Tags » ‘cedar’
May 31st, 2011 by Suntan
Thomas asks…
why am I having trouble finding cedar for decking in California?
Ive tried Lowes and Home Depot to no avail, I from Oregon and just moved to Calif and prefer Cedar over redwood because of strength when deck building and it seems Calif is a major no redwood place
Suntan answers:
Your best bet would be cypress, but cedar is very good. What we get in Georgia, by the way, is Western cedar, or western juniper. Lowes and HD will not have it, you have to find an independent supplier and regardless of what you get, it will all be expensive.
John asks…
can indoor/outdoor carpet be glued to cedar decking?
Have an outside cedar deck and would like to glue indoor/outdoor carpet to cedar deck. Can this be done without new substrate.
Suntan answers:
It can but you ll need an exterior carpet adhesive for this and you will soon see the lines between the boards. GL
Laura asks…
How do you get rid of mold on your cedar wood decking for ever.?
Suntan answers:
This is a tougher question then what it appears. First you need to clean your cedar deck. I know that superdeck makes a great product.
After you get your deck looking the way you want it to look you should clean it twice a year unless it is in the shade. Then i would do it three times. Sorry to tell you that your deck is going to require more attention.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Visit Best Deck Design and Landscaping Accessories Website
May 18th, 2011 by Suntan
Linda asks…
What’s a good wood filler for cracks in cedar deck boards, which will be stainable & hopefully invisible?
Wow, great answers to my other questions about these deck boards. Thanks to everyone! Now, here’s another question…
Some people suggest filling the cracks with wood filler and staining over it. I tried that last year with bad results.
I tried two different “stainable” wood fillers to fill cracks & holes in the cedar boards and stained over them. They both stood out like sore thumbs after staining. They both also shrunk after awhile & partly crumbled. In short – they look like crap.
Can you suggest a wood filler that takes stain well enough to become unnoticable, or nearly so, after the stain is applied? Someone suggested Bondo (the metal filler), is that a good one?
What have you tried that worked best? Thanks!
Suntan answers:
Please do not use glue mixed with sawdust. Stain will not take to glue. Bondo is the absolute best method. It will take stain, as long as it’s the right color. Minwax also sells a wood filler which is essentially the same as bondo, but is a lighter color and uses a white hardener instead of the red hardener for bondo. Be ready to sand because once they are hard ( 5 minutes ), they are extremely hard and, unless you are skilled, you will have to sand not only the bondo but also the surrounding area.
Once sanded, the filler can be stained to match the surrounding area, although you should seal it first with one coat of whatever you’re using as a topcoat.
Sand after your sealer coat is dry, and then stain the filled spots to match ( that part’s on you to choose the right color ).
Use a tiny water-color brush and stand back and look…change angles…look again.
Now you’re ready for your final coat ( or coats )
Michael asks…
How badly should 5/4″ cedar deck boards be cracked before they have to be replaced?
I’m redoing my deck and replacing some of the 5/4 cedar surface boards that are cracked. Some have very narrow cracks that run from a few inches long, to the full length of the board.
Some of these cracks are so narrow that a business card won’t fit into them, some just slightly wider. Should these board be replaced before I strip & restain the deck? Or do they have a few years of life left in them?
Some of the boards have wide cracks, which I know need to be replaced. But how wide, or how long, should a crack be before the board really needs to be replaced?
Thanks for your advice!
Suntan answers:
Over the years my company has built many decks. With the cost of composite materials, cedar wood decking is still a better choice. The wood looks great and holds up to the weather well except of course for the splitting and twisting that can happen as time and weather changes progress.
The rule of thumb for me has been that if the splitting is bad enough where the deck floor boards are splintering, then you can begin to think about replacing them. With these cracks that are very thin that run the full length of the board, as long as the boards seem to be still attached well to the floor joist, you can leave them on a while longer.
Sometimes with boards like these they may not change for years and other times another season is all you have left. So, you need to keep and eye on things and when they start to splinter or twist to the point where they can’t be nailed back down, then it’s time to replace them.
Here is another thing that you can do to test the boards to make sure that they are still solid and that no rotting has begun. Take a lead pencil and push the tip of the lead into the board and if the pencil tips sinks into the wood, that means that it is at least partially rotted so you should replace the board. If you press down and the wood feels hard then there should be no problem with rotting.
I have seen cases where the lead tip not only sinks into the wood but part of the pencil does too.
To find out more about installing, replacing and finishing decks click on the following link.
Http://www.showroom411.com/dir/how-to/decks-and-railings-how-to.html
I hope this helps. Rick
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Visit Best Deck Design and Landscaping Accessories Website
May 7th, 2011 by Suntan
Robert asks…
how much per sq foot for white cedar deck 5/4 radius edge on 2×8 pt sub frame with 8 inch sono?
tubes , deck less than two feet from ground, ledger , at wall,, deck curved at front slightly 1×6 cedar cut on back, over all deck sub frame screw nailed surfce gal nails
Suntan answers:
$20 per square foot labor & material is probably a good estimate. I haven’t priced White Cedar lately.
Paul asks…
anyone know about hidden deck fasteners?
installing a deck and want to use a hidden deck fastener..i know about tiger claw and there’s another brand out there that uses a rail type of system that screws into the joist then u screw up into the decking ..whats the best one to use in putting in a cedar deck
Suntan answers:
I liked the rail system when I helped my brother in law do his. Now most of his deck was accessible from below on ladders. The only PIA part was the low part that I had to do on the ground under the deck while he placed the decking and kept the spacing .. GL
John asks…
Why do my wood screws always get ruined?
Hi –
I can’t tell you how many times my wood screws get ruined when the head of the screw gets bored out by my drill (and I have to wrench the screw back out, which takes for ever). Do I have to pre-drill every hole? I know that I’m not drilling too fast…
I screwed down a deck’s worth of cedar with no pre drills and no problems, but little projects around my house are killing me.
To me, I either have to predrill everything or buy better screws. Mine are regular wood screws from Depot. Zinc, I believe.
I know this is super basic, but do you have any helpful shortcuts/hints?
Thanks,
Suntan answers:
Here are some basic tips:
Use a good tip – it needs to be the right size and type, undamaged, and not rounded off on the edges. When using “phillips” bits, there are 3 sizes, #1, #2, and #3. #2 is the most common size.
Use the clutch setting on your driver. I don’t know how many screwheads I’ve seen my employees strip, becuase they didn’t adjust the clutch from ‘drill’ to one of the number settings for the driver. What number you actually need, depends on what you are screwing into – how hard it is. I start with a lower clutch setting, and move to higher settings, as long as the screw is being left protruding.
Most importantly – keep the driver in line with the screw. The most common reason for a screw head to strip out, is because the driver was held at an angle to the screw. I had one fellow, that stripped every single screw. I could use the same driver, screw, and setting, and get a perfect set, where he would strip it out — until he learned to hold the driver straight. Working in softer materials, you can get away with sloppy handling of the driver, as it is more likely to push the screw in, even if being held crooked – not so with harder materials. You have to hold it straight in line with the screw.
You will also find that some screws are ‘softer’ than others — for example, stainless steel screws are notorious for stripping out, because they are so soft. For this type of fastener, you need to purchase a softer metal tip, so that the tip will break, before the screw head strips out. Buy extra tips, hehehe. Brass screws are the same way – its a softer metal.
Where possible, use a screw design that is made to grip better, and be less likely to strip out, like the “square drive” (aka ‘Robertson’ head). Where the ‘Phillips’ head looks like a “+” sign, the ‘square drive’ is just that, a square socket. These also come in different sizes, so it is important to get the correct bit for the screw. Others are ‘clutch’ bits, “Torx”, etc. (you find ‘torx’ head screws in a lot of automotive applications)
I prefer to use the square drive wood screws myself. I know the local hardware store pushes ‘sheetrock’ screws to be used in most applications, but in my experience, it’s too easy to snap them off – they’re not as strong as wood screws.
Have Fun
Susan asks…
when building a deck what is the best way to caulk the nails or screws?
So I am planning on building a small desk made of Cedar wood.
But trying to figure out the best way to seal it so it does not rot out. My current desk was built a few years ago but done rotted. I was told to use screws and some how caulk the screws when drilling in the desk. What is the best approach for this?
Drill first then add caulk, then screw in the screws into the desk.
Any suggestions on how to make this work best
I am open to Ideas!!.
Deck like wood desk not desk.
I dont have a desk, I dont work at home.
Suntan answers:
Desk, deck whats the diffrence? My deck is bigger than my desk, but not as pretty. My deck rots but i didnt build it and my desk isnt exposed to elements.
But it really dosent matter what you do to the screws, what matters is a nice uniform coat of waterproofing or perhaps a nautical paint coat to protect from the elements.
Oh and yeah , use the galvanized wood screws
Richard asks…
In Canada, who sells stainless steel nails? They are hard to find now…?
I am rebuilding my porch and steps out of cedar. Years ago, I used 3 inch stainless steel finishing nails for the decking. But now it looks like nobody sells them anymore. Does anybody know where to get them in the Ottawa area in Canada. The reason I like them is because they are very rust-resistant and I prefer the nails because you can countersink the nail heads and hardly notice them compared to screws.
As an alternative, would hot-dipped galvanized nails be O.K.?
Thanks everyone!
Suntan answers:
Stainless steel nails? Wow, that is going back! – Yes hot dipped galvanized is good.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Visit Best Deck Design and Landscaping Accessories Website
May 2nd, 2011 by Suntan
Jenny asks…
Is there such thing as pressure treated cedar decking?
I recently did a deck for someone and used Cedar decking on the entire deck. They asked me (2 months later) if I used pressure treated wood. After looking up pressure treated wood, I found nothing regarding pressure treated cedar. Infact, I found only websites about the differences between cedar and pressure treated wood. Am I right that there is no such thing as pressure treated cedar?
I did have to fix a few areas of framing but the lumber guys just gave me 6×6 cedar for this.
Suntan answers:
Good job! You did the right thing! Pt is garbage!
Maria asks…
have you used cedar decking boards for your patio?
we are thinking of using cedar decking boards for our patio. could you let us know if you have had any problems with it’s performance such as cracking, rotting, warping, or trouble with mold. any trouble installing the boards. did you use regular deck screws? how soon did you use stain? what type of stain – oil base or water base? thank you for your answers.
Suntan answers:
Contrary to comments from others about cedar – it is not a good choice for decking.
Cedar is a very soft wood and it splits easily – that is why it is the best choice for cedar shake siding and roofing shingles. It splits straight and consistent.
Yes, it is durable and insect resistant, however for a walking surface – not good.
Stick with treated #1 southern yellow pine. Much stronger – just pre-drill any holes for deck screws at the ends of the boards and all others to insure no splitting.
Let new treated deck boards sit for about 3-4 months. Then stain/seal either natural color or any color you want.
The pictures you see of the nice redwood/cedar decks don’t show you what they look like after a couple years of wear.
I suggest using either stainless steel phillips head deck screws 2+1/2″ or a coated deck screw to resist chemical reaction of treated lumber.
Cedar is expensive – call a lumber yard and just price a pc. Of cedar decking and a pc. Of regular #1 southern yellow pine treated decking.
For comparison price a 5/4″ x 6″x 12′ pc. Of decking in each kind. Now you will see exactly what I mean.
Betty asks…
Building a cedar closet. do I use decking or other?
do you line the walls with cedar decking, paneling, or some other type of cedar? is there a special type of cedar to use? Would a home-depot, lumber yard, or paneling store have these “Cedar Paneling”? I never heard of cedar paneling before. is it a thin luann/venere type of cedar or solid cedar.please help
Suntan answers:
They do sell aromatic cedar at homedept….its thinner (1/2in maybe ) and should come tounge and groove …..it sure will keep most the bugs out
Charles asks…
HELP??? Looking for correct procedures and products to paint porch and seal cedar decking?
We pressure washed the entire porch last weekend to remove mildew from the white painted surface of the posts and railings and also to clean the sealed surface of the cedar porch floor.
During the pressure washing process, we removed a couple areas of the white paint and even a couple areas of wood. Before moisture gets into the wood, I’d like to repair the areas where we weren’t so gentle with the pressure washer, repaint the posts and railings and seal the cedar floor of the porch. All of this, hopefully, without having to sand everything.
Should I use a wood putty or caulking to patch the holes on the railings? Product recommendations??
Should I use a specific kind of paint to make sure it adheres to the already painted surface as well as the repaired areas?
Easy product to use for sealing the cedar??
Best sequence of activities….patch, paint railings, seal floor?
I’m going for best quality… meaning…. I don’t want to do this every year.
Thanks.
Suntan answers:
First you will have to allow the wood to dry.before painting you will have to lightly sand the previosly painted area to allow the new paint to adhere.repair/replace any areas needed.prep rails and posts for painting and lastly seal the decking.one of the best sealent out there is a product called cuponol.i have used it many times on a variety of material and have never been dissapointed.a product like thompsons water seal has to be applied yearly,so i would stay away from that.good luck
Mary asks…
What does it cost per square foot to replace cedar decking?
Suntan answers:
Lowes has 2x6x12′ @ $27.37
So your price would depend on deck size and waste generated.
Homedepot will likely be competetive on price and either would be your best bet, but at that price you should look into composite decking made by Trex, which is sold at Lowes.
I built a deck for an eye surgeon, which was entirely decked with Trex 5/4×6 in the Brasilia smooth finish. His deck was 480 sq ft and we used $15000 in materials, but it was very, very intricate, having four levels and only 12″ joist spacing, and the decking was screwed entirely from underneath, and one level was built along the contour of a red granite boulder. So it was not your normal deck and do not be scared by my price of materials!
Lifetime warranty, and looks great! Is also a pleasure to work with!
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Visit Best Deck Design and Landscaping Accessories Website
April 27th, 2011 by Suntan
Steven asks…
What is fair price to pay for a new cedar deck that is 320 square feet?
Suntan answers:
Rainger26
$2,000
Consider HDPE deck instead. Last longer, near maintenance free, and not as costly.
George asks…
Price quotes on luimber or cedar?
I’m doing a paper in school and i need some price quotes on lumber or cedar for a deck. and i looked everywheres !! the internet is not giving me nothing!! this deck is 984 square feet and every web site i go to does not give me any info no prices nothing!! if nayone could help me or give me a site that might help id be greatful!!
thx 
Suntan answers:
Go to lowes or home depot on your way home
Carol asks…
What is the best way to attach 5/4″ cedar deck boards to their supporing joists?
I’m replacing the boards on my deck. I’ll be installing 5/4″ cedar. When I built a deck before, used deck screws, but I was using 2×6 pressure treated wood.
I was wondering if it would be okay, or maybe even better, to install new 5/4″ cedar with finishing nails instead of screws. It would be worth the price of a nail-gun.
Do you know if this would be a good idea or not?
Also, any other ideas for sizing, cutting, sealing or fastening new cedar decking would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Suntan answers:
I’d use 3-inch screws (stainless-steel or maybe that brown-dull finish exterior) [maybe 4-inch screws with the 5/4" deck boards]
I’m no carpenter, but I’ve had very good luck with screw-fasteners in fencing
recommendation:
have two drills powered off multi-outlet at end of THICK extension cord
drill A) thin drill bit for pilot-hole
drill B) phillips-head driver-bit that FITS the screw-head
FITS …… You don’t want slippage, spend a little extra to get a good screw-drive head or 2 or 3 or 4 …. Don’t run out of the right parts
maybe even a bar of hand-soap to rub on the screw-threads before installing (Lubrication that won’t hurt wood)
Paul asks…
looking for very small real estate agent in south tennessee or south carolina?
i’m looking to buy 2 to 5 acres not too far from a town with amenities on a rural road with hydro and hopefully an existing well. i’d like to semi-retire and looking for a comfortable spot to house my 8,000 books and me  First consideration is for vendor take back mortgage with a very reasonable downpayment. A property that has a 800 to 1000 sqft cottage-type existing dwelling would be optimum. I need to build a huggge cedar deck. My price range is $250. to $2,000. an acre for vacant land with amenities. With dwelling–negotiable. I drive a semi. Need to be able to access with truck. Thanks
Suntan answers:
I am a Realtor in a rural area of MO. I have lived in TN and KY before and things are similar. Small land that cheap with a good easement can be difficult, not impossible. Expect to be at the 2,000 and acre end of your range and get lucky. Check the local papers and Internet sights. You probably won’t find much listed by Realtors. Even at $2,000 an acre, 5 acres and a 7% comission you are only talking about a $700 commission split between the buyers and sellers agent and their brokers, that will hardly pay for gas. They may be able to list it for a flat fee but that will send the price higher.
You will probably have to go it on your own, the land owner may offer you financing. That small of a loan and banks probably won’t mix, unless it is a credit card. You might also have cash.
If there is a home on it than things will be different as far as using a Realtor and bank.
Make sure you check the deed and whom ever you buy it from is the only one on it, make sure whatever easement you have is recorded, this will show in the legal description, even it you see utilities call the power company to make sure they are usable.
Joseph asks…
What should I be expecting to pay for a fence and a deck in Southern Ontario?
what is the reasonable price per linear foot for the wooden pressure treated boarded fence and a sq. ft. for the deck (pressure treated or cedar)?
Suntan answers:
Not including labour (built myself) I paid about $1000 for my 12×12 pressure treated deck (that is about 12″ off ground). That is about $7 Sq Ft. Price will increase as the height of the deck increases. Labour will probably double the cost.
My PT 6′ height fence was about $10 FT
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Visit Best Deck Design and Landscaping Accessories Website
|
|