If you have an old wood deck in your home, you can replace it with a new one. The best way to replace your wood deck is to remove it first. We don’t recommend that you put the new boards on the old wood deck.
Table of Contents
Reasons to replace a deck
Inspect the joists
The first step in the process of replacing or changing your wood or wooden deck is to inspect the joists. Let’s take a look at some of the attributes of a deck. It is better than wood for many reasons. The material composition of the deck is different from that of wood. This shows that the synthetic material is stronger than timber. It is better than timber for weather and insect resistance.
Wood-Eating Bugs
Wood will be destroyed by wood-eating bugs because it performs poorly in this aspect. The weather will make wood less durable. It’s not food for insects that will make it resist insect attacks. Water in the air won’t get into your deck because it’s plastic. This shows that the deck won’t rot.
Temperatutre
When the temperature changes, the deck won’t break. It is easy to maintain and it is not like wood. The way in which you maintain your deck is different from the way in which you maintain timber. You have to wash your deck with a fabric soaked in water. Dust can be removed from the top of your deck with a broom.
Aesthetic value
You don’t have to paint the deck because it comes in different colors. The aesthetic value of the deck is different from the aesthetic value of the wood deck. The look of your backyard will be further increased with the installation of a composite deck. It is possible to create a contemporary garden in your home.
The material that you can use for an outdoor project is the composite deck. The surface colour of the deck won’t fade when it’s installed outdoors. This shows that your deck will last a long time. The process of changing your wood deck with a new one starts with removing the old timber boards.
How to change a deck?
Remove the old boards
When you want to change your wood deck, the first thing you need to do is remove the old boards. Best practice requires that you don’t put the new boards on the old ones. You should get a tool that can remove the nails from your wood deck.
The reason for removing the old wood is for you to be able to inspect the joists. You need to know if the joists are strong enough to hold the boards. The frame should be checked for signs of rot or break. You have to change the joists if you have rotten ones. After you have checked the joists to make sure they are strong, you can start laying the boards.
Use the clips
From one end of the deck, you can take it to the other. The starter clips should be used for the first set of boards. Use intermediate clips for the other boards. If you want your boards to expand and contract, you have to leave a minimum of 5mm between them.
If you don’t leave that space, your deck will fall. You can cover the edges after installing all your boards. The picture frame pattern can be used to build the frame of your deck. After installing your new boards, you can clean the surroundings and remove any leftover material. If you want to replace your wood deck with a new one, you need to remove the old wood first. Before you start installing the new boards, you should inspect the joists.
Read more: Can I replace my wood with composite decking?
Read more: How to Lay Composite Decking on Grass
