Stack Your Deck

Structural problems and savvy solutions to make your dream deck last

Some homeowners might approach building a deck like any other hobby picked up later in life. Decks are simple, low-maintenance, and the neighbor across the street just built one — what could go wrong? The truth is, a lot! Here at Homevibe, we often see what we might call creative approaches to deck building. Cutting corners in construction may save money in the short term, but will prove costly, dangerous, and potentially lethal in the long run.

From materials to construction, we’re here to help you keep your deck safe and secure. Whether you’re a seller trying to make deck repairs before your home inspection, or a buyer with your eye on a decked-out new pad, here are the answers to your most pressing questions.

There are many different options for deck materials, ranging in durability and price. They can generally be divided into two categories: wood and composite. Common wood decking includes pressure-treated lumber and redwood or red cedar, while there are many varieties of composites, generally containing a mix of wood fibers and recycled plastic.

PRESSURE-TREATED WOOD

Pressure-treated wood is the most common decking material sold today, making up about 75% of modern decks. Pressure-treated wood is produced by forcing a chemical preservative into the wood, protecting it against insects and rot. It’s affordable and widely available, but it also is prone to warping, cracking, and splitting over time.

It requires routine maintenance, including occasional pressure-washing on a low setting and applying a water repellent or water-repellent stain after cleaning. Inspect your pressure-treated wood deck each spring for warping or splitting, and fix or replace loose or rusted fasteners.

NATURAL WOOD

Decking purists turn to redwood or red cedar, both of which contain natural preservatives. Natural wood is about three times the price of pressure-treated wood. Note that the level of insect and weather-resistance corresponds to the amount of heartwood in the boards — the more heartwood, the pricier the material.

Heartwood is generally darker in color and contains more of these natural preservatives, while sapwood comes from closer to the tree bark and is more vulnerable to decay.

Natural woods aren’t as prone to warping as pressure-treated wood, but will often fade in color more quickly and scratch more easily.

A simple test to gauge if your natural wood deck needs to be re-finished: sprinkle some water on the wood, and if the deck soaks up the water readily, it might be time to re-finish. This process involves stripping, re-staining, and sealing the deck; consult your local hardware store for steps and products needed. Uncovered decks and those in wetter climates generally require more frequent re-finishing.

COMPOSITES

Composites, made with wood fibers and recycled plastic, are extremely weather and stain-resistant. They won’t splinter, warp, or split like pressure-treated wood. They are pretty much impervious to insects, and are much more rot-resistant than natural woods.

There are a wide variety of composites available, but the cost is generally comparable to natural woods (higher than pressure-treated lumber.) The main trade-off from wood to composite is an aesthetic one — some don’t like the plastic, manmade look of the decking.

Follow manufacturer’s instructions for composite deck cleaning; generally, mild soap or a recommended cleaning product and a scrub brush will remove stains.

Regular cleaning and maintenance practices will help prevent damage and ensure the lasting strength of your deck.

Like houses, decks need to be designed to support weight and resist stress. The stability of your deck depends upon proper connections between joists, beams, posts, and footings. Joists and beams form the perpendicular framing beneath your deck boards. Joists should have hangers, metal brackets that provide support beneath the joists, in place.

Posts are the vertical structural supports which are connected to and anchored by the footings, the concrete below-ground support blocks. Adequate metal fasteners between posts and beams help the deck resist lateral movement. Posts and footings must be properly connected to prevent lifting or slipping. If your deck is a wood material, the posts must be treated at the footing connection to prevent moisture from seeping into it. Footings generally must be 12” below the ground; consult local building codes to verify.

ATTACHED OR FREESTANDING?

DECK CONNECTIONS

Attached decks must be connected to the house by a pressure-treated wood ledger, a horizontal board bolted to the house framing. The most common cause of deck collapse is when these ledgers pull away from the house when a large force is exerted on the deck, such as in severe weather conditions, like an earthquake, windstorm, or accumulation of heavy snow. Proper attachment and reinforcement of the ledger board to the framing, along with appropriate flashing, will minimize this risk.

Flashing, a waterproof barrier, is installed at the connection to keep water out of the openings created by the ledger attachment. Other common ledger issues include inadequate through-bolts, through-bolts too close to the ends of the ledger board (which can cause splitting from load stress), and missing flashing.

While you don’t have to worry about ledger attachment and flashing with a freestanding deck, you do have to ensure that the deck will support itself without the help of the house. Footings in place near a home must be constructed in “undisturbed” soil: consult your local building code to verify. Also, freestanding decks are prone to uplift, and can tip over when bearing heavy loads (like a crowd of people) or in severe weather conditions. Strong post to footing connections will minimize this risk.

RAILINGS AND BALUSTERS

The abundance of Pinterest boards featuring artisan deck railings might lead you to believe the choice of a railing is purely an aesthetic one. Where else would you hang your icicle lights? Really though, railings are an important safety feature at both the deck and the attached stairs. Avoid fall hazard by ensuring that balusters are no more than 4 inches apart. Also, posts should be present at the house, deck corners, and at the stairs; they should be evenly spaced and up to code.

If your deck and railings don’t follow these guidelines, you might need to postpone that summer barbecue until you’ve consulted a licensed contractor.

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