Old wood ?

[countrygrrrl]

I got a lot of old wood from an old deck we tore down a year or so ago. I've pulled all the nails out, thrown away the *bendy* pieces --- the wood looks awful (very weather beaten) but, to my eyes, looks usable.

I'd like to refurbish it and use it for the beginning stages of my soon-to-be gigantic deck out back.

My questions are: Do you all think it's wise to use old wood in a new deck? How can you determine if old wood is okay for this sort of thing? And if you think the wood would be okay to use, what should I do to clean it up?

Mind you, I have a ton of other projects which need wood (raised beds, cold frames, etc.) so it won't go to waste. But it's plank size for decks and, if possible, I'd like to use it for the back deck.

if it was properly sealed it should be good, can it take a whack from a hammer? you might want to pressure wash it with a little dish soap, then dry in the sun for a few days, then do a water seal treatment

[ed/IL]

I would experiment on a few pieces to see what works. TSP, oxipro, bleach. If you have a pressure washer you could try that. Look at this link for more info. http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/deckcleaning.html Install board with the cup sidedown using good screws

[mousecat33]

Most of the framing in my little house is recycled...Half of my rafters are 100+ y.o...Old World dimensions ( actually 2" x 6" ). This wood came from an ANCIENT house up off of McKinney Ave. in Dallas....it stayed dry so it stayed strong.( Had a heck of a time driving nails into it )

Is this deck wood treated? Painted/ stained? I would chunk/burn the lightweight stuff and hold on to the heavier stuff as it would have more sap/pitch in the grain. Inspect for borers too.

Mi dos centavos...

mc

[CraftyDiva]

What type of wood is it? Is it decking store bought? If so, I wouldn't use it for raised beds where you'll be growing edibles. The chemicals used to preserve the wood will leach out into your plants.

[countrygrrrl]

Originally Posted by CraftyDiva

What type of wood is it? Is it decking store bought? If so, I wouldn't use it for raised beds where you'll be growing edibles. The chemicals used to preserve the wood will leach out into your plants.

DUDE!!! Forgot about that! Thanks, I have other wood and materials I can use for beds with edibles.

Everyone else --- the wood is approx. 10 years old, I'd say, but never taken care of so it looks dreadful. But it IS the stuff for decks, as some ends still had those tags on it.

In any case, great! I figure with the cost of wood these days, this is a few hundred dollars worth, at least! Enough $ to make working on it to rehabilitate well worth it.

[CraftyDiva]

:haha:

Originally Posted by countrygrrrl

DUDE!!! Forgot about that! Thanks, I have other wood and materials I can use for beds with edibles.

DUDE???????? :haha:

Made me check, for a moment I thought something grew in when I wasn't paying attention. :haha:

[countrygrrrl]

Originally Posted by CraftyDiva

:haha:

DUDE???????? :haha:

Made me check, for a moment I thought something grew in when I wasn't paying attention. :haha:

Hehe! :haha: It's The Big Lebowski Syndrome. I got the DVD several weeks ago and can't stop watching it. What a riot it is! The consequence is everyone's suffering me calling them DUDE right now! :haha:

[fordy]

.....................cg , I'm assuming here that this all 2x lumber. A deck , is nothing more than subflooring really. Take all of your boards and turn them on edge.....IF....they have a discernable BOW or curve (edgewise) utilize these boards as floor joists and set them with the Bow facing UP. Actually , I think carpenters call this the "Crown". This way the weight will be pushing Down on the crown and it will eliminate any additional distortion that the board might want to exert on your support structure........fordy....

[countrygrrrl]

Originally Posted by fordy

.....................cg , I'm assuming here that this all 2x lumber.

Yes.

A deck , is nothing more than subflooring really.

That was my thought. My plan, to be honest, is to build the back deck in such a way that, over time, I can turn it into a sleeping porch. This particular decking will only be used for the area right outside the back door. Then I plan to have a step or two down onto the rest of the deck. I want to do it that way because otherwise, it would be too high off the ground for my comfort!!

IF....they have a discernable BOW or curve (edgewise) utilize these boards as floor joists and set them with the Bow facing UP. Actually , I think carpenters call this the "Crown". This way the weight will be pushing Down on the crown and it will eliminate any additional distortion that the board might want to exert on your support structure........fordy....

YOUR DUDENESS!! :worship: Thanks! I do have a few with some bow in them. But they seem sturdy otherwise. This helps a lot.