Can you please help me. My home improvement question is this. Is there any type of wood that I can use for my deck floor boards that won't crack and twist? My deck is about 10 years old and I already replaced some of the boards once and now others are starting to do the same. Anything you can do to help, I would really appreciate it. sallym
Sally, this is such a common problem and it usually is worse in areas that have extreme climate changes like hot summers and cold, snowy winters. I know because I happen to live in an area like that. It seems to me that the treated (wolmanized) lumber that is used now days, has this problem even more then the old type. It is good that they are trying make the wood more safe to handle, but it still has the problem.
What I have found is that if you are going to use wood floor boards, the very best wood you can use is the western red cedar. We have built quite a few decks using this material and for the floor boards, we use 2 x 6 lumber. It can still have some of the problems the treated lumber has, but not nearly as bad as the treated lumber.
In either case, no matter what type of wood you use, it needs to have a good waterproofing stain or finish applied and you may need to do it every year depending on how it holds up to the weather. If I had my choice of which wood I would use on my own deck, it would be the western red cedar, however expect to pay a bit more for the lumber.
The rule of thumb is to build the frame of the deck with treated lumber and then use the floor boards and trim or any exposed areas with the cedar. This way you will maintain a consistent look while provided a longer lasting more rot protected frame.
You can actually order western red cedar from some mills that will deliver it by truck right to your home. You will have to pay for the shipping, but sometimes it will still cost less then ordering it from you local lumber yard. We have ordered it from a mill and have had not only really good service but also a very good grade of lumber.
Now, if you can't afford to do this and want to stick with the treated lumber for your floor boards, I would suggest that you apply the stain or finish to the bottom and sides of the floor boards prior to installing them on the deck. This will help preserve them since all sides will be covered. I usually recommend a transparent or penetrating stain that will go into the wood. With treated lumber, you should look for a company that carries stains and finishes that you can apply to the lumber right away. With some materials, you have to wait a month or so before you can apply the stain. Be sure to check with you paint supply company to make sure you apply their products as recommended.
Of course there are other options for floor boards such as PVC and Composite floor boards that have a grained finish and come in various colors that look similar to wood and hold up much better then wood. You won't get the splits and cracks and rotting, but it will cost a bit more, so you have to take that into account as well.
I hope this helps, Rick
Rick Maselli is Founder and Editor of Showroom411.com and Ask Rick