Decks are about the only type of remodel work that has it’s framing exposed to the outdoor elements. Water, insects, humidity, and dryness have different effects on the wood, but all of them are damaging. To reuse old deck framing for your upcoming deck project means sabotaging yourself, literally!
Indoor framing
Your home’s framing is protected by layers of paint, caulk, siding, and on many homes a house wrap barrier. These items protect your home’s framing from every challenge mother-nature may bring.
Outdoor framing
On the other hand, your deck’s framing is exposed year-round to rain, snow, UV rays, and bugs. Because of this, your deck framing is likely to fail well before your home’s frame.
What you cannot see can be unsafe
Decks with no obvious framing problems are the most troublesome and dangerous spaces. These are the ones that look a little weathered and maybe some fresh paint/stain or some new decking would be okay to invest into.
Most problems start on the inside of the wood, while the outside appearance may still look in good shape. Looks can definitely be deceiving! Often times you can cut into what appears to be good lumber just to find the inside is completely rotted. This is where it gets a little harder to determine the real issues that put your family in danger.
Such problems start from small screw holes in the top of the joists or beams that might seem unimportant. However, these holes trap water inside the lumber, causing rot and decay in the wood without anyone seeing it. Other times, the rot inside the lumber is caused by ants or termites. They nest inside the wood, eating and damaging it until there’s no structural integrity left. With time, the wood gets so weak that it can cause your decking frame to fail under pressure when you don’t expect it.
Start fresh and get rid of your deck frame today
99% of the time, the best way to ensure your deck is structurally sound when investing in a new surface is to start fresh. Have the peace of mind in knowing that your new deck is safe for you and your loved ones.
Trying to save an old deck’s framework means taking more time to remove the old decking, fascia boards and railings without doing any damage. Squaring up the old deck framing and fixing any visible damage adds to the cost, but any issue inside the lumber will remain unfixed.
Over time the old deck framing has dried out and the lumber has shrunk. If you go to replace the joists or add blocking, your new lumber will not be the same size. Yes, you could plane it down but when it dries out they will not be the same size.
If you consider the extra work, time, and money you must put in to make your old frame usable, you’ll soon realize it’s not worth it.
Avoid ledger board failure
While there are many reasons for deck failure, the number one reason is the ledger board separating from the house structure. The ledger board is a horizontal piece of lumber which runs parallel and is mounted to the house structure. It literally holds up half of your deck! If the ledger board detaches from the structure or fails for any reason, the deck will collapse. This often happens without warning and when numerous people are socializing on the deck causing serious injury or death.
The good news about starting fresh!
You’ll spend relatively the same amount of money if you decide to start fresh with a new deck framing. The added expense exposing the existing framing by a contractor paired with the always reframing stair stringers almost washes out the cost of buying new framing, usually less than 15% of the overall project.
Besides, new framing will allow you to make any type of change to the shape or layout that your heart desires, bringing added joy and happiness for you and your loved ones.
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