fasteners

Oct 22 2024

Deck Drainage: Essential Solutions for Water Management

Proper drainage is crucial for extending your deck’s lifespan and preventing structural damage. Water accumulation can lead to rot, mold, and premature deterioration of deck materials, making effective drainage solutions essential for any deck construction project.

Understanding Water Flow
Decks must be designed to manage three primary water sources: rain, snow melt, and runoff from the house. The deck’s slope, board spacing, and drainage systems all play crucial roles in directing water away from both the deck and home’s foundation.

Essential Drainage Solutions

Proper Deck Slope
A slight slope (typically 1/8 inch per foot) away from the house allows water to naturally flow off the deck. This subtle grade is barely noticeable to users but provides crucial water management.
Board Spacing
Deck boards should have gaps of 1/8 to 1/4 inch between them. These gaps allow water to drain through the decking and provide proper air circulation. The exact spacing depends on the decking material and local climate conditions.
Under-Deck Systems
For elevated decks, installing an under-deck drainage system can create a dry space below. These systems typically consist of:

Water-collection panels
Gutters and downspouts
Waterproof membranes
These components work together to channel water away from the structure.

Ground-Level Solutions
For ground-level decks, consider:

French drains around the perimeter
Gravel beds beneath the deck
Strategic landscaping to direct water flow
Proper grading of the surrounding soil

Common Drainage Challenges

Poor Initial Planning
Many drainage issues stem from inadequate planning during construction. Consider water management before building begins, accounting for:

Local rainfall patterns
Property grading
Soil type and absorption rates
Existing drainage patterns

Blocked Drainage Paths
Regular maintenance is essential to prevent:

Debris accumulation between deck boards
Clogged gutters and downspouts
Blocked underground drainage systems

Foundation Impact
Improper drainage can affect your home’s foundation. Install appropriate barriers and drainage systems to protect both the deck and house foundation from water damage.
Climate Considerations
Different climates present unique challenges:

Heavy rainfall regions need robust drainage systems
Snow-prone areas must account for snow melt
Hot, humid areas should focus on preventing moisture trapped beneath the deck

Prevention and Maintenance

Regular Inspections

Check drainage systems seasonally
Clear debris from between deck boards
Ensure proper function of gutters and downspouts
Monitor for signs of water damage

Professional Assessment
Consider having a professional evaluate your deck’s drainage system if you notice:

Standing water
Mold or mildew growth
Warped or rotting boards
Foundation dampness

Upgrades and Improvements
As your deck ages, you may need to:

Install additional drainage features
Upgrade existing systems
Modify the grade or slope
Add water-management technologies

Remember: proper drainage is an investment in your deck’s longevity. While initial installation may be costly, it’s far less expensive than repairing water damage or replacing a deteriorated deck structure.

By implementing appropriate drainage solutions during construction and maintaining them properly, you can protect your deck investment and ensure it remains a safe, attractive outdoor living space for years to come.

Oct 05 2024

Eco-Friendly Deck Materials: Sustainable Choices for Modern Construction

As environmental consciousness grows, homeowners increasingly seek sustainable options for their outdoor living spaces. Choosing eco-friendly materials for deck construction not only reduces environmental impact but often results in a more durable, lower-maintenance structure. Let’s explore the most sustainable options available for modern deck building.

Reclaimed Wood: Beauty with a Purpose
There’s something special about giving old wood new life. Salvaged lumber from old buildings, barns, or other structures brings character and history to your outdoor space. Beyond its unique aesthetic appeal, reclaimed wood prevents new tree harvesting and keeps valuable materials out of landfills. These materials often prove more durable than new lumber, having already stood the test of time. Many reclaimed woods have developed a patina and stability that new materials can’t match.

FSC-Certified Wood: Responsible Forestry
When using new wood, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification ensures your materials come from responsibly managed forests. Popular choices like cedar, redwood, and pine are available with FSC certification. These forests maintain biodiversity, protect wildlife habitats, and ensure sustainable harvesting practices. While potentially more expensive than non-certified wood, FSC materials offer peace of mind regarding environmental impact.

Composite Decking: Innovation in Sustainability
Modern composite materials represent a significant advancement in sustainable deck construction. Made primarily from recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic waste, reclaimed wood fibers, and industrial bamboo waste, these materials offer exceptional durability and minimal maintenance requirements. Unlike traditional wood, composite decking never needs chemical treatments or staining, reducing its lifetime environmental impact. Many manufacturers now produce composites using solar power and closed-loop water systems, further reducing their environmental footprint.

Bamboo: Nature’s Renewable Wonder
As one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, bamboo represents an incredibly sustainable decking option. With a growth cycle of just 5-7 years compared to decades for traditional lumber, bamboo quickly replenishes itself. This remarkable grass naturally resists insects and offers excellent durability. Modern processing techniques have made bamboo increasingly viable for outdoor applications, though it’s essential to choose products specifically designed for exterior use.

Aluminum: The Surprising Sustainable Choice
Though not traditionally associated with deck building, aluminum offers compelling environmental benefits. This 100% recyclable material often contains significant recycled content and lasts virtually forever with minimal maintenance. Aluminum decking eliminates the need for chemical treatments, stains, or sealants, reducing its environmental impact over time. While the initial manufacturing process requires significant energy, aluminum’s infinite recyclability and exceptional durability make it an increasingly popular sustainable choice.

Beyond Material Selection
Choosing sustainable materials represents just one aspect of environmentally conscious deck construction. Consider the manufacturing process, including energy usage and waste management. Look for manufacturers using renewable energy and implementing responsible waste practices. Transportation distance matters too – locally sourced materials reduce the carbon footprint of your project.

Installation methods can also impact environmental sustainability. Choose eco-friendly fasteners and hardware, and opt for low-VOC sealants and finishes when needed. Implement waste-reduction strategies during construction, and plan for eventual end-of-life deconstruction and material recycling.

Making the Right Choice
Selecting the most appropriate eco-friendly decking material depends on various factors, including local climate conditions, budget constraints, and aesthetic preferences. Consider maintenance capabilities and local material availability. Sometimes, the most sustainable choice isn’t the most obvious one – a more expensive but longer-lasting material might prove more environmentally friendly over time than a cheaper option requiring frequent replacement.

Remember to verify manufacturer claims about environmental benefits and research local suppliers to minimize transportation impact. Consider consulting with green building professionals who can provide guidance specific to your region and project requirements.

Through thoughtful material selection and installation practices, you can create a beautiful outdoor living space that demonstrates environmental responsibility while providing years of enjoyment. The investment in sustainable materials often pays dividends through increased durability, reduced maintenance requirements, and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve made an environmentally conscious choice.

Apr 23 2020

Keys to Building a Safer Deck – Part 1

When built the right way, a deck should last at least fifteen years before requiring repair or updates. Of course, this depends on the materials you’ve chosen to use to build your deck. And that’s why it’s so important to understand each product you use in your deck’s construction, from the wood or composite decking to the railings, footings, and fasteners.

However, when your deck is NOT built right because someone has cut corners or there’s a lack of knowledge, you will not only have a deck with a limited lifespan, but you (or your contractor) will be putting yourself, your family, and guests in danger.

Follow the Proper Approval Requirements in Your City or Town and Schedule a Safety Inspection

As mentioned in another article, the planning of your deck building project is just as important as the actual construction. The fact is, the building of a deck can be completed in a week or two, and sometimes less. But you should take at least that much time for the planning of the construction.

The planning should include not only researching the building codes and understanding what is required to build your deck the right way, but also utilizing the knowledge and expertise of your local building inspector.

Your local building department is responsible for the regulation and communication of deck building requirements, from the soil at the bottom of your footing to the width of your railings.

You should always submit your deck plans as accurately and with as much information as possible. This will allow your building inspector to provide feedback on your initial plans before a single footing is set, ensuring you are building to safety codes before the building process has begun.

If, by chance, your deck is not planned to code, you will receive instruction on what changes need to be made.

Once your plans are approved and you pay the permit fee, your inspector will either schedule site visits, or ask that you call at various phases, so the deck may be inspected. These site visits will often put your project on hold, depending on the inspectors availability, but are critical to ensuring your deck is built the right way from the start.

Don’t Cut Corners

Often, especially when a deck is being built on a budget, corners are often cut to not only save time, but to save money. When you start to add up the costs of all the required materials and it appears it’s going to cost more than expected, a do-it-yourselfer may look for ways to cut costs. This can include using less fasteners or brackets, framing with smaller pieces of lumber than is required (for example, purchasing a 2×6 joist vs a 2×8 that’s required), or not digging a footing to frost depth to save on the cost of concrete. (Note, the best way to save on the costs and labor is to use RediFooting deck footings, of course!)

Cutting corners to save time and money might seem like a good idea in the short term, but by doing so, you’ll be cutting the lifespan of your deck, and increasing the likelihood of a dangerous accident that can harm you and others using your deck.

Set Footings Below the Frost Line

The frost line in the depth at which the soil freezes in the ground. When footings aren’t set deep enough, especially in certain soils simply don’t drain well, they are susceptible to frost heave, running the risk of the footing being pushed up from the ground, increasing the risk of structural damage to a deck.

That’s why it’s essential the hole for a footing is dug below the frost line, so the bottom of a footing rests on soil that never freezes and helps avoid the problems that can occur when the frozen soil pushes up the footing.

Soil with excessive clay content tends to be more susceptible to frost heave, whereas more sandy, well-drained soils aren’t as prone to freezing to a point where the soil expands.

This is why it’s critical that holes for deck footings extend below the frost line.

Choose Proper Fasteners

One of the more common issues with poorly built decks is the use of nails instead of screws. Of course, the ease of hammering nails into wood compared to the often tedious labor involved in driving hundreds of screws is obvious. But that doesn’t make it the right choice.

You would think nails would be fine for framing or when attaching deck boards. Afterall, nails are used in house framing, and have been used for hundreds of years.

But the fact is, the framing of a house is not exposed to water and moisture. (At least it’s not supposed to be.) A deck, on the other hand, is exposed to all elements of weather 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That means the wood swells and shrinks, changing form from day-to-day, and from season to season. As these changes to the wood occur, the nails loosens and water is allowed into the holes. This causes the overall structure of the deck to weaken.

The fact is, nails are an inferior fastener compared to other available options, including screws that “bite” into the wood to create an everlasting hold.

But even if you choose to use screws over nails, keep in mind that all screws are not created equal. That’s why you’ll find so many options when it comes to buying fasteners. When building with today’s pressure treated lumber, the copper content in the wood can quickly corrode metals used to manufacture some available fasteners that at one time could be depended on to be corrosion-resistant.

It’s important to only use fasteners proven effective against corrosion. Using the wrong fastener for your deck building project can cause safety issues over time.

Mar 16 2020

Deck Materials You’ll Need to Build Your Deck…from the Bottom Up

When you first start planning to build your deck, you’ll quickly realize there are many options when it comes to figuring out what materials to use. From the footings to the lumber to the fasteners and screws, getting a grip on your materials is a first-step to building a safe deck you’ll enjoy.

Footings

When it comes to footings for your deck, we of course know that in most cases there will be no better or easier option for you than to use RediFootings for your footings. There is no concrete to buy, no mixing, and no waiting for the concrete to dry. You can read more about why RediFooting is your best option for your deck footings here.

Below is a graph that shows the difference between using RediFooting vs using concrete for your footings:

In combination with the ledger attached to the house, the footings support the entire load of your deck. Footings are one of the most critical components of deck construction (as is the soil below the deck footing). But if your footing can’t support the load, it doesn’t matter what materials you use to build the rest of your deck.

The Framing and Structure of Your Deck

For the most part, the main framed structure of your deck–which generally includes the beams, posts, joists, and ledger if attached to a house—will be built from pressure treated lumber. It’s not only the most economical choice but is rot and insect resistant. It’s also easy to find throughout the United States.

An alternative to pressure treated lumber is to use either redwood or cedar, both rot and wood-insect resistant. However, the costs can be double, on average, for redwood or cedar as compared to building your deck with pressure treated lumber.

Initially, pressure treated lumber was preserved with chromate copper arsenate (CCA) added to the wood to make it wood and insect resistant. But because of its high arsenic toxicity levels causing both health and environmental concerns, the manufacturing of pressure treated lumber using CCA was discontinued in 2003.

The newer pressure treated woods (ACQ) are generally more environmentally-friendly with copper-based compounds, also making them a healthier alternative to the older, discontinued pressure treated woods.

However, the newer pressure treated lumber is not without its issues. There are still warnings, including the recommendation to wear gloves during handling and to wear an EPA approved dust-mask.

Additionally, the new pressure treated woods treated with copper are more expensive and also cause issues with the corrosion of certain metals (due to the high copper content). More information is included below with regards to the different types of hardware required for use with pressure treated woods to avoid the dangers of metal corrosion.

Wood Decking

Even if you decide to frame your deck’s structure using pressure treated wood, your options are still wide open when it comes to the actual decking material you can choose to use for the parts of your deck that are visible to you and your guests.

The most popular wood decking options are pressure treated wood, redwood, or cedar. The difference (aside from cost) is that redwood or cedar is naturally rot and insect resistant.

In addition to cedar and pressure-treated decking, there are beautiful hardwood options, also known as “ironwoods” because of their dense cell structure. Because these hardwoods are so dense, they require additional handling and extra work to use them in your construction project. For example, most of the hardwoods will need to be pre-drilled and require different hardware than your typical softwood materials. You’ll notice your saw blade will wear faster when cutting hardwoods.

Hardwoods include Ipe (the most popular hardwood), Cumaru, Garapa, Cambara and Machiche. Although they do not necessarily have to be treated the way the softer woods should, you will extend the life of your hardwood decking by using a surface treatment.

Non-Wood Decking

Both composite decking and PVC decking has taken off over the past few decades, and provides homeowners with a viable alternative to building a deck with real wood.

Composite decking is typically manufactured with a mix of recycled plastic materials and wood pulp. By adding the plastic to the composite, it becomes insect and rot-resistant. Because it is a manufactured product, you will not find the imperfections you will with natural wood products. There is no grain to worry about, and no knots that can often get in the way when cutting and drilling.

Most of the products manufactured today are non-toxic, and have come a long way since the early days when you could spot a deck built with composite or plastic decking a mile away.

Today’s composites and non-wood decking products come in a wide range of colors and styles, and can be an aesthetically pleasing addition to your deck.

There are few downsides to building with composite decking. One is the cost, which is higher than softwood lumber. The other is that some composite decking is more flexible than wood, and often requires closer support spacing, which can increase the overall cost of your deck.

Fasteners, Connectors, Screws and Nails

As deck building codes have changed over the past few decades, using metal fasteners has become more a part of building than your grandfather might ever imagine. Back thirty or forty years ago, a contractor might have used some joist hangers here and there, but otherwise entire decks built with screws, nails, and bolts.

Today, the building codes are written so it is very clear which specific metals and fastener types must be used to build a safer, code-compliant deck. Using the correct fasteners will prevent dangerous failures and provide you with a stronger deck.

Prior to purchasing your connectors and fasteners, you will need to make sure you are choosing the right metal for the material you are using to build your deck. The options used to be limited to either galvanized or stainless steel, but today different woods, such as pressure treated, require coatings and metals specifically designed for the makeup of the wood. The connectors and fasteners are labeled to help you identify which metals you will need.

You can find a wealth of information about fasteners and connectors available for deck construction by visiting the Simpson Strong-Ties website.

Deck Screws

When you walk down the aisle at the hardware store or big box store, you’ll realize there are hundreds of variations, sizes, and materials used to manufacture screws.

As is the case with the fasteners and connectors, screws are manufactured with various materials and coatings to ensure durability and compatibility with the various available deck building materials.

The screws you choose will depend on the type of lumber you’re going to be using to build your deck. Therefore, it’s important to know the differences and why any one screw would be suitable for your construction project.

Galvanized screws were at one-time the go-to, especially with pressure treated lumber. But because of the newer formulations in pressure treated woods, some screws that were at one time approved will no longer last long enough to be considered useful. Many will break-down over time due to the makeup of the pressure treated lumber.

That’s why there are so many different screw variations on the market today.

And the differences aren’t just in the material used in the manufacturing. Whether you use galvanized or stainless or ceramic coated is just the beginning of your decision-making.

Because in addition to the material used to manufacture the screws, you will also need to consider the type of screw head you will use. Each will vary from one type of screw to the next, including everything from your typical Philips head screw to square-bit screws to star-head screws to flat-heads, and many others.

Each screw is manufactured with the goal of improving drive, ease-of-installation, resisting corrosion, and having a durable screw that will last the life of your deck.

As you can see, there are a lot of options when it comes to finding the best building materials for your deck. This article is only a start, and it’s worth doing your own homework once you have your plan together so you can make the most informed decision so you will have a safe and attractive deck you will enjoy for a long time.