I have a client with a small 9×16 deck 6 feet off the ground with a plywood top surface that’s rotted out and needs replacing. The house is in an area scheduled for re-zone and will be demolished in 2-5 years, so we just need a short-term fix here.
He wants plywood so the stuff below doesn’t get too wet. I called Dunn Lumber and they said “Scuff plywood” with a solid core and exterior glue would work for my purposes. I haven’t heard of this, can anyone advise one way or the other?
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Replies
I do know from personal experience that regular 3/4 T&G OSB, untreated will last 3yrs on 2' centers. Thats in Alaska w/ ice and snow 5 months out of the year.
So why not just stain all sides of that and maybe that will last you 5yrs.
Anyway just a thought.
Dave
I have seen treated plywood at Lowes that lookes like it would hold up for a few years.
23/32" 4X8 23/32" 4X8 MARINE AB PLYWOOD
Item #: 21418
You could also try regular decking with clear greenhouse panels underneath to carry off the water. I built my deck that way and it works...have about a 2 inch slope on the panels over about 12 feet.
Dunn lumber in Seattle area or Florida?
Never heard the term 'scuff' in PNW, sure they did not say "shop"??
I have a shed roof that is simply bare overlapping sheet of surplus exterior 1/4 plywood off crates that has lasted 15 years.
For 2-5 years, get whatever exterior is the cheapest, paint it. (Seattle are has all free light brown paint anybody would ever want at the free recycle place near Harbor Is.)
"scuff" - sounds like T-1-11 (they make it without the grooves), it has a rough-sawn veneer on the surface.View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
Yeah, free paint is awesome. Believe it or not my house is painted in free paint. They have it piled in big lots which are each the same batch. Apparently when they make the lots, they batch together similar colors so some are green, some blue, and then there's the "mixed-them-all-together-brown" lot as well.
We tinted ours with some black to make it more like a real paint color and I think it looks pretty good.
I'd use the green treat plywood.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
geoffhazel
regular plywood will survive 3-5 years if painted and touched up periodically. To keep from sliding around on a slippery paint, toss some sand into the paint before applying it to the top surface.
Heck, I've had OSB hold up that long without any protection on a roof..
Edited 9/22/2008 9:33 am ET by frenchy
Treated (green) plywood would be my encouragement. Ain't pretty, but it will deal w/ water just fine. Where you located?
Advantech
The 'scuff' is actuall this stuff http://store.dunnlum.com/builderwire20/common/store/itemdetails.aspx?categoryid=84&itemid=5429
SCUF (Solid core under face)
We are in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle specifically, with plenty of moisture 9 months out of the year.
Geoff,I live near Index. I get at least three times as much rain as you do. From experience, I can tell you that Art and Frenchy are right.Almost any plywood at all, painted, will last at least 5 years. (I have plywood that has been exposed and used for walking on, that has already lasted for more than 5.)Putting sand in the paint on top is a good idea. But to make such surfaces 'walkable', what I usually do, is to just cut some roofing into strips and nail it down in some sort of pattern.Heck, you could just cover the whole thing with cheap roll roofing. I wouldn't want to 'wrassle' on it, or crawl on it with bare knees. But you'd have an excellent surface for walking 'gription' during the rainy seasons. You wouldn't have to paint the underlying plywood.And you would actually be able to reuse the plywood, once it is torn down in a few years. Especially if you go the extra step and use tar paper between the plywood and roll roofing.
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Reusing the plywood is an interesting idea. I'm afraid, though, that since this is an eminent domain buyout, and even though they're probably going to bulldozer the house, I don't think they'd cotton to you taking your deck the day before the bulldozer arrives. Although I might ask just to see... be a shame to bulldoze 4 full sheets of decent plywood.
We used to live in a buyout area nearby -- the airport was so noisy that they bought a section of homes, including ours. At the time we were in a doublewide: tin siding, tin roof, but habitable and comfortable. The funny thing was that after they (the airport) bought it, they didn't sell it off or tow it away, but just left it there. And I had marked the kids's heights on one piece of casing by the kitchen. As the months passed, I kept thinking I ought to see if I could somehow get it. So one day we drive by, and the back door is wide open. Now I know I shouldn't go in, but what the heck. And lo and behold, the kitchen has been totally torn up and is in a pile in the living room !! WTF? I was so confused, how did that happen, why would that happen? Anyway, the wall that held the side of the kitchen didn't go all the way up to the vaulted ceiling, and it was in the pile of rubble, so I found my piece of 1 5/8 bevel casing and left with a clear conscience.
SCUF (Solid core under face)
Learn something every day. Have bought from Dunn for 42 years (back when the Renton store was 'Cash way'
Heck for 1/2 that price of $45 a sheet (after tax), I'll let you have some 5 ft by 10 ft BS 6566 spec marine grade 13 ply baltic birch (has 6 to 8 ea 3/8" bolt hole in them though - 1990s vintage 737 rudder pallet parts) <G>
Edited 9/24/2008 6:41 am ET by junkhound
geoffhazel
Is there any reason solid wood won't work?
A piece of 3/4 inch ply wood is about $30.00 right? that's 3/4 inch of plywood..
I can by hardwood from my local sawmill say ash? or whatever they're sawing for 20 cents a bd.ft.
there are 32 sq.ft. in a 4x8 sheet of plywood.. 32bd.ft. of solid wood will cost me $6.40
Solid wood should easily last the 5 years you are speaking about.
Nail them together as tight as you can and when they dry out you'll have about a 1/4 inch gap between boards.
If you want real overkill make them our of 2x material rather than inch thick . $12.80 is less than 1/2 of what a sheet of plywood will cost.
Frenchy, even I cant find the types of deal prices you get at your local sawmill !
BTW, quoting OP, He wants plywood so the stuff below doesn't get too wet
junkhound
I'm surprised, I didn't look very hard to find those sort of prices.. I can pretty much duplicate them plenty of other places..
guys who make pallets as a business don't pay more than that for their wood.. currant average is around 17cents a bd.ft. for hardwood according to the hardwood market report.
Yes, I did over look the part about keep stuff below dry..
I tried floating the idea of boards vs. plywood, but the owner is a packrat and wants to use the under-deck area for storage, so we need a solid surface.