Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - deck/what to do?

Hello All:

Sorry about the first post on this subject 9/1/01 I don't know what happened but here it
is again. This has been a big PAIN in the carburator!! I have been helping my neighbor on his 85 thunderbird 3.8litre (california emisions) for 2 weeks, it cranks but will not start distributor is rotating but no spark or fuel injector pulse at all. We have replaced Battery,Starter,Selinoid, Ign.coil,alternater,spark control modual,pickup,rotor,cap,the little silver box on the pass. side fender well,and we went to the bone yard changed out the computor to no avail.we have 12 volts throughout the system,but no spark or injector pulse.Block ground is clean and secure.

THANK U ALL IN ADVANCE FOR ANY REPLIES.

hello all:
after 15 yrs the old deck is really showing it's age and it's time to lay new boards. the deck is big 15'x20' at it's widest point but only a little more than 3'off the ground. here's problem #1 how do i take up the old boards besides trying to pop out each individual nail which are 16" on center. would it be a good idea to just get the circular saw out and cut between joists and then pry off the boards? once i get the old boards up and start to lay the new ones, what's the concensus now? screw or nail? and do the boards butt up against each other or use a slight spacer?

thanks

skrenze,
First, are you sure your deck boards need replacement. My PT 2 x 6's are 24 years old and I MIGHT replace them this year if the substructure is sound - I still need to check the posts.
You may be surprised what a good presure washing will do to an older deck.
If you decide to replace, use a pry bar and pop up the whole board. Some circular saw cuts will help. Screws might be the better option now mainly to avoid putting a nail in an oldhole - won't hold very well. I buy square drive screws and throw a #2 square drive bit in my drill. I still space them with a nail, they will shrink slightly but this lets dirt and water through easier.
fred

After 15 years I would say that if you can affort it, replace the boards. Use wood screws, NOT nails. Also in light of CCA concerns, replace with cedar boards, not pressure treated pine.

Regards,

Beth Borrego

Beth,
What CCA concerns, he's not eating off his deck.
fred

The concerns with a P.T. board are not that somebody may be eating off of it. They have to do with the pressure treating process, where will those boards (and the chemicals in them) be in 25 to 100 years, and will somebody actually try burning them? we don't know where skrenze is -- he or she never said. But if redwood is an option, why use P.T. lumber for the decking material? Or, look into any of the composites that are available -- Trex, Rhinowood, etc., etc.

Well, the CCA also gets into the groundwater... animals drink it. There HAS been a recorded human death from exposure, where a couple was working in their yard by the way. Perhaps you should surf the EPA site, and read about it, since if you're a wood restoration specialist you'll sure need the knowledge this year.

Pressure treated lumber treated with CCA is being phased out, and a replacement chemical has yet to be determined.

Education is a wonderful thing.

Beth

p.s. Use an oil based sealer after cleaning to keep the CCA from leaching out of the wood.

Hello Beth,

You need to lighten up a little bit. I'm basically on your side concerning pressure treated lumber. One 'alleged' death due to arsenic poisoning is an extremely minimal figure considering the millions of homes that have pressure treated wood structures and decks. Until the EPA and the Forest Industry reach an agreement on an alternative pesticide, we are still going to see pt lumber widely used. Personally, I'm more concerned about the cell phone user driving in the opposite direction on a two-way street. Most ground and water tests are inconclusive concerning the ppm content of arsenic and the effect on animals and humans. About the only thing the government has designated as a possible hazard is cca treated wood for food storage containers and commercial beehives. And although there may be an alternative method forthcoming, the current structures will remain with a life span of up to thirty or more years.
In a perfect world we would all be able to reasonably purchase 6x6 or 4x4 posts and 2x12 and 2x6 cedar, cypress, or redwood lumber. But, if we went that route, all the tree-huggers would come down on us - they already have. That group needs to visit or walk through a clear-cut forest area five to ten years after the lumber has been harvested - there's more wildlife there now than there ever was as a 150 foot high standing forest.

One final correction to your "sealing in the cca with oil base stain" statement. Some oil base stains contain water repellents, but you can't seal in the cca. Some woodworkers and most cabinet/furniture makers know that the only way to seal a piece of lumber is to coat all six sides. This is impossible in the deck restoration business.
fred

Fred-
You don't need to tell me to lighten up. If you knew me better, you would know I'm easy going not uptight. Nuff said 'bout that.

You could seal with Sikkens and cover 4 of the 6 sides, if you follow the specs and don't coat the ends (if memory serves me) but unless coating prior to buuilding you are right, it's not possible to do that. Shame really, Sikkens makes a wonderful product, but the reality is that covering all sides is a chore. Besides, the wood need some breathing room and the underside of the horizontal surface is the logical place to allow it.

I'm not going to split hairs over what is significant or insignificant with regard to loss of life, and the EPA's stand on CCA. I'm not going to debate what the EPA and others in the wood restoration industry are saying about how to handle sealing CCA lumber.

My answers are based upon what's out there so far, and I suspect there will be more out over the next few months as this topic continues discussion among homeowners. Many topics are controversial and have different sources and opinions contributing to the information. Clearly, it takes time to sift through it all and to reach anything close to a common opinion. From what we have seen and heard so far among fellow professionals, the suggestion is to clean, and then to seal with a water repelling oil based sealer, with a tint in it, not a clear.

Have a good day!
:)
Beth

p.s. hope this is useful for someone...
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/citizens/cca_transition.htm#bkmrk6