help splinters from deck


  #1  
Old 04-20-05, 09:09 AM
leona roman
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
help splinters from deck

Help! We Have A Nice Wood Deck That Attaches To An Above Ground Pool, We Purchased The Home A Year Ago In The Fall, Didnt Notice Until Last Summer The Children Would Come In With Splinters, Need Advice On How To Treat Or Repair, Have 5 Children So Cost Is A Big Concern, But So Are The Splinters!!!!! My Husband States We Need To Sand The Whole Deck And Start From The Begining, Which Will Be Timely And Costly Im Sure, Any Advice On Where To Begin Spring Is Already Here ! Oh Yeah Our First Home And We Dont Know The First About Treating The Deck Or Pool!
 
  #2  
Old 04-20-05, 11:40 AM
L
Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Arlington, WA
Posts: 8,670
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
As long as you have a wood deck, you are going to have splinters. And, depending on the TYPE of wood involved, it could be more than just an irritation. If it PT, there are some nasty chemicals involved as well.

Sanding and sealing?? If it's PT, DO NOT SAND IT!! Now, not only are you, the hubby and the kids getting stuck with those chemicals, you are inhaling them!!

If the boards are old enough that they are starting to splinter, they need to be replaced. If you replace them with wood, you will have splinters again at some point. Sealing the new boards every year will delay that, but it won't prevent it. Replacing them with a composite will ELIMINATE the splinter problem.

Shop around -- there are a few composites out there that can be had for about the same price as a premium grade of deck lumber. Even stepping up to some of the better (more costly) composites isn't going to cost that much more. You didn't say how big the deck was, but at 300 sq. ft., the cost difference of a cheap composite ($1.80/ lin. ft.) and a more expensive one ($2.25/lin. ft.) is about $300 -- $1500 vs. $1200. And wood is going to cost over $1000.
 
  #3  
Old 06-15-08, 06:49 AM
L
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Replacing my deck

I already have a deck. I am having splinters and am already prepared to have a composite deck. What should I do to the existing wood that is there? Do I take off every piece/log and install a composite deck? How does this work. I defenitely dont want a temporary solution.

Please help. Any ideas/suggestions appreciated
 
  #4  
Old 06-15-08, 03:46 PM
L
Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Arlington, WA
Posts: 8,670
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
lavanyanaren,

Welcome to the forums.

The process of converting your existing wood deck to a composite deck isn't all that difficult, and yes, you'll have to remove all of your existing deck boards.

Assume going in that you'll have to replace your joists as well. The joist tops are the first part of a deck that rots because moisture and debris gets trapped between the joists and the bottom of the deck boards. You'll be able to assess their condition as you start pulling off deck boards. And composites generally have a 20 to 25 year warranty or a 'lifetime' warranty. You don't want to spend the money putting them down just to have the framing start failing in 5 to 10 years.

Most composites will span 16", and most wood decks are built with their joists at 24" O.C.

Look carefully at the posts and the beams as well. If you find a part that is questionable, replace it. It's much easier to do that with the decking removed and while you are replacing joists than it will be trying to do it in 5 or 10 years. (Probably be cheaper, too)

And I would suggest covering the joist tops with Vycor a a similar product before installing the new deck boards. Whatever it takes to make the framing last as long as the decking is going to.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: