Deck Railing Connection TIPS NEVER notch deck posts Through bolts NOT lag bolts to deck joists Use special galvanized hardware - See Below WATCH Video below for great connectors! CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter! Deck Post Danger Deck railing posts are the foundation of a deck railing system. They must be strong. It's Read More »
"I knew the Deck Over product would FAIL at some point because it was a film-forming product meant to completely cover the wood much like a clown applies makeup to completely hide their face/skin." Beware Behr Deck Over - It Will Peel Dan lives in Norwalk, CT. He emailed me overnight and needed immediate help. Read More »
Deck Screws vs Nails DEAR TIM: Recently a deck collapsed near where I live and people got seriously injured. The report blamed the failure on the use of nails that had corroded and couldn’t hold the weight. Could this be right? Every deck I know of has been built with nails and they seem to Read More »
Teresa Schenck has a rotten wood threshold at her home in Bettendorf, Iowa. Here's what she sent me: "As you can see, this piece of wood at my back door is rotting. It is about 1.5-2 " wide, and maybe 6-8" deep. My deck is also there. I am replacing the wood decking. I want to Read More »
Flipping Deck Boards - Be Careful About Wood Grain Patrick McNeill, who is revitalizing his deck in Woodstock, GA asks: "Can I flip my deck boards instead of replacing them. They are treated lumber." You bet you can flip them. There's no harm in doing so. While you're at it, be sure to clean off Read More »
Quick Column Summary: How to clean teak table Pressure washers can cause damage Use an oxygen bleach Seal with synthetic resin DEAR TIM: I purchased a used teak outdoor table from the online classified ad website Craigslist. It was a great deal, but it needs some tender loving care. How do I clean it? Should Read More »
In May of 2012, I started an extensive outdoor test in real conditions of quite a few name brand deck sealers. The test was conducted here in central New Hampshire. The sealers were tested on treated lumber and cedar decking. Both are very popular wood species used for outdoor wood decks and structures. Here's the Read More »
Simpson Strong-Tie is the leader in structural deck and framing connectors in residential and commercial construction. They have an outstanding technical bulletin that shows you how to connect deck railing posts to the undercarriage of a deck. CLICK HERE to download it instantly.
If you are building a deck, you will need to mount the wood posts on concrete piers. First the concrete piers must be in the proper location or the support beams won't be lined up. The deck must also be supported for side forces and uplift forces.
Searching for the Holy Grail of deck stains and sealers? Most wood deck stains or sealers don't last. You are faced with staining your deck year after year. A side-by-side test of deck stains could show which product performs that best. I did the test and the results are in.
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