Deck Resurfacing
Has your Deck Become an Eyesore?
After years of use, wooden deck boards begin to rot and become unsafe and unsightly. When this happens, it is time to begin the resurfacing deck process. Before you start, review your sub-structure, make sure it is in good shape, and consider replacing your deck boards with low-maintenance composite decking.
Your first step will be to reach out to your local municipality to see if you will need a building permit. Once all permitting has been taken care of you are ready to begin resurfacing your deck.
Gather the Resurfacing Deck Tools Needed:
- Prybar/Claw Hammer
- Corded Drill/Bits
- Drill/Driver Cordless
- Circular Saw
- Miter Saw
- Power Plane
- Chalk Line
- Carpenter Square
- Tape Measure
- Spacing Tool
- Safety Googles
Steps
- Use your prybar or claw hammer to remove deck boards, railings, and stair treads (if necessary) and discard.
- With decking removed, inspect your sub-structure again. Review all deck connections, especially to the house. Make sure there are no issues with rust or corrosion. If you see any problem connections repair the issue and/or replace any hardware with compliant hardware. Add any additional framing needed and make sure your sub-structure is level.
- Add joist tape to the top of the joists. This will help to prevent damage to the joist and cover-up holes from previous nails or screws.
- Install composite decking per the manufacturer’s instructions. TimberTech, for example, suggests that joist spacing should be either 12 or 16 inches on center, depending on how much movement you want your deck board to have. You will want to make sure you have your decking “wood grain” side up. Also, with TimberTech products the installation will depend on the type of board and direction/pattern. No matter which TimberTech line you select from you will want to leave a 1/8-1/4” between deck boards and no gap between the butt joints/splices/miters.
- Fasten your deck boards to your joists. The Azek and TimberTech lines have three options to fasten your decking. You can screw down your composite boards using “color match” 2 ¼ “screws, Cortex® hidden fasteners, or CONCEALoc®. The system you choose to fasten your decking to the sub-structure will depend on the aesthetic you want and/or budget.
- Next, either re-install your old railing or new railing, add furniture, and relax.
If this does not sound like your idea of a “fun” project, reach out to the Professionals at Cedarbrook. Let our team of designers and builders work with you to take your outdoor living space to the next level. Call today for your free consultation 301-703-8728 or fill out the contact form on the Cedarbrook website.