Deck resurface and refurb

[poolgirl22]

We are embarking on the process of pulling up all the top boards of the deck...about 1600 sq. ft of wicked angles, levels and curves. Back story: We bought this house in 2003. The pool/deck is now about 23 years old. The house had several owners after the original builder and I think we are now its longest residents since the original people. The deck was not well cared for and has needed redone for almost the entire time we've lived here. Finances just haven't allowed it. Now it is becoming a safety issue as some boards are sagging and splitting. We are confident the frame is in good shape...we hope.

We are painting the vertical elements an updated color similar to its original. The horizontal pieces will remain natural. Here's some before pics. The original builder wanted an inground pool but ground water was coming up and they couldn't keep it pumped out..so I think that explains why there's soooo much expanse of decking. Overall I love the outdoor space I have...and now that my pool is as sparkly as I always wanted it to be...it is just going to be perfect.

 

[poolgirl22]

And some more...

 

[poolgirl22]

Final 3 until we start de-construction.

 

[dannyboy]

One option you do have if you are wanting to keep the cost down is to plane off the boards to smooth them up. Some obviously will have to replaced (or turned over).
In regards to the frame. You can do what you can to fix up any issues but I put 'tar tape' over the top f each beam (like you use on roofs) to ensure my issues did not get any worse. I had to reinforce some areas but the tar tape will stop any further water penetrating into the wood.
Plane, sand and stain and you will have a decent looking deck for a much better price...

 

[poolgirl22]

One option you do have if you are wanting to keep the cost down is to plane off the boards to smooth them up. Some obviously will have to replaced (or turned over).
In regards to the frame. You can do what you can to fix up any issues but I put 'tar tape' over the top f each beam (like you use on roofs) to ensure my issues did not get any worse. I had to reinforce some areas but the tar tape will stop any further water penetrating into the wood.
Plane, sand and stain and you will have a decent looking deck for a much better price...

We discussed doing the planing and flipping over the years and even attempted it a couple times. The wood in general is so dry and brittle that we couldn't even lift out a board without it splitting. Honestly, the pictures don't do it justice in how bad and sagging it really is.. Some areas are better than others and the worst parts are currently covered with cheap outdoor carpets to avoid splinters. It's really rough around the pool edge too. The builder made a fan shape around the edges...in other words, the end of the board is lined up with the edge of the pool and then other end has a crazy angle so that it looks like a circle around the pool. Looks cool, but impossible to flip the boards and the angles match up. However, we think some of the straight boards we may be able to salvage with a simple flip as you said. It's a good time to just get it done. And, it's not as much as we thought considering it's only the top boards and we are doing the work ourselves with family and a couple easy to bribe friends..we only planne to do the pool section this year, then realized it wasn't that much more to just go ahead and 'git 'er done'. The big savings was when I said 'no' to Trex type. If I was going to spend my golden years in this house, then I would have done it..but I'm not. And we'll never get the investments back out of the house that we've made, let alone Trex.

I am intrigued with the frame suggestions..I will definitely pass this info along to the crew, especially around the pool area.

We are pleased with how the paint to the fence looks so far, but it has the same problem...dry brittle splintering wood...each fence slat was individually cut and nailed into the frame...those aren't prefab fence sections...oye! The paint is doing wonders and will buy us time on that project...if we ever do it at all.

 

[dannyboy]

I found the tar tape in home depot and it wasn't expensive. Shame the wood cannot be flipped and my next suggestion was going to be trex replacement to save on maintenance. As you say, this is a massive cost and if this is not the house to spend the rest of your days in, then save your pennies...

good luck and post pictures...we love a picture...!

 

[poolgirl22]

We've started tearing off boards and have about 8 rows replaced. Wow...there's no saving these boards. It is going to be beautiful.

A question I have is regarding our winter cover. Usually it is just screwed down to the deck through the grommets on the cover with a washer over the grommet holes to hold it down.

We have to buy a new winter cover this year anyway and I was curious if anyone had a better idea so that we don't have to put all those holes in the new deck year after year...

 

[colormesummer]

bungee cords with the hooks on each end work pretty well, 1 end in the grommet & the other hooks onto anything stable within reach, but I notice the direction of your boards is the opposite of ours so don't know if there's still a way you can make that work!

 

[poolgirl22]

I started a new thread in above ground pools for this issue.

winter-cover-anchoring-system-t20246.html

Keep checking back here for deck pics when we make additional progress!!

 

[poolgirl22]

Friday update..
Making progress.

One thing I shouldn't do is play with Dad's level. I knew one section was not level as I could tell when my table was there that it was leaning. During a lag time yesterday, I got the level out and discovered that my thoughts were correct. It's only 1/4 inch off...

And, the stringers don't quite run strait. But...our boards do with some creative screw placement..

As you can see from the pictures, the underside of the deck is obviously well protected from weathering, but the pile of boards photo is what we deal with every time we pull one up. Not a single one has come out in one shot.

 

[poolgirl22]

Saturday Update....
I don't have pics because it was cloudy and 55 degrees, and I don't like to post pics where my pool isnt sparkly!!!

Anyway, we have about 8 feet of the pool deck left to do. It has been a tedious process, but paying off greatly! It looks fantastic. When the top deck is done I will post a pic..so likely tomorrow..

My main job the last week has been hosing off the skimmer socks/old pantyhose of sawdust. Today the guys sawed and closed up holes in 20-30 MPH winds...so to say the least, sawdust patrol was an every 30 minute job, then a complete sweeping of the pool this evening with a skimmer sock still in place..hopefully I've been diligent enough that not too much sawdust has gotten into the sand filter. I laughed when I emptied the skimmer sock because I kept the toe part of the pantyhose in tact...I swear the sawdust blobs looked like something my dog might leave in the yard!! When vac'ing I had sawdust stew in the skimmer. I've kept my TC at the highest of my normal range and have no CCs, so I must be doing something right..

The frame is pretty good even though it isn't as level or square as my father in law would like, but we are making do with what we have. We've had a dozen or so stringer 2x4s that were basically not attached to the crossbeams, which would explain the sagging. Those were 'shored up' and leveled out as best we could do. Some raised parts where the 2x4s met the posts were raised and those got a little shaving.

The bottom portion of the deck will go much faster as there's not the odd sizes and angles to deal with. The guys are really looking forward to kicking that out in a hurry. The dumpster comes Wednesday so the piles of old decking will go away and I will be soooooo happy!!!

Pics to follow tomorrow or Monday...

 

[poolgirl22]

So I took awhile to get some pics up. We've been busy enjoying the new deck. Here's some pictures...
There will be a couple posts..

 

[poolgirl22]

And some more...

 

[poolgirl22]

and the rest...

 

[FinsUp]

The deck & the pool look FANTASTIC! No wonder it took you awhile to give us an update. Instead of uploading pictures to the internet, I'd be spending my time enjoying the fruits of my labor too!!!

 

[Ashbourne]

Looks wonderful - great job! I know you're enjoying it!

Our decking was the same before we ripped it out - I think it was original with the pool (22 years) and it was beyond help - screws were coming up, boards were rotting and splitting in two when you walked on them. Such a relief to have all that gone!