# reversing deck boards



## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

I have a very large deck old but sturdy. The boards topside are splintering and old with weather cracks. One day I noticed the under sides were in beautiful shape. I know it sounds cheep!! but I'm looking at $1,500.00 bucks to replace them. Has anyone out there had experience at reversing there deck boards?


deck hand
.


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

Yup
Not my own, but have done it for others
Almost not worth the effort, it depends on how they were originally attached, and how well they are still attached
Takes more time then just demo-ing, as you must be really careful
Same with re-assembly
Also, your finish options can be limited depending on what you've got

If you have a good candidate, it can come out well and save you some bucks in materials


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Done it. You need to be careful removing them. Count on damaging some and needing a few new boards. Should be easier if they were screwed down.


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## bigchaz (Jun 28, 2006)

The more splintering and cracks you have the harder it will be. Make sure you get a good nail puller instead of prying the whole board up


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## SecretSquirrel (Jun 22, 2007)

Typically the deck boards are installed crown up / cup down. Just keep an eye out for any cupping as you flip them and replace if necessary. You don't want to allow any water a place to accumulate. Although this may be a non-issue due to the age of the deck and the boards may have flattened out by now.


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

SecretSquirrel said:


> Typically the deck boards are installed crown up / cup down. Just keep an eye out for any cupping as you flip them and replace if necessary. You don't want to allow any water a place to accumulate. Although this may be a non-issue due to the age of the deck and the boards may have flattened out by now.


Thanks this is my next project

Thanks for reminding me about the cup's I had forgotten about this!

These are all 20 ft's.
Deck hand :thumbup:


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## Cole (Mar 12, 2005)

I have done it and will not do it again.

To me it is too much trouble. If a professional was charging you to do it, it would be more money to reverse them, then to put new ones on.


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

*reversing deeck boards*



Cole said:


> I have done it and will not do it again.
> 
> To me it is too much trouble. If a professional was charging you to do it, it would be more money to reverse them, then to put new ones on.



Thanks I must think about this again

Deck Hand


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## Cole (Mar 12, 2005)

deck hand said:


> Thanks I must think about this again
> 
> Deck Hand


It might not be a lot more money, but I would charge you a little more for the extra work.

Are the boards screwed or nailed?


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

*deck boards*



Cole said:


> It might not be a lot more money, but I would charge you a little more for the extra work.
> 
> Are the boards screwed or nailed?



I'm a do it your self in Mich.
Deck hand


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## Cole (Mar 12, 2005)

deck hand said:


> I'm a do it your self in Mich.
> Deck hand


Oh I know, I was just giving you a little more info.

If the funds are not available to buy new decking, I would reverse the current ones in a heartbeat. It just takes a little longer but if you are a diyer, time is not something you will have to be worried about.

Are the current ones screwed or nailed?


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

Cole said:


> Oh I know, I was just giving you a little more info.
> 
> If the funds are not available to buy new decking, I would reverse the current ones in a heartbeat. It just takes a little longer but if you are a diyer, time is not something you will have to be worried about.
> 
> Are the current ones screwed or nailed?


The current boards are nailed, but they will come up easy
I all ready tried one.
Also if I have a hard one I have a garage floor jack that will lift five ton, so with this I can pry up the boards with no problem. 
After this is all re installed I plan on renting a flat floor sander and sand the whole deck give it a coat of a good stain. What is so good is the deck is square, no angle cuts
Thanks 

deck hand


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

deck hand said:


> I plan on renting a flat floor sander and sand the whole deck


Be sure to set the screws/nails below the wood level
Those sanders don't like metal too much


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## Cole (Mar 12, 2005)

deck hand said:


> The current boards are nailed, but they will come up easy
> I all ready tried one.
> Also if I have a hard one I have a garage floor jack that will lift five ton, so with this I can pry up the boards with no problem.
> After this is all re installed I plan on renting a flat floor sander and sand the whole deck give it a coat of a good stain. What is so good is the deck is square, no angle cuts
> ...


Sounds like a plan! If they are nailed, I dont see any problems that you will have.

BTW- When I was talking about more money for reversing them, I was talking about them being screwed down and having to take all screws out, which means a ton of work.

Good Luck!


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## bigchaz (Jun 28, 2006)

good luck renting a floor sander if you let them know it is for a deck
you are sanding hardwood floors if you catch my drift

and be careful with those things. They can sand a hole right through the deck in no time. Use rough grit. 60 or courser


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## MRMuaz (Aug 29, 2007)

Hi, This post is very informative, however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

We'd prefer to keep it in the public forums Muaz, so others can benefit


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## colcam (Oct 27, 2010)

*Reversing deck wood questions...*

How did the original posters deck turn out????
I too am reversing (flipping) the pressure treated boards (2x6) on a 15 year old deck. Just saving money and recycling. About one third of the boards have cracked and splintered beyond repair, but the bottom side is in excellent shape. I was going to simply replace them, but I originally used zinc coated screws and most rusted and only 10% would unscrew out, so they had to be removed with a reciprocating saw (sawsall). Tough work, but got it done with minimal scarring to the good side. I did have to knock down the cut screws with a hammer or pound them out. The flipped boards are cleaning up nicely with a pressure washer. I have some questions :
1.) Do you think I should use Sikkins/Cabot or another expensive stain on these older boards or something cheaper?
2.) What screws are recommended that will last a long time without rusting on older pressure treated wood with arsenic and the newer pressure treated wood? Are deckmate srews good enough?


Thanks, colcam


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## operagost (Jan 8, 2010)

I used hot-dipped galvanized deck nails (they have a twist in them) to repair my cedar deck. The oldest repairs were done last summer, so I can't speak for the long-term but they look good right now. The existing nails were a different variety of galvanized, and neither did they rust. I stained with Olympic Max in semi-transparent Cedar Naturaltone. I just did that this year, so again I can't speak for the long term. However, it looks great right now, even though some of the existing boards looked a bit colorless even after cleaning with sodium percarbonate. The existing boards are at least SIXTEEN years old. Opinions I've read from contractors indicate this and the Honey Gold are the best from Olympic. 

Cleaning and staining a deck is about the most time-consuming and frustrating job I've taken on. I don't want to do it again for a while, so I tried to get the best stain available. The Lowes staff recommended the Olympic Max over the Cabot, FWIW.


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## colcam (Oct 27, 2010)

*Screws for Pressure Treated Decks?*

Operagost... thanks, I will look into the galv nails (though I am still considering screws) and Olympic Stain form Lowe's.... are they all about $30/gallon these days, more or less?
Also, would anyone recommend sealing the joists while exposed?


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## justincase123 (Oct 24, 2010)

I will give my 2 cents here, as an experienced homeowner, I always get the job of staining the decks, so I will throw in a few tips I have learned the hard way. It is much, much easier to stain the sides of the deck boards with a few coats of stain while you have them removed rather than trying to get to them after they are installed. If you stain the sides well while you have them off, then when you are finished installing them, all you have to do is go over the tops of the boards with a stain pad on an extension pole, which is very easy. If you wait till they are installed to do the sides then you have to go in between each board with a small brush and it is darn near impossible to get very much stain between the boards on the edges, if you do it first, and put several coats on, you won't have to do the edges again for a long, long, time and the maintenance of the deck will be a breeze, 'cause all you have to do is run over it with a stain pad for maintenance. good luck !


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## colcam (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks Guest,
Good ideas. I will stain the sides, but still need to know if the JOISTS should be sealed while the deck is open. 
I have just checked on Sikkens SRD sold at our Benjanin Moore paint store and seems to be one of the best available (per CR), though expensive at $40/gal.

What are the best screws for pressure treated pine?
CC


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## justincase123 (Oct 24, 2010)

You could, if you are worried about making them last longer or you could re-treat them with copper-n, a wood preservative that is relatively inexpensive and sold at lowes and then seal them with stain. Just read the label on the preservative for how long to wait for it to penetrate well before staining. I would probably do this for longevity of the joists if I was going to go to all the work of reversing the deck boards. good luck!


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## Bonzai (Oct 29, 2010)

I am a general contractor / handyman and do a lot of decks including refinishing. I never use nails simply because I believe in screws and have seen all too many decks installed with nails that are full of loose boards after no time. I have never had to fix one of my own decks. 
For pressure treated stainless steel screws are best. They are not cheap but neither is having to do a job again. 

I would discourage against using a hardwood floor sander as it is too aggressive for refinishing a deck. A pressure washer is a big "no no" too as deck boards are relatively soft ... The surface of the boards will become somewhat "furry" and then you are on a downward spiral in terms of durability. 

Use a chemical treatment to clean the boards and remove any old stain and weathered film. Basically follow the instructions on the container. The most pressure you should ever use would be your thumb partially over the end of a normal hose to create a bit more pressure. 

Hope this helps.


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## colcam (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks for the info.
I had to replace a few boards and now I have a combination of the original 15 yr old boards CCA (arsenic), some ACQ and some of the newer NatureWood boards PCF (alkaline Copper Quaternary Type). I just couldn't find all the same matching boards. So my question is: 

How long must I let the new boards dry out before sealing and staining them??? I understand its less time for the newer treatments.
Whats an efficient way to lightly sand a large deck without a large hardwood sander I can rent???


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## Bonzai (Oct 29, 2010)

First of all, the Sikkens SRD product is not an expensive stain ... I usually use Sico products which here in BC sell for around $62/gallon plus tax. The Sikkens SRD needs to be reapplied every year so questionable what you save in the long run. Having recently refinished a deck which was stained last year with the SRD and had turned grey in 6 months I personally will never use that product. You get what you pay for and there are no cheap short cuts especially if you want it to last. In other parts of the country with less rain than Vancouver perhaps you can get away with a cheaper product. 

In terms of sanding ... This should be a last resort for decks after treating with a chemical cleaner which is specifically designed for that purpose. I see you opted to pressure wash the boards ... Not a good idea as this damages the wood. 

If I have no option but to sand then I use my palm sander ... Yes it takes a long time but the damage is minimal as it only removes a very thin layer. Deck refinishing is very time consuming and that's just how it is.


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## Bonzai (Oct 29, 2010)

FYI pressure treated boards should be left 6 months before staining.


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## MrBlack (Jul 17, 2016)

I've been flipping my deck and have found a tricks.... The previous owners painted the deck, did zero maintenance, and the boards started to reseamble Shagbark Hickory...

1) Striped Screw heads- Use Cutting Pliers.

Pry the board up, then use the cutting pliers to "turn" not "cut" the screw for removal. Leaving metal in the boards causes issues down the road.

2) Deck Mate 3" screws...

3) Hydrogen Peroxide... 
Restore deck cleaner, oxy clean, or any other.

4) Power Drill with Metal Bristle Brush...
Avanti Pro cup brush
No need for sand paper

5) Spray Peroxide on boards, wait 10 min, Start Brushing, Only spray 2-3 boards, then spray a new board when you finish one. Dry boards don't brush well.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

Did it and definitely satisfied with look, condition and money saved.
4' pry bar, catspaw, locking plier, nail pulling plier - you should have these, for nails. Grinder, oscillating saw - may help.
Old, dried boards need finish spacing. I used 16d nails. Every 5-6 rows, use chalk line to reestablish the spacing and straight. Don't get too concerned with even spacing. Start the board at the house end and rip it if necessary so the nails don't end up near the old nail holes. Peel and stick weather tapes over the edge also protects old lumber, but can be skipped.
Always predrill the ends. I also nail a nailer so the ends don't sit on just the half of a joist. Old boards could split easier. Cut off the ends of old boards.
New boards, and these will be needed, were butted anticipating for the shrinking.
This is also time to check the condition of supports, posts, footing, ground, drainage, flashing, rail attachment (and bay reinforcement if needed), bolts and nuts and washers, stairs, etc.
I used mostly 16d hot dipped spiral nails, heads flush. Once done, the surface is pretty much even. I don't see the need to sand the top since it is not going to stay that way outside. Also exposing a new surface is not a good idea. Boards cupped bad enough should not be used. With the new boards mixed in, I waited 6 months before pressure washing and staining. 2 coats with a roller, semi and oil-I think.


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