UltraDeck QuickCap from Menard's

[Unquestionably Confused]

Looking to refurbish an old deck. Deck is 30+ years old built entirely of pressure-treated 2x lumber. Despite our (semi) best efforts it looks like hell with checking, some warping and popped nails. Overall, deck is quite sound, just looks awful.

As only a handful of deck boards need replacement to provide a solid, flat surface, I'm looking seriously at the composite QuickCap system from Menard's. (manufactured by UltraDeck or Midwest Manufacturing, Inc.)

Seems to be a pretty nice system with the color all the way through it and, having bought a small amount to "test" for "how it lays atop the old decking" I think it likely will do the trick.

What I am wondering about is what sort of experience others have had with this specific product or similar "capping" systems from any other manufacturers?

I know that it will weather but does it still look decent after...

Any one out there with some information? Warnings? Cautions? Suggestions?

[hrhofmann]

pressure-treated 2x lumber. Despite our (semi) best efforts it looks li ke hell with checking, some warping and popped nails. Overall, deck is quit e sound, just looks awful. As only a handful of deck boards need replacemen t to provide a solid, flat surface, I'm looking seriously at the composite QuickCap system from Menard's. (manufactured by UltraDeck or Midwest Manufa cturing, Inc.) Seems to be a pretty nice system with the color all the way through it and, having bought a small amount to "test" for "how it lays ato p the old decking" I think it likely will do the trick. What I am wondering about is what sort of experience others have had with this specific produc t or similar "capping" systems from any other manufacturers? I know that it will weather but does it still look decent after... Any one out there with some information? Warnings? Cautions? Suggestions?

[gonjah]

I'd do the math on Rustoleum Deck & Concrete repair just to be sure. Might be a lot cheaper to go that route. That stuff is incredibly tough but it does have to be applied as directed, which can make it an expensive proposition. It will fill a lot of cracks on it's own but it really depends on the condition of your deck. RD&CR is basically VERY thick epoxy "like" paint. It sticks to whatever you apply it to as long as you follow the instructions to the letter. Obviously you'd have to do the repairs like warped boards and popping nails first. The RD&CR will cover the minor checking.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Thanks, but SWMBO originally spotted the Rustoleum product last year and, fortunately, did not buy it as she was seriously considering it until... She did some Google searching this year and while your point about following the directions to the letter bears directly on this, her research found almost no one who was happy with the product.

She generally does her due diligence before making any major purchase and rarely, she says, has she seen a product to thoroughly bashed by users.

FWIW, the QuickCap will run, I estimating, about $1.05 to $1.10 per lineal foot of 3½" planking including the special fasteners.

[gonjah]

It's a big negative for almost any product that has specific detailed instructions that have to be followed. The average American's reading level is somewhere in the lower middle school range. I'll admit I had to use the website's video to really understand it.

RD&CR isn't a cheap fix anyway, but I'm going to finish my deck with it after actually testing it in a very high traffic area first. I'm even thinking of using it on my siding. Done correctly, the finish comes out as advertised. Done incorrectly it's anyone's guess.

The funniest negative comment about RD&CR I saw was one from a "contractor". It was a hoot. He admits he didn't follow the directions and went on to post a video on youboob about how lame the product is.

meh

[Unquestionably Confused]

When I mentioned your post to SWMBO, and my response, she commented that all the complaints she read (or the greatest majority) came from folks who explicitly stated that they HAD followed the instructions to the letter.

She also mentioned that quite a few got one good season out of the application (last year) and then it flaked off after the winter.

I wonder if the severe winter, coupled with a saturated wood deck was enough to break the bond between the Rustoleum coating and the wood? Freeze-Thaw cycle, etc.?

Not that it will make any difference, I couldn't put the Rustoleum product on the deck if they were giving it away.

There is that Supreme Directive to contend with... If Mama ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!

In any event, I hope it works out for you.

I bought about 12 sq ft of the QuickCap and will install it over some of the rougher areas of the deck to see what, if anything, telegraphs through to get some idea of just how persnickity I'll have to be about the underlying surface if we decide to run with it.

[gonjah]

On 5/18/2014 6:49 PM, Unquestionably Confused wrote: > On 5/18/2014 4:47 PM, gonjah wrote: >> On 5/18/2014 3:05 PM, Unquestionably Confused wrote: > >>> Thanks, but SWMBO originally spotted the Rustoleum product last year >>> and, fortunately, did not buy it as she was seriously considering it >>> until... She did some Google searching this year and while your point >>> about following the directions to the letter bears directly on this, her >>> research found almost no one who was happy with the product. >>> >>> She generally does her due diligence before making any major purchase >>> and rarely, she says, has she seen a product to thoroughly bashed by >>> users. >>> >>> FWIW, the QuickCap will run, I estimating, about $1.05 to $1.10 per >>> lineal foot of 3½" planking including the special fasteners. >>> >>> >>> >> >> It's a big negative for almost any product that has specific detailed >> instructions that have to be followed. The average American's reading >> level is somewhere in the lower middle school range. I'll admit I had to >> use the website's video to really understand it. >> >> RD&CR isn't a cheap fix anyway, but I'm going to finish my deck with it >> after actually testing it in a very high traffic area first. I'm even >> thinking of using it on my siding. Done correctly, the finish comes out >> as advertised. Done incorrectly it's anyone's guess. >> >> The funniest negative comment about RD&CR I saw was one from a >> "contractor". It was a hoot. He admits he didn't follow the directions >> and went on to post a video on youboob about how lame the product is. > > When I mentioned your post to SWMBO, and my response, she commented that > all the complaints she read (or the greatest majority) came from folks > who explicitly stated that they HAD followed the instructions to the > letter. >

I put it on last fall. We had a rough winter (as we all know), and it's still on there like stink on shit.

I'm with you there. I've had to tear a couple of jobs back apart and do them over because they didn't pass inspection.

Hope it works out for you.

[Ed Pawlowski]

And you still have 30 year old wood under it that can turn to crap in the next year or two.

I'd take the decking up and replace it with new wood. I did that last year and it looks fantastic. I used tiger wood. Should last 50+ years with no treatment, more with. I won't last that long.

[Tomh]

replying to gonjah, Tomh wrote: I put on the Rustoleum in 2012 and it completely failed . They are being sued as they claim it has a 13 year warranty.