With the approach of fall (then the dreaded winter) it’s high-time to go outside and look over your deck to insure it’s ready to withstand the coming changes in weather. Heating and cooling, freezing and thawing, snow and ice all take a toll. I found a very interesting piece on simple deck repair at www.howstuffworks.com posted back in 2006 by Fix-it Club that will assist you in making sure your deck is properly prepared.
A deck or porch can be a great spot for peace and tranquility. Caring for a deck, on the other hand, can be a nightmare. Decks are, obviously, constantly exposed to the elements, and can show signs of weathering even days after they are constructed. Most deck fixes that can be tackled by a do-it-yourselfer involve cleaning and routine maintenance. Here are just a few pointers:
Deck-Repair Tips
Deck-Repair Tips
· Inspect your deck frequently for popped nails and loose railings or boards. Remove and replace any nails that have popped with coated screws, and immediately repair or replace loose railings to avoid hazards.
· To clean everyday dirt from a wood deck, use a mild household detergent in water to wash it. Rinse thoroughly.
· Use mineral spirits to remove stains caused by tree sap. Rinse thoroughly.
· To remove mildew, wash the deck with a bleach and water solution (1 cup bleach to 1 gallon warm water). Flush the area with water and allow it to dry. Commercial brighteners are also available; follow the manufacturer's instructions. If mildew is a continued problem, you probably have too much shade on your deck. Check to see if you can trim some tree branches or bushes to expose more of the deck to the sun's drying effects.
· Deck stains make routine cleanup much easier and preserve the life of the wood. Apply stains specially formulated for decks immediately over new wood, except for pressure-treated lumber, which should age for six months before being stained. The deck will benefit from a new coat of stain every one to two years (be sure the stain contains commercial sealant). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for applying the stain. If your deck has been painted, you will have to remove the paint before a stain can be applied.
· Avoid applying clear finishes, such as varnish or shellac, to wood decks. They don't withstand sun and moisture, and they must be removed if they start to peel.
Replacing Damaged Deck Flooring
The deck floor may be the first thing to go. When deck flooring breaks or wears out, more than the looks of the deck are involved. A weak spot in the floor is dangerous and can lead to further damage. Unless the whole floor is weakened, you can easily replace the damaged boards.
Deck flooring is nailed directly to the joists of the framing. To repair damaged deck flooring:
Step 1: Look at the boards to see where the joists are, indicated by a line of nails along each joist. Using a carpenters' square, draw an outline around the damaged area from board edge to board edge, from the inside of a joist to the inside of another joist. If the boards are damaged where they cross a joist, draw the outline out to the joists on either side of the damaged area. The boards in this outlined area will need to be replaced.
Step 2: Bore a hole inside two diagonally opposite corners of the outline, using a 3/4-inch bit. Position each hole so that it touches the marked outline on both sides but does not touch the sound boards outside the repair area.
Step 3: Cut across the damaged boards from hole to hole. You should have to cut only across the boards; the long edges are joined by tongue-and-groove edges and should pull apart. Carefully pry out the damaged boards with a pry bar. At the outside board edges, be very careful not to damage the tongue or the groove of the sound board outside the outline. You may have to use a chisel to remove the last pieces of the old boards.
Step 4: Cut new tongue-and-groove flooring strips the same width and thickness as the old ones, to replace the old ones. Test them for fit in the opening; they should fit exactly in the gap left by the old boards. On the last board, you'll have to cut off the bottom part of the groove to make the board fit flat. Cut the groove piece off with a hammer and a sharp chisel, being careful not to damage the rest of the board. Then sand the raw surface lightly.
Step 5: Brace the boards at each end by installing 2X4 cleats along the inside faces of the joists at the sides of the hole. Cut a piece of 2X4 as long as the hole for each joist. Paint all of the patching materials with wood preservative before installation, covering all surfaces. Let the preservative dry as directed, then nail the 2X4 cleats flat to the side joists, with their top edges exactly flush.
Step 6: If the old boards were rotten, you should take steps to prevent further decay. Cover the ground under the porch with heavy plastic, lapping the plastic about six inches up at the sides. Set a few stones or bricks on the plastic to hold it in place. For the most effective rot prevention, paint all exposed wood under the porch with a coat of wood preservative. These preventive measures will keep your porch strong and healthy for years to come.
Step 7: With the cleats in place, set the new floorboards into the opening, one by one, with their ends resting on the cleats along the joists. Set the first board in tongue first, and insert each board to lock its tongue into the groove of the previous board. Nail each end of each board to the cleat with two or three 16d finishing nails. At the last board, lock the tongue in and set the groove side flat over the tongue of the adjoining board. It won't lock to the joining board, but with the bottom of the groove removed, it will fit into place. When all the nails are in place, countersink them with a nail set, and fill the cracks and cover the nail heads with water putty. Do not use wood plastic; it isn't strong enough. Water putty dries rock-hard.
Deck flooring is nailed directly to the joists of the framing. To repair damaged deck flooring:
Step 1: Look at the boards to see where the joists are, indicated by a line of nails along each joist. Using a carpenters' square, draw an outline around the damaged area from board edge to board edge, from the inside of a joist to the inside of another joist. If the boards are damaged where they cross a joist, draw the outline out to the joists on either side of the damaged area. The boards in this outlined area will need to be replaced.
Step 2: Bore a hole inside two diagonally opposite corners of the outline, using a 3/4-inch bit. Position each hole so that it touches the marked outline on both sides but does not touch the sound boards outside the repair area.
Step 3: Cut across the damaged boards from hole to hole. You should have to cut only across the boards; the long edges are joined by tongue-and-groove edges and should pull apart. Carefully pry out the damaged boards with a pry bar. At the outside board edges, be very careful not to damage the tongue or the groove of the sound board outside the outline. You may have to use a chisel to remove the last pieces of the old boards.
Step 4: Cut new tongue-and-groove flooring strips the same width and thickness as the old ones, to replace the old ones. Test them for fit in the opening; they should fit exactly in the gap left by the old boards. On the last board, you'll have to cut off the bottom part of the groove to make the board fit flat. Cut the groove piece off with a hammer and a sharp chisel, being careful not to damage the rest of the board. Then sand the raw surface lightly.
Step 5: Brace the boards at each end by installing 2X4 cleats along the inside faces of the joists at the sides of the hole. Cut a piece of 2X4 as long as the hole for each joist. Paint all of the patching materials with wood preservative before installation, covering all surfaces. Let the preservative dry as directed, then nail the 2X4 cleats flat to the side joists, with their top edges exactly flush.
Step 6: If the old boards were rotten, you should take steps to prevent further decay. Cover the ground under the porch with heavy plastic, lapping the plastic about six inches up at the sides. Set a few stones or bricks on the plastic to hold it in place. For the most effective rot prevention, paint all exposed wood under the porch with a coat of wood preservative. These preventive measures will keep your porch strong and healthy for years to come.
Step 7: With the cleats in place, set the new floorboards into the opening, one by one, with their ends resting on the cleats along the joists. Set the first board in tongue first, and insert each board to lock its tongue into the groove of the previous board. Nail each end of each board to the cleat with two or three 16d finishing nails. At the last board, lock the tongue in and set the groove side flat over the tongue of the adjoining board. It won't lock to the joining board, but with the bottom of the groove removed, it will fit into place. When all the nails are in place, countersink them with a nail set, and fill the cracks and cover the nail heads with water putty. Do not use wood plastic; it isn't strong enough. Water putty dries rock-hard.
Step 8: To finish the job, let the water putty dry and then sand the patch lightly. Paint the patched area with a primer coat of porch and floor enamel, and let the paint dry. Then repaint the porch as needed.
If you want to spend your weekends lounging on your deck -- instead of sanding and applying varnish -- follow these simple guidelines to keep your deck looking beautiful.
If you want to spend your weekends lounging on your deck -- instead of sanding and applying varnish -- follow these simple guidelines to keep your deck looking beautiful.
You can find additional DIY project support at www.bejane.com, www.planitdiy.com www.diyhipchicks.com, and www.homefixated.com. You can also listen to Michael King the Cajun Contractor at Home Talk USA by visiting www.hometalkusa.com
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