Replacing Damaged Decking Boards WHAT TO DO 1 - Cut the damaged board into smaller sections.
In between each row of nails drill a hole in the centre of thie, board.
Place the blade of your jigsaw or keyhole saw into these holes and cut out the edge or the board in each direction.
Remove each section of the damaged board carefully with a pry bar.
2 - Measure and cut the replacement board to length.
If the new board will overhang the edge of the deck, cut the boards a few centimetres long; you can use a saw to trim the new boards flush with the rest of the decking after installation.
Position the new board and drill some pilot holes for the nails over the joists.
To give the nails a better grip drive them in at a slight angle with the points skewing slightly towards each other.
If you're only going to replace part of a board, make sure the section being replaced is still long enough to span across at least three joists.
Cut out the section as just explained, but this time make sure the cut is up against a joist.
3 - Once the section is removed, glue and nail some 90 x 45 mm timber blocks, called cleats, to the side of the exposed joists to support the ends of the new board.
It's easier to fit these if you start driving the nails into them before adding construction adhesive and positioning them.
Once the cleats have been fitted you can nail on the new section of deck.
4 - You may find that your new board sits a little higher or lower than the rest of the deck--a quick once-over with a belt sander will soon even them out.
Re-punching nails As wood expands and contracts, nail heads tend to 'pop' above the surface, presenting a tripping hazard.
Use a hammer and flooring punch to drive them below the surface.
Tightening bolts Often handrails and balustrades become a bit wobbly because the bolts that secure them aren't as tight as they should be.
This may occur because the timber has shrunk and then, once a bit loose, the leverage of the rocking motion has pulled the joint even looser.
Having the joint open up will also allow extra water 'to get in between the handrail post and the deck frame, and in turn this will load to timber rot.
Extending the life of your handrails can be as simple as retightening these bolts with a spanner from time to time, and a drop or two of oil on the nuts and thread will leave them serviceable for tile next time they need a tweak.
Cleaning your deck Make sure you remove the dead leaves and debris that gets caught between the decking boards; this 'mulch' will hold water and start the process of rot.
Clean with the blade of a scraper or blast the debris clear with a jet of water.
Don't use a garden hose to do this use a high-pressure water cleaner which will simultaneously remove the debris from between boards and remove any algae or mildew that may have formed on the timber surface.
You can hire these, or if there are water restrictions in your area there are plenty of licensed companies who can come to do the job for you.
Removing stains For bad stains it may be necessary to wean the timber with an oxalic acid timber wash, which is biodegradable, so any run-off from your deck cleaning will break down naturally and rot kill all your plants! Apply the mix to the surface with a stiff scrubbing brush.
After about 15 minutes it will have done the job of removing dead timber cells and the residues of old oil finishes.
It will have opened up the cellular structure of the timber surface ready for a fresh intake of protective oil.
Wash the acid off with water, or better still with the high-pressure cleaner.
In between each row of nails drill a hole in the centre of thie, board.
Place the blade of your jigsaw or keyhole saw into these holes and cut out the edge or the board in each direction.
Remove each section of the damaged board carefully with a pry bar.
2 - Measure and cut the replacement board to length.
If the new board will overhang the edge of the deck, cut the boards a few centimetres long; you can use a saw to trim the new boards flush with the rest of the decking after installation.
Position the new board and drill some pilot holes for the nails over the joists.
To give the nails a better grip drive them in at a slight angle with the points skewing slightly towards each other.
If you're only going to replace part of a board, make sure the section being replaced is still long enough to span across at least three joists.
Cut out the section as just explained, but this time make sure the cut is up against a joist.
3 - Once the section is removed, glue and nail some 90 x 45 mm timber blocks, called cleats, to the side of the exposed joists to support the ends of the new board.
It's easier to fit these if you start driving the nails into them before adding construction adhesive and positioning them.
Once the cleats have been fitted you can nail on the new section of deck.
4 - You may find that your new board sits a little higher or lower than the rest of the deck--a quick once-over with a belt sander will soon even them out.
Re-punching nails As wood expands and contracts, nail heads tend to 'pop' above the surface, presenting a tripping hazard.
Use a hammer and flooring punch to drive them below the surface.
Tightening bolts Often handrails and balustrades become a bit wobbly because the bolts that secure them aren't as tight as they should be.
This may occur because the timber has shrunk and then, once a bit loose, the leverage of the rocking motion has pulled the joint even looser.
Having the joint open up will also allow extra water 'to get in between the handrail post and the deck frame, and in turn this will load to timber rot.
Extending the life of your handrails can be as simple as retightening these bolts with a spanner from time to time, and a drop or two of oil on the nuts and thread will leave them serviceable for tile next time they need a tweak.
Cleaning your deck Make sure you remove the dead leaves and debris that gets caught between the decking boards; this 'mulch' will hold water and start the process of rot.
Clean with the blade of a scraper or blast the debris clear with a jet of water.
Don't use a garden hose to do this use a high-pressure water cleaner which will simultaneously remove the debris from between boards and remove any algae or mildew that may have formed on the timber surface.
You can hire these, or if there are water restrictions in your area there are plenty of licensed companies who can come to do the job for you.
Removing stains For bad stains it may be necessary to wean the timber with an oxalic acid timber wash, which is biodegradable, so any run-off from your deck cleaning will break down naturally and rot kill all your plants! Apply the mix to the surface with a stiff scrubbing brush.
After about 15 minutes it will have done the job of removing dead timber cells and the residues of old oil finishes.
It will have opened up the cellular structure of the timber surface ready for a fresh intake of protective oil.
Wash the acid off with water, or better still with the high-pressure cleaner.
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