A friend of mine is building a deck in wilmington nc. he’s already built the joist structure out of presure treated to 24″ oc. He is planning to use standard 2×6 presure treated for decking.
I havn’t used 2×6 for decking before, but it’s my understanding that there is a special “decking grade” 2×6 that should be used for this as opposed to standard. I had heard somewhere in the past that cupping would be a significant problem with standard.
Am I correct. any opinions?
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Replies
There is a treated "Outdoor Wood" you should be able to find that is not perforated as in PT for ground contact.
Out here we find it as "Dura-Wood" or "Dura-Deck" and the material is pretty clean--stamped "SEL-STR" actually.. I use it a lot for rafters in patio covers and whatnot.
On the south and east coasts, our PT is not incised fir, but smooth SYP.
It is a fast growing wood with lots of summerwood and that is why it cups, checks, splits and is lousy for deck surfaces. It doesn't take long before you have to wear steel toed boots to keep from tripping over the cups and finding slivers between your toes.
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Ick.
The material I'm talking about is Doug Fir, and stamped with the SEL STR grade. I've gotten into it a couple times with inspectors when I want to push the spans outside of #2 grade material. It's available 2x4, 2x6 or2x8. It's great to use for patio covers or pergolas when folks want something decent looking, quick and easy. I still don't like it for decking either, tho.
Ironically (West Coast), at least in my area, we don't have a source for cedar in anthing but 2x6. We have #2, titenot and clear but no x8 or anthing bigger than 4x4. There's a redwood supplier but the guilt really sets in there... and it's expensive.
I read of you east coasters building outdoor projects out of oak, cypress and whatever. I wish I could get my hands on other materials out here.
Appreciate the reply from the 'mythical' Piffin.
Any PT lumber is a poor choice for decking, but more bad with 2x6 framing lumber.
Having already framed to 24"OC, I don't know that he has many choices though unless he adds to make it 12"OC for a lot of other deck choices of materials in the composites, etc.
IPE is strong enough to run 24"OC
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I would throw in some extra joists and make your framing 12" on center.
It cost less to over frame than spend the extra money trying to span 24" with 2x material.
Another advantage is that you have the option to run the material diagonally for some materials giving the surface a little more artistic quality.
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Bob