Best way to cut 2×4 deck boards in place
geoffhazel
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m working on repairing a deck with some rot. The 2×4 decking needs replacing at the ends. The joists are 24″ o.c. I was going to cut the boards back either 2′ or 4′ from the end and fill in with new material.
The boards are nalied with 16d galv box nails (with heads) and are stuck pretty good into the joists.
What would the best tools and methods to cut the boards nice, plumb and square?
If I was going to cut them ALL the circ saw would be the tool, but since I’m going to randomize the cuts, I need to cut in between two boards I’m “saving”.
And of course, there’s a joist right below the cut, so that also adds to the fun.
Replies
you have got to get you a multimaster ....
solve all kinds of problems out on the deck and in the kitchen....
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Fein multimaster
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If you aint packing a multimaster, then a skilsaw, chisel and deft touch with the sawzall would be my approach :)
I watched a video on the multimaster, looks like a tool I wish I'd had about a hundred times.Not much chance of picking one up by tomorrow.. but it'll be on my xmas list.
Yep, a multimaster would definately do the trick. But, seeing how you probably don't have one and might not want to fork out a few hundred bucks, I think your best bet is to use your circular saw to get as much as you can without damaging the adjacent boards. Then get your favorite chissel good and sharp and start chisseling away at it. Keep your grinder, belt sander, stone or whatever you use to sharpen your chissel on-site, with you so you can touch up the edge as needed.
On another note, you'd be doing yourself a favor to cut the boards back to the next joist. If you just replace the end it's sure to end up flopping loose and dangling like ugly lookin'. Better to have the replacement piece span at lease 2 joists. It's not much more work, if any, and treated 2x4s are cheap enough. Don't compromise the quality of your work just to save a couple of bucks on lumber.
Finally, if you do a lot of this kinda of work and if you can afford to, get yourself a multimaster. You'll end up using it a lot more than you could imagine. You can usually find a used one on EBay pretty cheap.
Finally (again), you can pull those #16 nails with minimal damage to the wood with a ram-type nail puller. I think Lowes carries them.
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Edited 5/15/2008 6:08 am by Ted W.
Pull the board up enough so that you can cut it with a circular saw. You'll have to go back at least one more joist but it shouldn't pose any problems at all. I wedge a wonder bar under the deck board, make to the cut and move on.
Get or try to get the nails out with a cats paw. Find the outside edge of the joist and make a line with your speed square. With your jigsaw put into the groove (space between) the decking cut along your line (joist). Remove bad section. Put in a piece of 2x and pull up to the bottom of the ajacent deck boards, on edge, and face screw into the joist. You now have a nailer. Fast simple and it works. If you can't get the jig blade inbetween the decking drill a large hole next to the line with a paddle bit (spade bit).
I can understand why you would want to cut it back just 2 or 4 feet, but I rarely do this for several reasons.
The first is because, after several boards, the deck begins to look like a patchwork quilt; it's very noticable, even after staining.
Second, it's almost just as easy to pull up the whole plank and replace it as it is trying to cut the plank in place. You almost need to pull the plank anyway to get a clean, square cut over the joist.
Third, you're introducing more end cuts in the decking, the more rot-prone portion of the deck, imo.
If the decking was put down with some serious galv nails (I've had to pull decking laid with 16d galv nails) this will require nail pullers, which are gonna scar the wood to the point of the plank needing replacing anyway.
Edit: I use something like this to get the nails started, then pull it using a crow bar:
View Image
Good luck.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Edited 5/15/2008 8:38 am ET by NickNukeEm
Ditto what you said.
Them nails ain't gonna let go without a fight, and if they do, the joist is kaput. Plunge cutting is gonna be minimal with a 7" circ blade, MM is way too slow, and I don't think they were intended for HARD use, more of a fein touch IMO.
Then too the nails are (hopefully) centerd where the board was not originally a butt joint, so saving the nailed end ( least work) makes the new end have less bearing surface, and may be scant enough to split more readily with the introduction of it's nails.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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I agree .
He might want to consider a new redwood deck too. Unless its a rental.
Tim
I used a speed sq and drew a line as close to center of the joist as I could, but left the nails on the waste side of the cut.
Then I shortened a jigsaw blade so the cutting edge was as long as the floorboard is thick (1.5" when new, less after shrinking on deck). The shorter blade prevented cutting into the deck joist. You don't need water getting in there and sitting forever. When I had to cut more than two at the same joist, I moved the center one back 16" to the next joist so it wouldn't look like a trap door.