Deck lumber

[Fred]

Does anyone have any recommendations for the best place to purchase lumber to replace the floor boards on a deck? I live in suburban Washington DC.

I've read a little about the problems with Pressure Treated lumber and it being phased out. Any suggestions on better alternatives that don't break the bank?

Thanks Fred [e-mail]

[Elana]

Trex. Really. It's expensive, but you don't have to do another damn thing with it.

Avoid Phoenix Recycled Plastics. We didn't have a good experience with them.

E

[Charlie Spitzer]

i've heard that lumber from

is frequently cheaper than purchasing locally, even with shipping.

[Montyhp]

Fred,

May want to call Yukon in Norfolk

May not be to far to drive if you are willing to pick up yourself.

[eric]

If you want real wood -- try ipe from exotic lumber in Gaithersburg -- $1.82 lf in 0.75" * 5.5"

all widths are nom>

[Don K]

Ouch! I haven't bought wood in a while. I've still got some 1x12's that I bought years ago at Hechingers. It's stamped 24 cents per foot along the edge.

Don

[Todd Stock]

Trex is pretty much the entry level synthetic and looks ...well, like Trex. It's the vinyl siding of decking - ugly, but forever. You might look at Barron's in Gaithersburg or Mizell's in Kensington for other synthetics such as Choice Deck, Timbertech, Weatherbest, etc. - all look lots more like wood than the baseline Trex product. Don't get me wrong - Trex is a good product; however, as with spouses, if you're going to look at something every day for the next 25 to 50 years, it might as well be attractive.

Also - the price Eric quoted for 4/4 Ipe > If you want real wood -- try ipe from exotic lumber in Gaithersburg -- $1.82

[Chris]

Actually it's not Pressure Treated lumber that is a problem, it's what it is treated with. How long can you wait? By the end of this year the replacement for the current pressure treated lumber should be hitting the market (how do I know? The company I work for is one of the main suppliers of the new chemical that is used in place of the arsenic based compound that is presently used).

The new stuff is definitely less toxic than the arsenic stuff and is supposed to be suitable for use in stuff like children's play sets. I understand that it is similar chemically to the stuff used to preserve soap and shampoo, so it is pretty safe.

-Chris

[PC]

There's no need for pressure treated decking unless it is in contact with soil. If it is a suspended deck and dries well then most any good wood, properly finsihed is fine. I favor v.g. cedar.

Phil

Fred wrote:

[cvbn]

I researched weight of original wood vs. composite vs. pure plastic 5/4 and

2x6 "dimensional") decking. the lightest (hollow channeled section) plastic weighs about 10-20% more per lf than 2x6 pine or fir.

the composites are much heavier. I think ipe was also very heavy (you should check)

if replacing only decking without beefing up understructure, you'll problem settle for wood replacement decking.

[Mark]

My neighbor brought home samples of a channel design which is heavily gusseted and has a non-slip tread design. Pretty cool. He plans on using this to redeck his pier. It is SIGNIFICANTY lighter than anything else I've seen. It is also pricey as composites are - so much for recycling.

Mark from Pasadena, MD

[rosie readandpost]

doesn't use of this type of composite required much more support beams, underneath? my pier has support beams (besides the side support rails) every eight feet.