| Author | Content |
| Jenta Cuyahoga Falls, OH July 18, 2007 | Hi everyone. :) We had a new deck installed around march of this year. I am noticing that the planks used on the deck are already starting to curl and warp a bit when it rains. It's to the point where rain lays on each separate board and I have to sweep it off so it doesn't just sit there all the time. It looks like when the weather is dry it doesn't look as warped, but as soon as it rains they curl up again. This also happens on the top boards of the hand rail, and a couple of the spokes are actually curving. I'm really concerned that this will cause the wood to rot. I also noticed that they used nails instead of screws, and I wondered if that was a problem. When they were done installing it, I asked them if I should seal the wood. I was told that they usually advise people to wait a year, but that if the water was not beading on the surface of the boards, to go ahead and seal it. Since there was zero beading, I sealed it with Thompson's. The deck really looks nice, and the city approved and ok'd it. But it just doesn't seem like this warping should be happening. When I asked them to come back out and have a look at it, the guy said that I shouldn't have sealed it for a year. I told him what I was told about sealing it, and he said he didn't "mind" replacing a couple of boards. That was the last I've heard from him. Does this sound like anything was done improperly? I've attached a picture of the deck right after it was completed. (It was a mudhole at the time.) Thanks in advance!
|
| ecrane3 Dublin, CA Zone 9a July 19, 2007 | Do you have some pictures that show the warping problems that you're having? I wonder if maybe they didn't leave enough of a gap between the boards to allow for expansion/contraction, that would explain why when it's raining you see the problem. Wood will expand a little when it's wet, and if you didn't leave a little space between the boards to allow for this, then the boards can warp. As far as nails vs screws, I think screws are probably better but that wouldn't have caused the problems you're seeing. And about the sealer--I've never heard that you should wait a year before sealing, that doesn't make sense to me but maybe there's a reason that I don't know of. But the part about beading up--there's no way the water could possibly bead up unless you've sealed it so I'm not sure why they made it sound like it might bead up all on its own. |
| zion_lover delhi (in) July 19, 2007 | I think you just cover the deck with a plastic shed. The sheds are quite strong and their life is too long. Moreover they are very cheap and save a lot of your money. Does it sounds good to you? Just let me know or i will give you some other advice. Regards, Zion |
| Jenta Cuyahoga Falls, OH July 25, 2007 | I'm not sure what a plastic shed is? I am attaching a close up of the decking after a rainstorm so that the standing water can be seen. The boards, as I said, just seem to be curling and holding the water. This deck is very new, and I'm just wondering if they put it in correctly or for that matter, even used the right type of wood for the deck. Thanks for any help.
|
| Jenta Cuyahoga Falls, OH July 25, 2007 | Here is a second picture.
|
| Bubba_MoCity Missouri City, TX July 26, 2007 | A cover would be great, but would involve more permits and inspection. You don't have much height to work with. The door is probably 6'6", and there is not much space above it before the soffit. A flat or sloping roof under the existing gutter would be very low at the outside of the deck. If you built a free-standing roof it would probably be a hip roof that would overhang the existing roof on the house side, so add additional water into the rain gutter, or add separate gutter to the "new" roof. As for the boards: 1) Ideally, they should have been laid with the growth rings pointing up, but rarely do field construction carpenters pay attention to that. Usually, they are paid by the hour, so speed is more important. 2) A slight slope away from the house should have been part of the design - not a level surface. If there was not slope, the water cannot drain to the outside. 3) Since the builder said, "Wait a year to seal", the wood is probably treated. The year was to allow the wetness from the preservative to evaporate a bit. It will now have to dry from the bottom and sides - not usually a problem. I usually allow 4-6 months here in Texas, but have applied a stain sooner - depending on the use of the deck. Once waited about 2 years - wood was so dry it used much more material to cover - should have done it sooner. 4) The railing: Those boards could be remove and milled to have a crowned top, or a slight angle could be achieved with some shims on the house side to allow them to drain the standing water. |
