Repair your deck

source: www.cincinnati.com

Analyze the Deck before beginning so you know how much work is involved. Carefully inspect the entire deck and keep a list of what needs to be done. Look for the various problems featured below. Once you have evaluated what is involved in your deck repair project, the next step is to determine the type and quantity of wood products needed to get the job done right. Getting the right results starts with buying the best lumber. Purchasing better lumber saves you time and money, because less wood is wasted and less cutting is needed to complete the project. Lowe’s Top Choice Pressure Treated Lumber is a smoother, straighter, better looking product that is a #2 Prime Grade — a higher grade than is available at other retailers. Lowe’s matches the price of the competition’s lower-quality lumber so you do not pay extra for better lumber. To be sure it’s Top Choice, look for the purple end-tag.

Tools and Materials

* Wood as specified for your deck (Top Choice Pressure Treated or another rot-resistant type that matches the original construction, such as red- wood, cedar or cypress)
* 1,000-psi high-pressure power washer
* Power miter box
* Circular saw, drill/driver, nail set, various hand tools as specified
* Reset nails, screws and other hardware as specified
* Cinder block
* Exterior stain

It’s time to work on your deck if it has any of these common problems:

1. Nail Pops

2. Cracks

3. Rotted Steps

4. Warped Railings

5. Gaps

Step-By-Step Instructions

Install a new treated-wood joist and joist hanger parallel to, yet far enough away from any joist that’s showing signs of rot so that you have room to swing the hammer.

Unbolt and remove a rotted support post after first wedging in place a temporary support built from 2x4s. If necessary, cut out the old post with a handsaw.

Bolt the 2×4 posts in place by driving the bolts through the drilled holes — after cutting them to length and notching them to fit the deck’s rim joist.

Slide the section of railing into place between two sets of posts. A 1×2 screwed to the center of each 2×4 helps you position the railing.

Mark the dimensions for the new 2×12 stair stringer using the old one as a template.

If your old stairs were built like ours, screw the new stringers to the rim joist with 4-in.-long galvanized screws. If not originally installed this way, try and duplicate the original method if it meets the building code.

Screw the 2×6 rail cap in place from the bottom of the 1×4 base cap and the 2×6 rail cap. Both the 1×4 base cap and the 2×6 rail cap should be cut long enough to cover several sections of railing.

Step 1
Power wash the deck with a 1,000-psi unit to remove grime and the old finish.

Step 2
Set popped nails. First use a nail set to drive the nail back down below the surface. Then drive a deck screw alongside until it covers the nailhead and locks it in place.

Step 3
Deal with rotted deck joists one of two ways. Remove the old ones and add new ones (very time consuming) or, add new ones alongside the old ones. If all deck joists are rotted, you should tear everything out and start fresh. Because rot is contagious, air space must be provided between the old and the new. Using treated lumber, cut the new joist to size and attach the new metal joist hangers with special nails.

Step 4
Replace rotted beam support posts. Before you can replace any bad support posts, you need to provide the deck temporary support. Build a temporary post out of 2x4s and wedge tightly in place, resting it on a solid base like a cinder block. Try to unbolt the old one and slide it out. If that doesn’t work, cut it in half with a handsaw. Cut a new 4×4 treated-wood post to length, put it in position, and drill holes for new zinc-plated carriage bolts. Drive the bolts home with a hammer, add new washers and nuts, and finally remove the temporary support.

Step 5
Replace the deck boards. You can either replace them all or get rid of the really bad boards and reuse the boards with undersides that are in very good condition. If you replace them all, consider Lowe’s Top Choice Severe Weather Decking. These premium grade boards have up to eight times more water repellent than lumber with a typical brush-on application, and no additional treatment is needed for up to two years. To reuse a board, flip it over. Reinstall boards in their original spots with galvanized screws (using old nail holes for the screws). If you have access from below, pound the deck boards up with a small sledgehammer and a scrap block of wood. If you don’t have access from below, pry up or cut away one or two boards at a time. Then put them right back after they have been routed.

For the following steps 6, 7 and 8, pre-assembled deck railings, stair railings and stringers can be purchased at Lowe’s. They are inexpensive, easy to install and provide a professional finish. All the hard work is done. In addition, Lowe’s offers a wide variety of styles and sizes of decorative components, including spindles, balusters and post tops.

Step 6
Install the new deck railing. In order to meet the latest safety guidelines, openings should not be more than 4 in.

 

• Demolish the old railing and put up a safety barrier of 2x4s and colored nylon rope.
• Build the railing in 4-ft. sections by first cutting all the parts to length. Since you’re duplicating so many pieces, clamp the boards together and transfer your measurements all at once.
• Find a level spot and start nailing the 1x4s and 1x2s together with 4d galvanized nails.
• Cut the 2×4 posts to length and then cut the notch to fit the deck rim joist. Drill holes for the zinc-plated carriage bolts and drive the bolts through with a hammer. The pairs of 2x4s should be positioned 1 in. apart.
• Take your assembled section of railing and lower it in place over the 1x2s attached to each of the 2x4s. These 1x2s correctly position the railing while conforming to the design scheme.
• Drive deck screws through the railing’s 1×4 base cap.

Step 7
Fix deck stairs that need repair.

 

• Unscrew, unbolt or cut through any fasteners and remove the old stairs in one piece.
• Using the old stair stringers as a template, mark the dimensions on the new 2x12s.
• Cut out the new stair stringer part way with a circular saw by carefully following the lines that you marked. Then finish the cut with a handsaw.
• There are at least two ways to attach the stringers to the deck rim joist (the 2×8 or 2×10 that marks the outer edge of your deck). Each stringer may be attached to the outside of the rim joist using 4-in. galvanized deck screws, as in this project. The last notch of stringers will tuck under the rim joist. Just be sure that the tucked-under portion of the stringer is large enough to fully secure the stringers in place.
• If you would like to strengthen the stairs while giving them a more finished look, add risers by screwing them in place with a drill/driver and 2-in. galvanized deck screws.
• Install new 2×6 stair treads from "bullnose" (the edges are curved rather than square) treated lumber. Use a drill/driver and 3-1/2 in. galvanized deck screws.
• If you are not reinstalling the old railing, rig up a temporary railing of 2x4s and brightly colored rope for safety.

Step 8
Install the new stair railing. The stair railing is built to the same dimensions and design as the deck railing. The only difference is the angle of the staircase. Start with the 2×4 posts down to the ground level and concrete pad. With all the 2×4 posts in place, measure the angle necessary for cutting the 1×4 ends to fit. Nail the 1x2s between the 1x4s so that they’re at a right angle to the stair treads. Then screw 1x2s to each 2×4 post to help position and hold the railing section when it’s slid into place. Finally, install the 2×4 rail cap (the deck railing uses a 2×6 instead of a 2×4).

Step 9
Apply a deck stain to entire structure using a paint roller on an extension handle. For deck boards, be sure to use a deck stain designed to withstand heavy foot traffic and provide a color density sufficient to make the deck and stairs look completely consistent. Consult your Lowe’s sales associate for the different stain colors that can be used to further enhance the look of the deck (one color for deck and stair surface and one for everything else).