If you have a floating deck in Sydney, you should know the benefits of proper maintenance to prevent costly replacements. A deck that is missing fasteners or rotting or that moves when someone walks on it may be very dangerous. Decks installed by inexperienced people, not inspected from time to time or more than 15 years old are susceptible to serious issues.
Yearly, people sustain severe injuries and are even killed when weak decks fall. This often happens during parties when the deck is filled with guests. The good news is that most deck fixes are cheap and easy. Here are some deck inspection and repair tips you need to know.
No lag screws in the ledger board
A ledger board holds up the end of your deck that is against your house. If your ledger board is not well fastened, your deck will fall. Some people do not fasten the ledger board properly when installing decks. If you want a strong connection, you need half an inch up to three inches of lag screws. Some people fasten their ledger boards with nails instead of using screws. When inspecting your deck, ensure it has the right screws.
No nails in joist hangers
Make sure you fill all the holes in the joist hanger. If not, the hangers will get loose from the rim joist or ledger board. Deck installers sometimes drive a couple of nails into the hangers to keep them in place and forget to add the rest.
Rotted support posts
During deck installation, support posts are normally strong and this might bring the illusion that the deck will last a lifetime. However, if the support posts are in wet conditions, they will rot. Deck posts that rest on footings soak up moisture and rot, especially when you used support posts that are not pressure-treated. When the support posts rot, they lose their strength and cannot support the weight of the deck.
Newer decks will keep the concrete footings a few centimetres above the ground and use a base bracket to keep the support posts dry. The best solution is to replace a rotted post. Before removing the post, you should have everything you need to do the replacement.
Rotten posts
Clear stone or grass away from the bottom of your deck posts. Use a screwdriver to prod along the bottom of the support post. If the wood is soft and spongy then you will need to replace the support post. Otherwise, your deck will be weak.
Wimpy post connections
You should strengthen your post connections using carriage bolts. Carefully drill holes and knock the bolts through and tighten a nut and washer on the other side. Posts should sit under the rim joist or beam directly to support the floating deck in Sydney. If the deck posts are fastened to the side of the rim joist or beam, the weight is put on your fasteners. If your deck has wimpy post connections, it is important to call a professional to fix it.
