1981 Cedar Deck Getting Revived
by Waren Wilkinson
(Fieldale, VA)
The original deck was built in 1981 (oh about 27 years ago). It has been treated some 27 times with Thompsons water sealer each year and it's still standing strong.
I am just getting ready to rebuild the backbone and beef it up a bit.
For example I am replacing the old supporting 4x4 post with new 6x6 ones supported in concrete and not just buried in the ground on top of blocks.
Second, there are a couple dozen boards that need to be replaced on the deck floor.
Third, the railing is 100% an accident waiting to happen for my 15 month old. Spacing is about 8 to 12 inches at best and I am changing that to a compostite rail at 4" centers.
The side walls have rotten plywood nailed up to protect the old storage shed below the deck. We haven't burned wood in 15 years so tearing the sheathing down is way over due. It will open the yard up and finally allow me to apply water sealer and stain underneath the existing structure.
Who knows what it looks like under there. You can't see the deck bottom floor for the wood shed tin roof the is built under the deck.
All is going but at least I have a strong skeletal struture to start with. Some have told me to tear the entire thing down and start over using on composite wood 2x6 flooring, 2x12 framing as before, 6x6 posts for suppport, and then just sit back and relax.
It's appealing, but I love cedar (real wood).