• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

PT deck protection?

Share this page

I can share a little on this subject.
Most of the treated wood for decking is lumber that is not really ideal for direct outside use.
The pressure treating they do to the wood does help with problems regarding termites etc.
With most decks up off the ground.... usually termites usually not the problem.
With most of the composite type decking (Trex etc) there are two things to consider.
First is the initial cost of the material. You will usually find this substantially more than real wood decking.
Secondly the understucture for composite decking (as well as the hardwoods from SoAmerica)
is very different.... much closer together.... usually 16". These products do not have the fiber
strength that real wood does.... thus much shorter span.
When laying wood decking in place always try and orient the board with bark side up.
I have Redwood decking at our home in place for 25+ years with no stain or sealer.
In another location we recently installed a Redwood deck.... and there have used the TWP 1500 sealer.

Gil. NoCal
 
Gil - thanks very much for those details. Very interesting about the expense and "strength" of composite and some of the South American woods. I noticed the strength issue 30 years ago, when I tested standard PT and Trex lengths on my 16" centers. I noticed the Trex "flexing" more than the PT as I drove it from Home Depot to my house. I didn't even try the exotics, as I couldn't afford them. Now I'm glad I made the decision to use PT.

A neighbor of mine also has an untreated redwood deck, at least 25 years old. He's replaced one or two railing boards, but otherwise it's good.

Tom M.
 
GilsTR said:
...
Secondly the understucture for composite decking (as well as the hardwoods from SoAmerica)
is very different.... much closer together.... usually 16". These products do not have the fiber
strength that real wood does.... thus much shorter span.
...Gil. NoCal
Click to expand...

Gil, interesting note
Are you sure you stand by the facts above?
 
I wanted to use trex on the steps to my deck. It flexed enough that I would have had to add an additional stringer. Instead I decided to use exterior wood for the steps.
As a note.... I might have been able to use the trex for the treads but I was afraid that if someone "overweight" or someone was carrying a load on the steps it would not be safe.
 
Don. Regarding the decking information I shared above....
I was in the Redwood lumber business for 43 years. Have done many deck & fence talks to retail yards and their customers. It's a couple years since I retired... but I am very sure this information still stands.
You will find composite decking (Trex etc) all spec 16" on center. If you do not put the decking 16" on center
you have just voided your "warranty ". I also sold Trex for 5 years.
I personally have not sold the SoAmerican hardwoods. I know installers here who have installed many hardwood decks.and they all apply these 16" on center.
In re reading your question it's mostly re hardwoods. No question they would have more fiber strength than Trex.
But most of the hardwoods I see in NoCal are available as either 1" or 5/4" material (that's not net 1") .That's probably why the shorter span instructions.
The hardwoods make a very nice deck surface no question. One just has to factor in the extra cost of the decking as well as the extra under structure when looking at decking costs.
Gil. NoCal
 
I have a BIL near here with a composite deck. Didn't rot, but hot, direct afternoon sun has given it a severely checked look.
 
Almost all decks now days are put on 16" centers as who can afford full 2X dimension lumber unless it is just garbage material and you will be spending $ and time constantly sealing.
Regarding you lack of knowledge about SA hardwoods they are FAR stronger than anything this area can produce
Compare Redwood to the price of hardwoods and you get about 5+ per running foot for 2X lumber because no way because Redwood is to flimsy to run 5/4
Where my Garapa was about 1.75/ running foot and I don't have to do anything with it
Deck.jpg
 
There is no question these hardwoods make nice decking.... etc.
The question for many is the forestry issues where this wood is sourced.
Have you visited these hardwood forests in SoAmerica?
I have.... 5 times. If you have gone there.... or read up on this then you are well aware of the deep concern.
It took many many years in this country to learn proper reforestation practices.
If everyone building a deck jumped on the hardwood program it would increase the issue.
Happy you have found a decking that works for you.
As far as building a deck with 2" lumber.....that is still very standard on the Western half of the US.

Gil. NoCal
 
Very familiar
That's why I went with mine
Plantation grown
 
When I was doing my deck repair some years ago I considered Trex for the job but as my joists were 24" on centers I would have had to gone with 2 x 6 Trex and the price for that was high. Went with PT and protection.

David
 
Hello Don

Yes it could be called older.
I built it in 1988 or 89 then replaced most of the deck boards in 2007 or 08. Not sure exactly but I started with one or two bad boards then kept removing boards as the new ones made the old ones look so bad. This time I went over the new boards with the Olympic wood protector. Had the boards laid out in our breezeway to dry then did 2 coats of protector on all 4 sides. Since then I have done several reapplications. The boards still look great.

David
 
88, middle of when decking started to go to 16" centers in a lot of areas as the price of 2X lumber was starting to get expensive
 
Back
Top