Decking - natural vs fake?

[Pete79]

Whatever contractor did that job would never work for me again....

Yeah, no idea who made it or when. It just got dropped off at my place like that.

It was a 6m x 7m freestanding deck with awesome views of the Brisbane CBD skyline. But after being dropped off it’s posts, cut in half and trucked 100km out into the bush, it now needs some love.
I’m just really trying to figure out what to do prep it and re-coat it.
I’m reading a lot of love for screwed decks in here, but it sounds like when a screwed deck is screwed, it really is screwed...

Oh how I’d love to be punching a bunch of nails back in and moving on with this job....

[Rumpig]

I’m trying to figure out how to do this with screws right now.

Can’t sand over all the heads sticking up everywhere and can’t punch screws back in.
I understand nails might be old school, but what the hell do you do to repair a new school screwed deck that’s been coated in this crap?

what screws are they?...massive heads on them and they don’t look stainless either, nothing like we use. The honest answer is, good luck getting them back out, we don’t build decks to be pulled apart, the timber should need replacing by the time it comes loose.

[Bird]

Dremel the heads, the putty the holes if you have to. Thats what I've had to do with the uprights on mine... the nails were not moving outwards with the hook end of a crowbar they just snapped, now I have 50 snapped nails in teh way.

[Bird]

what screws are they?...massive heads on them and they don’t look stainless either, nothing like we use. The honest answer is, good luck getting them back out, we don’t build decks to be pulled apart, the timber should need replacing by the time it comes loose.

So what brand/style/material do you guys use so I get the right Shit if I ever get round to fixing mine.

[Rumpig]

So what brand/style/material do you guys use so I get the right Shit if I ever get round to fixing mine.

these are what we use https://www.cdaets.com.au/Fasteners-Fixings-Bolts-Screws/Screws/Timber-Drilling/Decking-Screw/Stainless-Steel/528459-LDST10505006 , but there are other brands out there that are pretty similar in design and size. They will drill into new hardwood joists no worries at all, though you do need to go in and out as you go a few times to clear the screw out (standing on the decking board to hold it down also helps)...go to fast and you'll either sink the screw in to deep, or possibly break the screw (the latter usually happens if you try and put the screw in all the way in one go, instead of backing it out to clear the screw thread out). As for going into old hardwood joists if that's what you need to do... it's not something we do, so not sure how they go in that regard, can mail you some and a driver bit to try if you like. Each box comes with several driver bits, I can't recall ever breaking a driver bit, but have broken the odd screw on a rare occasion.

[rags]

I’m reading a lot of love for screwed decks in here, but it sounds like when a screwed deck is screwed, it really is screwed...

Unless it is screwed like my deck, steel joists under and not a screw to be seen.All pre drilled , screwed and then plugged before sanding and coated.

[bmwfreak]

We have just completed a mod wood deck out the back, and under cover. S/S countersunk screws all the way. Only issue we can see with the mod wood is if it marks you can’t sand it out .


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[GBC]

what screws are they?...massive heads on them and they don’t look stainless either, nothing like we use. The honest answer is, good luck getting them back out, we don’t build decks to be pulled apart, the timber should need replacing by the time it comes loose.

They look like wafer heads for attaching exotec style facades - commercial chippies strike again. Are they metal joists? The theory should be sound because there will be clearance holes through the timber and the back of the screw head does the holding down so the timber shouldn't ever split. About as pretty as a bulldog licking ice cream off a cactus though.
2 options for removal -
1. find what thins the existing polish (a dab of paint removing gel on each screw head should soften them and then back out with a rattle gun)
2. Use vice grips vertically and grab the side of the wafer and back out or snap by hand - yippee

[GBC]

We have just completed a mod wood deck out the back, and under cover. S/S countersunk screws all the way. Only issue we can see with the mod wood is if it marks you can’t sand it out .


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We have had the odd issue with linear expansion affecting the fixings on some of the 140mm decks we have put down - mainly with differential movement when it is partly shaded/partly in full sun (staino fixings snapping). I hope the screw holes are overbored through the decking per the manufacturer's instructions?

[ewoksta]

We have just replaced our old deck with Trex decking boards. Plastic composite material. They use a clip lock system so no nail visible on the top except around the side boards. The joists are fitted with the guides for the boards.

Hated having to oil and replace the boards that were there, so went the no maintenance option. Comes with a 25 year warranty. Yes it gets hot but in full sun what decking doesn't.

Cheers
Andrew

[Pete79]

Just read back through this and no one has mentioned actual prices.

What’s the cost difference between fake and real?

I’m actively shopping now after I got the Shits with my recycled one this afternoon and took to it with my 2 favorite tools, a BFH and equally big chisel.
Crappy oiled decking with big ugly screws is no more.

[kylarama]

Expect almost twice the price of Merbau.

Depending on brand, 90mm ranges from $8-$12 LM.

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[GBC]

Last lot I got was from Wilson’s timbers at Moorooka if that helps.

[nab]

We decided to keep most of the concrete and just decided to do about 4sqm or merbeau. We put up a pick when I’ve finished. I’ll just give it a coat of oil whenever I do the outside furniture. Far out decks are expensive haha!!!!!

[Pete79]

We decided to keep most of the concrete and just decided to do about 4sqm or merbeau. We put up a pick when I’ve finished. I’ll just give it a coat of oil whenever I do the outside furniture. Far out decks are expensive haha!!!!!

Been getting prices today and you’re not wrong about the costs.

After talking to a few sales reps about various brands of fake wood they all pretty much talked me out of that option.
Not just the price, but the gaps you have to leave because of how much those products expand and each brand was keen to point out the other brand still had issues with rotting...

I have to ask though.
Any specific reason you picked merbau?

I’ve rung around my local sawmills today and at the moment I’ve narrowed my choices down to Turpentine, Grey Ironbark and Red Ironbark. 
Just worried that the Ironbarks (especially the Grey) will be very difficult to work with.


I honestly thought I would go with fake timber when time came to do some decking at my place. But the time has come, and I’m going to go against everything I ever said I’d do....

[gronk]

This is a good video on how to oil your deck !!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6c4Nupnup0

[nab]

No real reason to go merbeau, basically I got it from Bunnings as I had saved up a few vouchers to get a few hundred $$$ off this project.... also my mate had previously made me a pool seat/storage box out of merbeau, not that it’s near it but thought I would match it anyway.

[Fizzie]

Saw this on FacePlant Marketplace yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/367229410678359/

Know absolutely nothing about it , so please don't ask me any questions

[GBC]

I’ve been getting advertising about this product. I’ve neither used nor seen it. Might be worth a squizz. Price is around $80 m2 I believe.

https://decksheet.com.au/

[nab]

It may save time actually laying the decking but as I found out a lot of time is spent framing and installing stirrups/concrete!

[nab]

This is the almost finished deck. Just need to space it out, drill some holes and screw it down. I bought a kit for the hidden fixing look but it didn't really suit what I wanted and how the frame was made so I will just go countersunk stainless screws. Now I think I will paint the limestone the same grey as the driveway - can see it under the gate.

Its 1150x3300, 8x boards fit perfectly with no trimming required!!! Only used 5x 5.7m boards in the end (with a couple of little test pieces left over haha!!).

Next question, what should I do with the toilet door there (currently in primer)? Its been a bit of a sore point with me and the missus have polar opposite ideas. 3 options so far are A) paint it and the frame a similar beige to match the bricks to try and hide it B) paint it the same colour as the shower tiles C) paint it a dark/funky colour then mount one of those fancy black/rusty screen things to it. All ideas welcome!

[gronk]

Paint it the same colour as the gate /fence.

[GBC]

Laser cut screen mounted to the door. Paint the door in tile colour first and paint the screen in fence colour.

[Rumpig]

If it were my place i’d keep the door colour light and screen it in a darker colour...see plenty of damaged doors (bowed or delaminated) from the darker paint colours they are painted in, the sun seems to effect the darker coloured doors more then lighter coloured doors.

[glenm64]

If it was mine, I wouldnt be painting the limestone etc (looks crap as it weathers). Id use (make) a solid timber door to go with the decking. It will tie it all together.