5/4 x 6 decking

[rtz]

Are these notorious for warping or the edges curling up? Any way to keep them flat?

If they were ran through a planer; would they be even more susceptible to warping due to being thinner?

 

[The Cobbler]

the wood is from new growth trees, it all warps .some more , some less. planing it won't do much unless you wait till its dry
it's not very stable bottomline

 

[Dirtydan69]

Use screws or ring shank nails. Install with outer curve of rings up. Hope

 

[NUTTSGT]

When I built our front wrap around porch, basically 8x50, I bought an entire bunk of 16 footers. So we're fine, some twisted and a few shrunk enough to pull through the screws at the end of the boards.

 

[ford33]

Consider composite decking for the floor. It is stable, doesn't warp and is a lower maintenance product.

It costs more to purchase but installation is the same and you will not have to deal with an uneven floor and wood splinters.

 

[shelteredV]

We use exotics such as Tigerwood, Garapa, Cumaru, Ipe. These are extremely stable although a bit tougher to work with. I'm not a fan of plastic decking as it becomes bait for polyestermites...

 

[flat tire]

keep it wet and covered until you plan to fasten it down

 

[dfiler2]

We use exotics such as Tigerwood, Garapa, Cumaru, Ipe. These are extremely stable although a bit tougher to work with. I'm not a fan of plastic decking as it becomes bait for polyestermites...

Polyestermites?

There has to be a good comeback for that one, I just can't think of it, too early.

 

[casmurbax]

Polyestermites are good for vegemite sandwiches.

 

[Kaizen]

Op what species of wood do you have?
I’ve flipped over cupped boards with good results


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[jonshonda]

Here is some good info on why boards do what they do and how to install them based on grain type and direction.
https://www.warlinepainting.ca/are-your-deck-boards-installed-right-side-up/

From what I understand you no longer space the boards apart when installing, as they will shrink down enough to create adequate gaps.

 

[steveo1o9]

I needed to band aid my deck with a few new boards last summer. I re-did the railing as well with the decking boards. The railing warped so bad it is almost laughable. I mitered the corners and they were tight when I did it, but it now looks like I cut it with my eyes closed. It was impossible to find dry boards at store when I bought them and even let them dry out in my garage for a week or two beforehand as well.

 

[aka Larry]

Install with outer curve of rings up.

This!

 

[Jackfre]

I am currently re-building a small building on the property and I am amazed at how poor the available lumber is. I think they are cutting 8" trees for 2x4-6's. I did a mahogany deck back east, but big $. When I re-modeled here, I just gave up and went composite. I used the Camo fastening system which has been excellent. The deck is flat and no risers or twist. Using an affordable wood, you are always going to be repairing/replacing and you cannot match the color or appearance.

 

[HeelSpur]

Back in 2002 we built a huge deck for a friend and he left it natural for about 5 years then decided to stain it. Had some guy come in and spray the stain and covered every exposed area. It didn't take long till the buckling started. The stain was blocking most of the moisture from entering into the wood. Ends of 2x6's were snapping the screws.
Lots more of them are buckling up so i'm going to check the ends for the ring up or down.

 

[bczygan]

Use 2x6's.

 

[marinusdees]

The rich people here Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, etc. use iron wood imported from South America. I think it lasts forever.

 

[shelteredV]

Iron wood is a common term for a wood that is heavier than specific gravity, in other words, it sinks when you throw in the water.
A guy that I learned a lot from always said to "keep the bark up", the board will always cup to the center of the tree. Good advise for decking most of the time.

 

[t1snwbrdr12]

Iron wood is a common term for a wood that is heavier than specific gravity, in other words, it sinks when you throw in the water.
A guy that I learned a lot from always said to "keep the bark up", the board will always cup to the center of the tree. Good advise for decking most of the time.

most of the time. I re-did the floor and railing tops of my deck last year. carefully placed the boards bark side up, and ended up having about 1/3 of them cupped the wrong way. I read recently that you really cant guess how they'll cup for some reason, reasons I don't remember right now though.

 

[PassnThru]

Polyestermites?

There has to be a good comeback for that one, I just can't think of it, too early.

They ruined one of my best suits from the 70s.

 

[rtz]

what species of wood do you have?

Claims to be "southern yellow pine"

https://www.homedepot.com/p/301880880

 

[Marctrees]

jonshonda is right on.

Here is a drawing of normal wood warp... sometimes you will get a board that goes Section 8, but in most cases what is shown below is reality.

5/4 radiused edge decking is plainsawn... unless you can find quartersawn.. but will be like 5X $.


Contrary to common belief... LOOK AT which side of the plainsawn board goes convex.
as it dries.

You want THAT side.. the convex one... up installed as decking.

Marc




https://www.google.com/search?q=lum...iPXcAhVqmuAKHUaODFcQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1229&bih=608

 

[Stuart in MN]

Claims to be "southern yellow pine"

https://www.homedepot.com/p/301880880

Should have mentioned that to start with...it's pressure treated. That stuff can move around quite a bit as it dries out.

The floor on my back porch is 5/4 x 6 cedar, it's been there for around 30 years now with no issues.

 

[Kaizen]

Claims to be "southern yellow pine"



https://www.homedepot.com/p/301880880

I use that so don’t take offense...it’s the garbage of decking. Should be screwed on both sides when installed. If cupped take it up and flip it over. If no better replace it. There is a reason it’s a quarter of the price of cedar or plastic


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[CombatNinja]

This^^^

I redecked mine two years ago with southern yellow pine knowing it is sort of janky but I was just trying to get a few more years out of my deck before a complete tear-off and rebuild to something a little nicer, larger and multi-level that would suit our needs better.

One thing I can urge you to do is do your due diligence at the lumber store and pick through all of the wood to get nice straight boards with no knots or splits. I really didn't mind slight crooks as I could force them back to straight on install. I pre-drilled every single hole close to the edges (but not too close) and screwed it together. Some of the boards had such severe crooks that once I screwed one down about halfway, the other end would be 6" away from where it needed to be. I just made a little wedge jig and forced those things back to straight. I installed them with the rings 'down' and not one single board has cupped on me in two years. I applied some oil-based toner twice now and I have no issues. The whole redeck cost me less than $500 and lots of free exercise but I have neighbors that have paid triple that for 'better' wood and have all kinds of problems with cupping/twisting and nail pop. The way you build it is just as important as what you build it with.