Deck floor board & rail replacement

[davma]

Hi.

We're thinking about replacing the floorboards & railings on our 400 + sq. deck the previous homeowners put in. They are in bad shape as they sat 8 years untreated.

Figuring carefully planned cuts using a sawzall should keep the floor joists intact and make removal much easier. Boards are in with screws so just prying them up full length wouldn't be so easy.

The floor joists & posts are strong and shouldn't need replacement.

Because we're not planning on staying here too much longer I'm replacing with exactly what's there now - pressure treated pine - for cost purposes.

Has anyone here ever ripped up every board and replaced?

Your experience is welcomed.

[m Ransley]

Have you considered cleaning and staining what you have, old pressure treated if not rotted and deck was well made is worth the effort as rot is your #1 concern. Cracking of wood is normal and new will crack also. An old deck can look like new. Also new pressure treated here is not CCA it is a new formulation that needs stainless fasteners and rot effectivness has not been proven yet. For the effort and cost consider a deck cleaner, powerwash and transparent stain. My pressure treated is

20 yrs old when I redo it every few years it looks like new. I hope to never replace it, to costly.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

If they are in with screws, you'd be far better off removing the screws as opposed to tearing them out.

If the deck is 8 years old and structurally sound, I'd not even think about replacing the boards. I'd clean and re-stain them. It is cheaper, much easier and will look just as good.