Deck Boards: New and Replacement Options

Deck boards can sustain a great deal of wear and tear over time, and many homeowners ultimately face the choice of exploring new and replacement options for their decking surfaces. There are a few things to keep in mind if you're looking to replace or repair existing deck boards, or install new deck boards.

First, keep in mind that prevention goes a long way. Routinely cleaning, sealing and staining your deck will improve the longevity of your deck boards. But if you're at the point where no amount of TLC will rescue the boards, it may be time to replace them. First, inspect the existing frame of your deck to ensure that no joists, beams or posts are rotting, or that any hardware is rusting. If the deck frame is also in poor condition, you may want to consider a full teardown. If not, however, it's time to start removing any damaged deck boards.

If the deck planks were screwed down, you'll just need to remove the screws to pull up damaged deck boards—but if they were nailed down, you'll need to use a circular saw to cut the decking between each joist and pry the short pieces up with a claw hammer or pry bar. Once you've removed the damaged decking, you're ready to start installing your new deck boards.

You should be able to find matching deck boards at a lumber yard or your local home improvement store fairly easily, and even if you can't find an exact match, it's likely you can approximate a similar look through staining.

See also: Deck and Patio Design Ideas