Deck board edge question

[WhoWhatNow]

I am going to replace the pressure treated board on my elevated deck. The existing boards are standard 2x6 pressure treated wood. I plan to edge screw the boards to the joists to minimize popping nails/screws. I really like the rounded edges on the 5/4 decking, however the existing decking height is at the perfect height to the back door. There is essentially no step up to the door threshold. This is important because my elderly mother lives with us. I do not want even a 1/2” step down for her to have to navigate that I would create if I used the 5/4” material. My question is can I round over the edges of the standard 2x6 PT similar to the 5/4” decking. I estimate that I will need about 57 16 foot pieces for the entire deck. We spend a good amount of time on the deck barefoot and think the rounded edges will help with comfort. Any reason not to do this?

I have no interest in using composite decking btw.

 

[manwithtools]

You should be able to buy 2x6 deck boards with the round edges you prefer. Otherwise, that is a lot of work with a router to make the edges round, but certainly doable.

2 in. x 6 in. x 16 ft. Radius Edge Decking Pressure-Treated Lumber

 

[Joe Reed]

Sure....if you have a router and round over bit and are willing to do almost 1/2 mile of boards (both sides and both ends). Might take a little while....and probably more than one bit...

 

[Higgins]

Sure....if you have a router and round over bit and are willing to do almost 1/2 mile of boards (both sides and both ends). Might take a little while....and probably more than one bit...

Not a problem. Just get a med to large router, a couple bits and away you go!
In our previous house did over 150 ft. took a couple of afternoons as i let the router cool down!

 

[cgrutt]

A few thoughts...

Routing will probably not cut into untreated lumber but its still possible and will likely diminish water protection on all the boards to some degree. May want to retreat exposed edges or stain boards afterwards.

Routing while wood is wet (which is often the case with PT lumber) may cause cuts not to be smooth or burns.

Routing by hand will follow any defects, voids, dents, knots, etc in the boards may have better results on a table.

Wear a respirator as all the dust will be loaded with chemicals.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Could you do a very gradual slope on couple of 5/4 boards in front of the door to eliminate the small difference in height?

 

[manwithtools]

A few thoughts...

Routing will probably not cut into untreated lumber but its still possible and will likely diminish water protection on all the boards to some degree. May want to retreat exposed edges or stain boards afterwards.

Routing while wood is wet (which is often the case with PT lumber) may cause cuts not to be smooth or burns.

Routing by hand will follow any defects, voids, dents, knots, etc in the boards may have better results on a table.

Wear a respirator as all the dust will be loaded with chemicals.

Couple of points to consider here. The treated deck boards he will be buying in PA will undoubtedly be SYP; with the treatment all the way through the boards. Routing the edge will not diminish protection at all.

Also, hand held routing is the only way to do this effectively. Give some thought to how it would be almost impossible to pass a 16' wet treated 2x6 over a router table and achieve any kind of even edge? The boards will not be straight or flat and very heavy. You literally want the hand held router to follow the edge of the board. Any other method will not work.

 

[Skiff Builder]

I am going to replace the pressure treated board on my elevated deck. The existing boards are standard 2x6 pressure treated wood. I plan to edge screw the boards to the joists to minimize popping nails/screws. I really like the rounded edges on the 5/4 decking, however the existing decking height is at the perfect height to the back door. There is essentially no step up to the door threshold. This is important because my elderly mother lives with us. I do not want even a 1/2” step down for her to have to navigate that I would create if I used the 5/4” material. My question is can I round over the edges of the standard 2x6 PT similar to the 5/4” decking. I estimate that I will need about 57 16 foot pieces for the entire deck. We spend a good amount of time on the deck barefoot and think the rounded edges will help with comfort. Any reason not to do this?

I have no interest in using composite decking btw.

You can get radius edge 2x6 treated. Talk to your lumber yard or search google.

2×6 Radius Edged Decking | Heart Pine Floors | Southern Pine

 

[jar944]

First choice would be radius edge 2x6 decking.


Second choice would be a short fence, power feed on a large shaper (not that I'd personally run wet PT on a shaper)

Third choice is a router and round over bit. It's only ~1850 lineal feet.. that's a lot BTW.

 

[wssix99]

Yes, you can rout the edges. I do this all the time, particularly with handrails. I find that it keeps splinters down on those edges. I also route the corners of my posts sometimes for a nicer custom profile.

 

[Renegade1LI]

How you set yourself up will determine how long it takes. Two sets of horses with a stack on each 3 or 4 across. A good 1 1/2 hp router with two bits you'll bang it out in no time.

 

[Rusted Nut]

2x6 S4S (surfaced four sides). Rounding square edged 2x6 PT will cut off the treatment. You could use 5/4 x 4, just put some increasing size shims on the last 6 boards.

 

[Kaizen]

I just did this with cedar that i used for railings. I still had to sand everything with two grits to get the smooth that i wanted.
I would not suggest it on pt. For starters unless you can get some specail 2x6s you are dealing with framing lumber. Its going to have uneven edges, missing knots on edge, and a host of other issues. Also I'm not sure how the roundover will deal with the moisture. Some of that stuff is dripping wet. I originally was going to use it for handrails as the local lumber place had 2x6x8 cedar at more then the price of mahogany. But when i looked at it in the store i saw the pt would never be nice

 

[The Cobbler]

use 5/4 x 4, just put some increasing size shims on the last 6 boards.

this for the win . even 4 boards @ 22" won't be a trip hazard

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I did not realize you could get 2x6 radius edge boards. Unfortunately, Lowe’s and HD appear to be out of stock. I will call around to some of the local lumber yards first.
If I can’t source the radius boards will give routing them a try. I will probably buy a base for my Porter Cable 890 and a few bits. A respirator and a long day will hopefully be all I need to get it knocked out.

 

[manwithtools]

2x6 S4S (surfaced four sides). Rounding square edged 2x6 PT will cut off the treatment. You could use 5/4 x 4, just put some increasing size shims on the last 6 boards.

This is not true. It's very location dependent. The treated wood east of the Rockies is completely different than that available on the west coast. It's not the brown incised surface treatment you are used to seeing in the PNW. It's a pressurized treatment that penetrates the entire SYP board. It looks yellow or light green, it's wet and makes the boards very heavy when fresh, after 6 months or so, it dries out quite a bit.

 

[dave*99]

This is not true. It's very location dependent. The treated wood east of the Rockies is completely different than that available on the west coast. It's not the brown incised surface treatment you are used to seeing in the PNW. It's a pressurized treatment that penetrates the entire SYP board. It looks yellow or light green, it's wet and makes the boards very heavy when fresh, after 6 months or so, it dries out quite a bit.

I read the title and I look at the photo and my eyes see a 5/4 board there. I'm not saying radius edge 2x6 does not exist, or that the ad would not get you a 2x6, but that photo just looks a bit off to me. YMMV

 

[manwithtools]

I read the title and I look at the photo and my eyes see a 5/4 board there. I'm not saying radius edge 2x6 does not exist, or that the ad would not get you a 2x6, but that photo just looks a bit off to me. YMMV

That is just a stock photo from a website. I linked to it from post #9. Here is a picture of the real thing, taken from my garage just a few minutes ago. It does exist...

 

[dave*99]

That is just a stock photo from a website. I linked to it from post #9. Here is a picture of the real thing, taken from my garage just a few minutes ago. It does exist...

Do you have a photo of those installed on a deck? I'm curious as to the look of them.

I've done plenty of 5/4 and plenty of standard 2x6 for decking, but not a radiused edge 2x6.

 

[manwithtools]

Do you have a photo of those installed on a deck? I'm curious as to the look of them.

I've done plenty of 5/4 and plenty of standard 2x6 for decking, but not a radiused edge 2x6.

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of it installed as decking. This piece was a leftover scrap that my son had for some reason other than a deck surface, I think he may have used this for a top rail on the permitter of his deck.

 

[Kaizen]

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of it installed as decking. This piece was a leftover scrap that my son had for some reason other than a deck surface, I think he may have used this for a top rail on the permitter of his deck.

is that just regular wood or a lesser amount of pressure treatment? I thought all pt is for ground contact. I've never seen anything like that

 

[PCustoms]

is that just regular wood or a lesser amount of pressure treatment? I thought all pt is for ground contact. I've never seen anything like that

No, not all PT is rated ground contact.

 

[manwithtools]

is that just regular wood or a lesser amount of pressure treatment? I thought all pt is for ground contact. I've never seen anything like that

It's a lower pressure treatment, not all treated is ground contact rated. The supplier of this wood is Sunbelt Forrest Products, here is a screens hot showing the deck boards are available in above ground and ground contact ratings.

 

[Wiz02]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I did not realize you could get 2x6 radius edge boards. Unfortunately, Lowe’s and HD appear to be out of stock. I will call around to some of the local lumber yards first.
If I can’t source the radius boards will give routing them a try. I will probably buy a base for my Porter Cable 890 and a few bits. A respirator and a long day will hopefully be all I need to get it knocked out.

I'm in your neck of the woods. I have heard good things about Tague lumber, if they aren't already on your list, consider giving them a call.