Outdoor Decks: A Good Investment,
with Plenty of Options
As winter turns to spring, many homeowners are making plans for fix-it projects outdoors. Adding a patio or deck to 
your home is not only at the top of the list of common home remodeling projects, it also is an undertaking that will help to grow the resale value of your home. The addition of a deck is a relatively inexpensive way to increase the amount of living space in the home, improve its aesthetics and ultimately make it easier to entertain guests. It’s also a project most homeowners feel comfortable in tackling on their own.
A total of 12 percent of those surveyed in the most recent consumer survey conducted by the National Association of Homebuilders Research Department said they had added a patio or deck to their home, while 11 percent said they’d spent time fixing up existing ones.
Building a deck, or remodeling one, is getting even easier thanks to a variety of products on the market, especially designed for deck building and remodeling. While there are many choices, four main types of deck products are the most popular and the easiest with which to work:
Trex - If you’re looking for an attractive outdoor living space without the continuous care required by wood surface decks, Trex may just be the answer. Trex is a Wood-Polymer lumber that combines the properties of wood and plastic into a deck product that has durability, workability and natural coloring that lasts. The decking is made from reclaimed and recycled materials including waste wood fiber and reclaimed plastics such as grocery sacks and stretch film. The result is a product that doesn’t have to be sealed because it won’t absorb water. It also won’t rot, crack or splinter, and is slip resistant. Trex decks cost about the same as one made of premium decking lumber. But when you factor in costs for stains, sealant, replacement boards and other maintenance, Trex comes out well ahead. The design possibilities with Trex are endless because it finishes off well with regular woodworking tools and curved shapes can easily be created, so you’re not limited to a rectangular deck.
Recognized as the most popular home product in 1999 by American Homestyle & Gardening, Trex has proven it can withstand even the harshest environments. It has been used for miles of boardwalk along seashores in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and along Lake Ontario; for the Presidential Trail at Mt. Rushmore; and, for walkways in the Florida Everglades.
Solutions to Common Deck Problems
So you have an older deck that needs some fixing up, but don’t know where to start? If the wood and support 
footings on the existing deck are still in good shape, it’s likely that a few fixes will do the trick. However, if the deck shows signs of rot and deterioration, it’s time for a replacement. Decks are constantly exposed to rain, snow, wind, heat and cold, it’s no wonder they often are in need of a tune-up. Following is a list of some of the common problems often seen with older decks and a few easy steps for repairing them.
Loose deck boards – Wood expands when it gets wet and it shrinks when it dries. As the wood moves, the deck gets more elastic and bouncy and nails and screws that were once tight, get loose. To fix this problem, add coarse-threaded, galvanized deck screws alongside nails to cinch down loose deck boards. Use a nail punch to drive existing nails farther into the joists. Be sure to stand or kneel on the deck boards as you screw them, so they’re tight.
Swaying posts and beams – As beams and posts lose their stiffness, they become more elastic and “bouncy”. A quick fix for this problem is to install cross braces between posts and beams to take out the sway. Cut 4 x 4s or 6 x 6s (the longer the better) with 45-degree angles on each end. Use 6-inch or longer lag bolts to secure the ends to the posts and beams.
Loose guardrail posts and pickets – Install lag bolts and washers to firm up guardrail posts and pickets by pre-drilling holes, then installing one or more lag bolts. This will hold pickets and posts firmly to the deck rim.
Bouncy deck surface – Add blocking between joists to reduce bounce. This will unify the joists so that weight applied to one joist is partly distributed to those on either side. Don’t install blocking directly under gaps between the deck boards though, as this will create areas that hold water.
Loose or wimpy stairs – Temporarily remove the stairs and add solid stringers to the two outside stringers. If necessary, add 2 x 4s to both sides of the middle string to increase strength.
Ineffective joist hangers – Joists may shrink so that their bottoms no longer rest on existing hangers. The easiest fix for this problem is to install wedges and drive them into the gap until they’re snug. Some decks are even constructed without joist hangers. If this is the case, install them using 16d galvanized nails to secure them to the ledger strips and beams. Use galvanized stubby nails for the joists.
Discolored wood – A wood conditioner can be applied, followed by pressure washing, to remove any old coatings. Prepare the surface for refinishing by letting the deck dry, then sanding and repairing any flaws. Use an oil base, naturally pigmented, penetrating finish for a natural wood look that will protect the deck from rain and sun, yet still will still show the grain of the wood.
