Some Issues With Composite Decking!

If you’re the owner of a pressure-treated wood deck and beginning to notice the unavoidable wear and tear that comes with traditional wood, you’re likely looking into alternatives. Replacing wood deck boards with composite decking is a surefire way to improve the overall aesthetic, performance, and long-term value of your deck. We’ve got the tips and best practices to get your project started right. Your deck can begin to fail prematurely if the framing is weak. Be sure to follow your composite decking manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully, and keep the following tips in mind. The smaller the spacing, the longer your joists can span.

Installing decking over old decking will drastically reduce the lifespan of the material. The joints between two materials will readily trap water in wet environments. This contact area should be limited only to the top of the joists, leaving most of the decking exposed on both sides. If placed on top of other decking, there will be little drying potential beneath the new decking and more rapid decay of both the new and old can be expected. For manufactured products, installations over old decking or solid surfaces are prohibited and will likely void the warranty.

Hire A Deck Builder

Though composite decking is more stable than regular pine, it still can break when driving fasteners close to the edges. Pre-drilling pilot holes can prevent this from happening and make installation go much faster and smoother.

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

When a joist overhangs a beam, it’s known as a cantilever. The maximum safe distance for a cantilever depends on several factors, including the type of lumber you’re using and the size and spacing of the joists. Deck cantilevers should not exceedone-quarter of the joist’s total lengthand should be no more than three times the width of the joist. For the overhang on a deck to remain compliant with building codes, it must meet each of these conditions. Joist boards come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 2-by-4 to 2-by-12. You can choose the size that works best with your overall deck design and dimensions.

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

• This contact area should be limited only to the top of the joists, leaving most of the decking exposed on both sides.
• If placed on top of other decking, there will be little drying potential beneath the new decking and more rapid decay of both the new and old can be expected.
• For manufactured products, installations over old decking or solid surfaces are prohibited and will likely void the warranty.
• Guides exist online to streamline the process and encourage amateurs to try it out themselves, and many brands are working to improve the installation process further.
• While this might have been true when composite decking first hit the market, it’s not an accurate representation of the materials on today’s market.

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.

Composite materials have changed drastically over the years, improving in both performance and appearance. A house is only as strong as its foundation, and a deck is only as strong as its frame. If the floor joists that span the length of your deck are installed too far apart, the boards on top will sag. If the joists are not all the same exact height, the deck’s surface will be uneven. Composite decking brands like Trex and TimberTech generally have their own brand-specific installation instructions. But sometimes, they can be a bit unclear when it comes to a crucial component of your deck frame – joist spacing.

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.

Settling for a screwed down composite deck is yet another common mistake to avoid. Deck boards (including perimeter boards used for picture-framing) should be installed so they extend past the outer rim joists by less than 2” lengthwise and 1” width wise. The last thing to consider when figuring out the correct joist spacing is the angle of the surface boards. If you are laying the boards at a 45-degree angle to the framing then you need to shorten the span. 16" on center would drop to 12" on center, 24" would become 16" and 32" would become 24" on center. If you are installing a commercial project, it can be a good idea to shorten the framing spans as well since the deck will have significantly more traffic.

Times have changed, and now composite decking materials are far more affordable. Combined with the bug-fixes and the aesthetic tweaks, composite decking is ready to serve as actual competition for traditional wood decks. Expert advice on how to install and work with TREX and other composite decking materials, how to cut and fasten TREX, and framing for composite decking. Joists are structural elements that make up the entire framework of the deck.

Apply Joist Tape To The Top Surface Of Each Joist

Commonly used joist sizes are 2-by-6, 2-by-8 and 2-by-10. One essential part of installing a new deck is laying deck joists. There are several factors to consider when installing your joists, such as the size you need and how much space needs to be between each one.