What is a cats paw? earlier, Ray Boyce, wrote:
>Dennis and Patti Peterson, of Broomfield, Colorado, faced the same problem >that many other deck owners have faced. Over the years, sunlight, water and >two >energetic dogs had taken their toll on their redwood deck. Past the point of >a simple staining and sealing, their deck needed a more extreme solution. > >While they could have opted to replace the old redwood with new wood, doing >this would only mean restarting the annual maintenance regimen. Rather than >continuing to surrender one weekend per year, the Petersons chose ChoiceDek, >a wood composite material made by Advanced Environmental Recycling >Technologies. >Composite costs more than wood at first, but after factoring in the annual >maintenance supplies (and time), the Peterson's determined that their total >cost would even out in less than five years. And compared to the old stain >and sealing routine, spring cleaning a composite deck would involve little >more >than a light scrubbing or a blast from a pressure washer. "We really >liked the uniformity of the new decking," says Dennis. He adds, "you really >need >to compare the cost of composite decking with clear cedar or redwood, which >is almost impossible to find." > >After decades of use and abuse, this redwood deck was past the point of >simple repair. By removing just the planking, most of the framework was >recycleable. >Reusing most of the existing posts, beams and joists saved the homeowners >significant time and money. > >Replacing decking is a job well within the skill level of almost every >do-it-yourselfer because, in most cases, it does not require digging or >placing posts, >or beam and joist calculations. "Redecking is basically a board-for-board >replacement," says Dennis. "The only trick is remembering what goes on top >of >what." > >Remove the decking carefully so that you don't inadvertently damage the >underlying structure. By using a crowbar and cat's paw instead of a >reiprocating >saw, much of the 2x6 decking was salvaged for other projects around the >yard. > >Step 1: Out with the Old > >Redecking begins, quite literally, from the top. The first step is to remove >the old deck boards so that you can inspect the underlying joists, beams and >posts, then make any necessary repairs or replacements prior to attaching >the new decking. If you're impatient, demolition can be accomplished with a >circular >saw and sledgehammer, but you may accidentally damage the underlying >structure. A careful, methodical approach will enable you to reuse most of >the metal >hangers, and salvage the better boards for future projects. (Tip: Some >woodworkers may cringe at the thought of putting old wood into their >portable planer, >but considering the cost of wood these days, it might be worth risking a >knicked blade. Before planing old wood, knock off as much dirt and grit as >possible >with a wire brush, then run a paint scraper over each board to ensure that >you haven't overlooked a screw or nail.) > >If a beam appears cracked or severely rotten, it should be removed and >replaced with pressure-treated wood. Carefully pull out nails before prying >out bad >boards so that you can simply drop in its replacement. > >Start the redeck project by removing any deck screws (in this case, the >previous homeowner used several dozen to silence creaking boards). Next, use >a cat's >paw, as shown, to remove the nails from one end of the board. With only a >few nails holding the wood in place, Dennis switches to a pry bar to lever >up >the board. To keep the area safe, remove all nails from the board, or hammer >them flat; or else one will find a way into the bottom of your shoe before >the job is done. > >Once the decking is removed and the framing is visible, check for structural >damage. Inspect the deck-to-house connection first. Tighten all fasteners. >Look for any missing, bent, or rusted flashing and for any telltale black >stains that might suggest that moisture is working its way into your home. > >Leaves and other debris trapped between the decking had started to encourage >rot along the tops of some of the joists. To seal the wood from further >damage, >apply a wood hardener or epoxy consolidant. > >Next, inspect the joists. If you can sink the tip of a screwdriver into a >joist or post, it means that you've got rot. In this case, several of the >joists >appeared structurally sound, but the top edges felt spongy. Wanting a little >extra insurance, the homeowners chose to apply Minwax's high-performance >wood >hardener. This one-part liquid consolidant strengthens and reinforces the >wood, preventing future water- and insect-related damage. > >Replacing a doubled beam is a two-man affair. After it has been fastened in >place, cut it to length. > >Redwood is considered insect-unfriendly; however, one of the doubled beams >had become a home for a large ant colony. In this case, the best fix is a >complete >beam replacement. To do this, Dennis first removes all the joists that were >attached to the old beam then removes the beam from the plate connecting it >to the post. Before forming the replacement beam, sight down the top edge of >each board to make sure the crown, or edge curve of the board, is facing up >(the weight of the decking will flatten the curve). Nail the boards together >with 16d galvanized nails in a zigzag pattern every 16 inches. To avoid >measurement >errors, drop the beam in place, and then cut it to length after it's been >installed. > >Use a triangular square and the weight of the saw to ensure a square-cut >end. > >Even if you aren't forced to go down to bare beams as we did in this >project, you should check that your framework is level and square. To check >for level, >place a level on a beam or joist that is perpendicular to the house. Repeat >this step on a few other boards to ensure that there isn't a bow or dip in >your framework. To make sure that the frame is square, measure opposite >corners, as shown. Once the diagonals are equal, tack in a few temporary >braces >to secure the frame until you've installed enough deck boards to lock the >framing in place. > >Measure opposite diagonals to ensure that the entire frame is square before >you start to install decking. > >Step 2: In With the New > >Once the beams and joists are repaired and/or replaced, and the frame is >level and square, you're ready to start the fun part - laying the deck. Now >is >a great time to enlist friends and neighbors. With enough help, you might >all be able to enjoy a cookout on your new deck by the end of the weekend. > >To reduce that bouncy feeling, snap a line at the center of the joists and >nail in blocking between the joists. > >Decking isn't difficult work, as long as you take time to lay the first >board carefully, and periodically check your progress. Be careful not to lay >the >first board at an angle; otherwise you're whole deck will be out of whack. >Since the homeowners had carefully squared the frame, they installed the >first >board with a 1/4-inch overhang. Consider using scrap wood spacers, rather >than relying on your tape, to avoid measurement-related errors. If your >decking >runs parallel to your house, you can also use spacer boards to ensure an >even gap between the siding and your first board. > >Composite boards bend unpredictably. Use clamps to force them into >submission unt8il they are safely secured by screws. > >Decking generally needs to be spaced about 1/8 inch apart. This gap allows >water to drain through the deck, and allows for the seasonal expansion and >contraction >of the composite boards. To ensure equal spacing Dennis created spacer >blocks by driving 10d nails through leftover redwood, as shown. You could >also use >single nails, but the blocks helped prevent the fasteners from falling >through the cracks. > >Nearly all decking requires some degree of straightening during >installation. Rather than trying to muscle crooked boards with a pry bar or >chisel, Dennis >uses a pair of reversible Quick Grip clamps, as shown. By fastening a block >to the joist a foot or so ahead of the leading deck board, he can apply >pressure >exactly where it's needed, ensuring that the gap stays consistent over the >entire run of the deck. > >Measure the "to go" distance every so often to make sure that your decking >is perfectly perpendicular to your joists. Minor adjustments made on a few >planks >can invisibly correct wayward boards. > >To check your deck spacing, measure the distance from the last board to the >edge of the framing every 8 to 10 boards, as shown. Theoretically, the >board-to-beam >measurement should be the same on both ends. If it's not, simply allow a >little more space between the planks on the long end. In this case, boards >were >corrected by leaving the spacer nails "a little loose" on the long side, and >"clamped tight" on the short side. In most cases, you should be able realign >the decking within 2 or 3 boards, with no noticeable change in the gaps. > >A simple straightedge guides the saw so that all the ends can be cut at once >after installation, eliminating the need to measure the boards to length. > >When installing decking, let the boards run long. That way, you can trim >them all to length in one pass. To make the long cut, Dennis uses a chalk >line >to establish a straight edge 1/4 inch away from the outside face of the end >joist. Next, he makes the cut using a 2-piece cutting jig, as shown. > >This jig was made from a piece of aluminum angle iron and a scrap of >3/8-inch plywood. If you do not have metal handy, substitute a factory-cut >edge of >a piece of plywood. Leave the bottom piece longer than the base of your saw; >that way, when you make your first cut, your saw will cut the bottom piece >of ply, showing you the blade's exact location. > >You'll want to finish the outside edges of your deck, not only to conceal >the fluted bottom edge of the composite decking, but also to formally >establish >the borders of your outside space. To attach the fascia board, attach >3/8-inch-thick spacer blocks, 16 inches on center, to the outside face of >the end >joist, then fasten the ChoiceDek fascia to the blocks. The spacer blocks >create a gap that's the same width as between deck boards, and also allows >water >and debris to fall through the crack, rather than collect next to the joist. > >While this project will require several weekends of work, you can look >forward to a deck that's guaranteed to look good for the next decade. > >Sources: > >ChoiceDek decking and accessories > >Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies > >(877) 235-6873 > >www.choicedek.com > >Minwax High Performance Wood Hardener > >Minwax Company > >(800) 523-9299 > >www.minwax.com > >Quick-Grip Quick Change Bar Clamp/Spreader > >Irwin Industrial Tool Company > >(800) 866-5796 > >www.irwin.com > > > >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.0/1049 - Release Date: >10/4/2007 8:59 AM John ---------- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.0/1049 - Release Date: 10/4/2007 8:59 AM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
