Working With Trex & Composite Decking

Vinyl decking is yet another low-maintenance option, although one that offers a particularly non-traditional deck. In general, first an aluminum or vinyl track is installed across the joists, and then top pieces are snapped into place. From an environmental standpoint, composite decking is considered a “green” product because it is constructed with recycled materials and is very durable. Experienced builders may want to skip this paragraph, but for most homeowners, it’s important to get your terminology right. Start with Joists… Joists are the heart of your deck infrastructure.

but when you said "will end up ripping up the old deck seems to be best" I assume you mean remove the wooden decking boards and install the Trex on the existing joists. I think this is a bad plan as you will be installing a 30 or 40 year decking product over joists that have 5 or 10 years of life left in them. Especially once you pull all those existing decking nails and leave the existing joists pocked with water pockets that will accelerate rot. Before you begin, take the time to cut all your joist lumber to size, according to deck dimensions and spacing requirements. Remember to seal all cut ends of lumber with joist tape or wood treatment.

Hire A Deck Builder

I started demolition at the far corner of the deck by plunge-cutting the end plank with a reciprocating saw. Once the board was cross-cut it pulled up easily with a pry bar, and that got things going.

To match the base trim to the railing, I ripped some 2-by-2 trim pieces from 2-by-4’s on my table saw, which would also be stained. I then ripped a bevel along one edge to ease the profile a bit. I used a miter saw to cut them to length and to cut all the 45-degree corners. Granted, base trim for interior applications isn’t typically this bulky, but this was a deck, and I was trying to keep the wood thick and strong to resist warping from exposure. I was also relying on the protection of a high-quality wood preservative. Once all the old deck boards were out of the way, I had the green light for the composites. The first new board went down beneath the hand rail and flush with the outside edge of the deck.

Check Deck Joist Spacing

If you have ever looked up at a deck from underneath, you’ve seen joists, which are dimensional lumber, (often 2×8’s or 2×10’s). They are set upright for strength, usually fastened to the house at one end, and sitting on top of a central support beam near the other end. Joists support the decking boards, which are fastened onto the joists from above. Joists are typically spaced out evenly for stability, ease of board installation and a clean look.

In this guide, we’ll discuss the purpose of decking joists, as well as frequently asked questions about joist installation. We’ll also share step-by-step instructions to make installing your deck joists a quick, simple process.

How To Lay Decking Joists For Composite Decking

• We had come across several issues during the inspection of the deck.
• Like most decking wood or composite there needs to be some space for expansion and contraction.
• I recently was on a home inspection for a home that was approximately 10 years old.
• These decks were constructed of a composite wood material that has become popularized as a maintenance free alternative to wood.
• During the inspection I was looking at 2 decks that were part of the home.

Let’s look at mixing composite and pressure treated lumber, why you may want to do it, and what you’ll need to know to make sure that your mixed-lumber deck remodel goes smoothly. My solution was to use a T-Jak, which is a type of cabinet jack (or drywall tool … or decking tool, evidently). However, the T-Jak didn’t reach from the concrete carport to the second-story joists above. Since I was working on a Little Giant ladder configured as an A-frame, I bridged a scrap 2-by-8 board across the rungs to serve as support for the bottom of the jack. This worked well; it gave the T-Jak the reach it needed, and I could crank on its adjustment job until the jack pushed the joist in place.

For this reason, it is vital to perform frequent deck maintenance to check the quality of your stain. Inspect the whole deck surface - The first thing that you need to do is inspect the entire surface of the deck. Well, if the boards have started to crack, it is definitely time to take them out and get them replaced. However, if they are a little bit warped, you’re going to be fine and you can leave them alone.

Don't Frame Your Deck Without Considering These 3 Things

Typically, joists run perpendicular to the house, while the decking on top runs parallel to the house. Every significant portion of your deck needs to be supported by a joist. Otherwise, it will not be structurally sound and could bend or buckle over time. When people think decking, they think about a composite deck or a wood deck — not the two mixed together. But, it is possible to use both materials to build a deck, and there are some good reasons why you may want to do so.

When it comes to performance, replacing wood deck boards with composite decking is a no-brainer. TimberTech offers industry-leading warranties — including a Lifetime Limited Product Warranty for our TimberTech AZEK capped polymer decking collections. There are a number of related benefits that come with replacing wood deck boards with composite decking. Your installation process will vary by decking line and the fasteners you use. In all cases, double check your joist and deck board spacing before application.

Anything less, and your boards may not be strong enough to support a deck. If you choose a pressure-treated wood — which is advisable — be sure your boards are completely dry and acclimated before you work with them. In some places, the amount of precipitation or humidity level can affect the type of lumber you should use for an outdoor deck. Consult a lumber technician or professional deck builder for climate-specific guidance. Not sure what size wood you should use for your decking frame? You can also consult an online deck span and spacing calculator that takes into account the size and spacing of your joists, as well as the type of lumber you are using. If you’re not sure what size wood you should use for your decking frame or what size joist boards you need for your project, consult a professional deck installer.

And being situated on the second-story of a townhouse, there were no trees to shade it from that enormous nuclear cannon in the sky that we call the sun. The 2-by decking boards were no match for the power of Mother Nature, and the lumber had checked, warped and grayed. The deck floor was no longer in the same plane, nails were popping like a pan of Orville Redenbacher, and the cap rail had bowed into the shape of a miniature ski slope. It was time to get out with the old deck boards and in with the new—the “new” being low-maintenance composite decking.