beats a trip to the supplier to cheque out samples of the actual products. Feel the texture of the materials and if there'southward a display, accept off your shoes and walk around on information technology. Photo provided by Azek
Best Way to Flash a Ledger Board
Deck ledger boards are a mutual source of water infiltration, and information technology tin be years before you observe the damage caused past h2o finding its manner behind the ledger and into your home. The procedure below may seem a little excessive, merely the extra fourth dimension spent following these steps may save you thousands of dollars in repairs.
- Install house wrap on the wall several inches higher than where the top of the ledger lath will exist.
- Install Z-flashing approved for force per unit area-treated lumber where the bottom of the ledger will exist.
- Cover the tiptop of the Z-flashing with house wrap record.
- Fasten the ledger board over the Z-flashing.
- Install flashing approved for pressure level-treated lumber on meridian of the ledger.
- Encompass the top of the flashing with window/door flashing tape.
- Install house wrap over the flashing.
- Fasten the house wrap to the wall with house wrap tape.
- Install the siding.
Tougher Decking
Only a few years ago, most manufactured decking was "composite," typically a combination of wood fibers and polymers. Composite was a big improvement over forest, but today almost manufacturers offer something even better: "capped" or "shelled" decking. The core of capped decking is similar to composite or fabricated from cellular PVC, but that cadre is covered with a layer of denser, tougher polymer. That means improve resistance to scratches, stains and fading. Brands include Fiberon, Azek.com, TimberTech.com and Trex.com. Paying more usually gets you lot a thicker or tougher cap, plus deeper texturing and blended coloring for a more natural expect. The decking shown, Trex Transcend, is made from 95 pct recycled fabric and includes a 25-year fade and stain warranty.
When to Use Structural Screws
Structural screws piece of work great for hanging a ledger lath and fastening thick framing members. The main advantage of structural screws over traditional lag screws is that they don't need a pilot pigsty, which cuts the installation fourth dimension in half! The Potent-Drive TIMBER Screws shown here have a low-profile caput and are driven in with a big Torx bit. An 18-volt impact driver or 1/two-in. drill should be plenty to get the task done.
Hibernate Ugly Deck Board Ends
The ends of manufactured deck boards are ugly, and yous don't want to leave them exposed. There are a couple ways to hide them. The easiest solution is to raise the fascia board so the top is flush with the top of the decking (top). Merely go on in mind that most fascia/brim boards are 11-1/4 in. wide, which means they aren't wide enough to fully cover both the deck boards and a 2x12 joist. Another mode to hide the ends is to install a border/perimeter board effectually the outside edges of the deck (bottom). This method tin can really wearing apparel up your deck, especially if you cull an emphasis colour for this lath. The downside of a perimeter board is that it requires extra framing underneath.
Engineered Lumber for Outoor Use
Engineered lumber has been used inside buildings for years considering information technology'due south stronger and straighter than regular lumber. And now there are versions for outdoor utilize. It may not be toll effective to frame an entire deck with engineered lumber, simply installing an engineered-lumber drop axle is a slap-up fashion to reduce the number of posts and footings needed to back up a deck. The one shown here is made past Weyerhaeuser. Photo provided by Weyerhaeuser
Deck Board Fastening Options
Screwing through the face up of the boards is by far the fastest, easiest and almost structurally audio method of fastening deck boards. Modern deck screws have opposite threads to suck the decking downwardly tight to the joists and specially designed heads to prevent mushrooming. Some face up-screwing systems, like the Cortex system from FastenMaster, allow you to countersink the screws and fill the holes with plugs fabricated out of the aforementioned textile as the decking. Installing the plugs is fourth dimension consuming, merely the fastener locations are virtually invisible. Boards with grooves on the sides can be held down with hidden fasteners. Hidden fasteners are self-gapping and easy to install, and yous can't beat out them if you want a nice, clean, fastener-complimentary await. Each decking manufacturer has a recommended fastening system. Avoid the kind that require fastening from underneath. Also select a fastening system that doesn't crave removing half the deck in gild to replace one damaged board in the heart.
Avoid Deck Rot with Flashing Record
Pressure-treated lumber that stays moisture will somewhen rot. Flashing record keeps water from getting trapped betwixt doubled-up joists. If you're resurfacing an existing deck frame, tape over whatsoever joists that have a lot of holes from the previous nails or screws. Buy black tape if you tin can observe it; shiny silver and white tapes may be noticeable between the gaps in the decking. The tape shown volition exist covered by the perimeter deck board.
Blocking Keeps Decks Flat and Square
Manufactured decking isn't as strong equally wood decking, and so it allows joists to bow. And that leads to a wavy deck surface. To help keep joists flat, always attach blocking perpendicular to the joists. Also, install diagonal blocking to keep the unabridged frame from racking. Use narrower lumber (2x8 blocking on 2x10 joists) so the blocking looks less conspicuous from a distance. One time everything is secure, run a string on the top side of the joists and plane downward the remaining high spots.
Maintenance-Free Deck Posts
I way to spruce up posts is to cover them with a maintenance-free material. AZEK makes a PVC Column Wrap that's super easy to install. Simply glue together iii sides, slide them over the mail service, glue and clench the last side in place, and and so never worry about painting or staining once again. AZEK Column Wrap is available for 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 posts. Club it at abode centers and lumberyards that carry Azek products.
Maintenance-Gratuitous Deck Balusters
New metal balusters tin can give your existing woods deck a sleek, modern look. These two options are made past Deckorators. The Baroque Balusters are but screwed to rail. The circular Classic Balusters are held in place past hidden connectors that require no hole drilling. Deckorators balusters don't need to be painted or stained, which is probably the most irksome deck maintenance chore there is.
No-Dig Deck Footings
Some pros have given upwardly constructing physical deck footings. Instead, they're using the Diamond Pier foundation system. To install a Diamond Pier footing, just drive in iv pipes with a demo hammer. That eliminates a ton of excavation and physical work. The standard deck model is the DP-50. Most home centers and lumberyards that deport this product volition likewise have breaker hammers you could infringe or rent. Check out the videos at pinfoundations.com. The Diamond Pier system is relatively new, and you need to make sure it's canonical in your area.
Precision Deck Spiral Sinker
When you're screwing decking, this Smart-Bit Deck Screw Depth Setter is a great tool to make sure all the screws are set at a consistent depth. The type of bit can exist changed to match the screws, and the depth of the screws can be adjusted. This tool too has a gratuitous-spinning collar with a prophylactic bumper to preclude marring.
Water-Shedding Blended Decking
DuxxBak decking is a unique blended decking that doesn't allow water to pass between the deck boards, keeping the area nether the deck dry out. A dry out space under the deck is a cracking place to continue your deck party during a rain shower, or to create some useful dry storage. In order to channel the water away, the decking needs to run perpendicular to the house, so think to install the framing joists parallel to the firm. And make sure the substructure has enough slope to carry the water away. Go to greenbaydecking.com to find more than information on DuxxBak and locate a dealer.
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