Home Improvement & Remodeling Articles
All about Wood Decks & FAQ's about Wood Decks

With every home improvement project that is completed, a sense of accomplishment is felt. A job well done can now be enjoyed and shown off. If the home owner isn't quite the handy man then perhaps that enjoyment is few and far between in coming. This doesn't mean that the new decking addition should wait any longer. A top quality deck can be designed and crafted in about half of the time it took 15 years ago. This is because of advances in engineered and composite decking as well as hardware and types of fasteners that have been invented in recent years.

The problems with most decks assembled in the past is that they were vulnerable to rot, expansion and contraction, fading and are now safety hazards. Everyone has seen the decks with split and warped boards. As the temperature changes throughout the seasons, wood expands and contracts. This expansion and contraction acts to loosen the screws or nails holding the deck boards to the joists ever so slightly. This is enough to allow moisture down into the screw holes. After the deck has endured its first winter, the rotting process begins.

To help combat the short life of traditional decks and improve safety, engineered or composite decking was invented. Now the homeowner has a myriad of choices from composites, which are recycled wood and plastics molded together with resins, to full plastic decking lumber. One might think that the plastics would be tacky and flimsy like vinyl siding, but not so. Plastic deck boards are very dense and have been molded to look exactly like regular lumber boards with a variety of color choices. Two of the most prominent advantages of engineered decking is that it greatly helps in the conservation of woodlands and animal habitats and it is much more durable than traditional wood deck boards. Each material, whether wood or engineered, possesses different characteristics which the decking contractor should be able to discuss with the homeowner.

Deck fastening hardware has undergone somewhat of a revolution from the simple days of nailing the deck board to the joist. In the past problems with nails or screws popping up created safety hazards that caused falls and cuts. The only way to correct this problem was to install more unsightly screws in the top securing the board to the joists again. Today hidden deck fasteners have gained in popularity. These hidden fasteners have even been improved upon and now there is a large variety and functionality. Some deck fasteners require that installation be done from underneath the deck joists while others can be installed topside. The most immediate benefit of all of these hidden deck fasteners is that the beauty of the deck itself can be enjoyed without the constant repetition of ugly screw holes.

Although these advances have made the assembly process faster and much more durable, they have not made the actual design of the deck itself easier. Another challenge to do-it-yourself decking is the type of soil and drainage that may cause problems if not addressed correctly. Unless the homeowner possesses basic carpentry skills and some knowledge of foundations or footings, decking is best left to the professionals.