Wooden decks are a great investment for any home. With warmer weather around the corner, you are probably longing for days out on your deck, grilling burgers and chatting with friends. While they are worth investing in, wooden decking requires some maintenance. Many homeowners deal with warped deck boards. This can occur relatively soon after installation, so here are a few tips to help you deal with this problem.
What Causes Wood to Warp?
Wood is constantly adjusting to the relative humidity in its environment. It is constantly trying to achieve equilibrium moisture content (EMC). In simpler terms, when the moisture content within the wood exceeds that in the air, it will dry and shrink until it has the same amount of moisture as the air. If the wood is more dry than the air, it will absorb the humidity in the air while swelling in the process. This principle is applicable for all types of wood.
Types of Warping
Warping occurs in a variety of ways. There are different names designed to help people remember the different types of warping.
- Bow – Deck board curves up or down lengthwise but is otherwise flat.
- Cup – Deck boards curve widthwise, creating some type of channel.
- Twist – Deck boards deviate diagonally from uniform straightness.
Tips to Prevent Warping Deck Boards
The type of deck boards you choose can directly impact how it wears, weathers, and warps. Regardless of the species, wood with straight grain is less likely to warp. Dense wood is more resistant, this is why cedar is a great option. Aside from the type of wood, maintaining your deck boards is key to keeping your wood boards from deteriorating. Apply a sealant on the wooden boards to help protect them from the elements. Sealant might be clear, translucent, or even in a solid stain.
Correcting Warped Boards
If your wooden deck boards look warped, you have a few options. It is easier to straighten a wood board that is bowed versus cupped, twisted, or deviated at all. Clamping it is the easiest way to get it back to its flat state. You will need some spacing tools and a clamp to ensure the boards can return to the original.
Replacing Boards the Warped
Replacing warped boards isn’t too hard. Start by measuring the dimensions of a non-warped board and trusting a new one and making a request at your hardware store. Remember to keep it equally spaced between the surrounding boards. You can do so by nailing two galvanized nails horizontally into each end.
It’s Best to Use a Professional
D2 Landscaping can help you maintain your deck and have your outdoor space ready for fun. If you are noticing bad boards, you should have a professional out to check all the boards and structure of the deck so they can form a plan to fix the problem at hand and then find a way to prevent it from recurring in the future.
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Contact us (513) 550-7782 for more information -or- to setup an free consultation!
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About D2 Landscaping & Outdoor
D2 Landscaping is one of the fastest-growing landscaping company in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. We are a local and family-owned landscaping company offering a variety of landscape services, from new installations and complete renovations, to simple improvements. Whether you want to add a few trees and shrubs to compliment your existing landscape, or a complete makeover with outdoor living areas, our team can transform your outdoor dreams into reality. We pride ourselves in offering timely and professional services with highly trained personnel. We use superior advanced products along with precise installation techniques to guarantee your perfect vision. Our high level of standards continue to produce the best quality product resulting in glowing client testimonials, referrals, and customer loyalty.
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