I have a deck, which has not been treated very well over the years. The horizontal boards are cracked and weathered. Is it possible to plane the boards to remove some of the cracks? I was thinking I could remove the boards and take them to a local wood working shop to have them planed. I could also rent a portable planar.
Has anyone done this? Is this a good or bad idea? The boards are standard, treated 2x6 boards.
thanks Fred
More trouble then its worth.... at about 10-11 bucks for a 16 foot PT
2x16 it is just cheaper less agrivating and a heck of a lot FASTER just to replace them... I faced the same choice earlier this year on a small 16x16 low level deck (seating area.) Being in my 60's and working by myself (sure is harder then it used to be) I had the entire thing done in a day.... at a cost of about 400 bucks...Bob Griffiths
" Being in my 60's and working
Boy, isn't that the truth!!
Tom
I don't think planing the pressure treated wood would be a good idea. There's a lot of nasty stuff in the outer skin of that wood, and the planer is going to be peeling that layer off in particular. Of course, if it's really old, that may not be an issue. But you're also going to lose whatever protection it was giving you as well.
Clint.
Yes, you can plane it. You can also paint on a new coat of copper napthanate. If it is very splintered, you have already compromised some of the intregrity of the coating of the treatment. But, thet teatment is forced to penetrate into the lumber so it theoretically should go all the way through.
BAAAD idea Fred. You'll probably ruin a set or two of planer blades if there is anything metal hidden in the boards. Planing treated wood is not healthy. recoating the surface with copper Napthanate is also a bad idea. it's ok for end cuts, but not the surface that will be walked on. it will stay oily for some time if the wood is planed smooth. you don't want kids and pets on it. it won't do diddly to protect the entire thickness of boards, AND if it did, you'd have to re-apply it too often.
FORGETABOUTIT, FRED. I'm trying to help you out here...
dave
Fred wrote:
I figured you COULD plane it if you really want to, and you can re-coat it with whatever you like (of course, it won't be pressure treated like it was before). But the dust that would be given off in the planing process would have all sorts of good stuff in it like arsenic, and you'd be inhaling that while you work. I know that planers give off more shavings than dust, but I don't think I'd care to be breathing it in.
And as far as I know, the pressure treating doesn't go all the way through the lumber. That's why you are supposed to treat the cut ends.
Clint
Also sprach Dave the Equivocator:
[much snippage]
If you're going to take them up anyway just flip them over, most of the reverse side will probably be like new. Replace only the ones that need to be. Let the boards weather for a year to even out the color and then use your favorite deck stain/sealer.
Scott
You could try sanding it. I imagine the borg or rental centers would rent sanders for hardwood floors that have four orbital sanders mounted under the platform, much easier to handle and more forgiving than the large belt sanders of days gone by...
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