Preventing Rot & Water Damage

Who likes deck rot? No one. Following these few simple steps can ensure your deck will be a long lasting one.

Who likes deck rot? No one.
Following these few simple steps can ensure your deck will be a long lasting one.

The worst thing that can happen to your deck is a rot-producing fungus. Fungi prospers when wood is constantly moist. It slowly feeds off softer woods like cedar and pine, causing the wood to shrink and become spongy. Fungi can cause your deck to collapse or even spread through your house destroying walls and floors. Preventing your deck from these disasters is easy; here are a few things that will help you.

Using post anchors on the bottom of the posts prevents wood from coming in contact with the ground. This is crucial because the ground is full of moisture. Also note: if posts were cut they should be cleaned off before attaching the post anchors. Leaving preservatives on the end will create space for the moisture to enter and cause fungus to grow.

When installing joists for your deck, using a build-up beam is great way to reduce moisture causing fungi. A build-up beam is simply a double beam with ½ 0r 1/8 inch spacers in the middle that allow water to drain.

Butt joints are when two pieces of material meet at each end. In this case, it’s the ends of the boards meeting each other. To insure proper drainage, be sure to place the butt joints over the doubled joists. This gives water room to flow off the wood, instead of trapping it, and in return, causing fungus to grow.

The main purpose of flashing is for weather protection. Flashings are metal strips attached to the ledger. Ensure the flashings are properly sealed and installed because this creates a barrier between the decking and any damaging moisture.

Don’t waste your time and money building a moisture trap!  It’s crucial to take these precautions to ensure that your decking does not become a victim to  any pesky fungus.

Learn more about Tigerwood Decking and how it can benefit you on your decking project!

 

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