Is there a caulk of some kind? I'm looking for an economical way to do this and also have it last.
2006-06-24 02:08:53 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Can you get underneath the deck and use a staple gun to install screening under slats? Does something like steel wool or coiled wire (spring) come on a spool? Or check out big craft stores like Michael's for all their metalcraft supplies. May have mesh-like ribbon or cording. Anything that won't disinegrate too quickly, with fine enough mesh to stop bugs yet porous enough for drainage, reasonably natural looking or at least subtle against wood slats, and pliable enough to cram quickly and easily.When I'm stuck, I list requirements and start wandering in every department looking at supplies with "open eyes". Discovering cross-over uses/purposes is very satisfying. (I made a striking frame for a large mirror out of stuff in the galvanized rain gutter section and hung it over a marble fireplace in the parlor of a victorian flat. Can you buy springs by the yard??? Good luck.
P.S. Flash---Can you twist/roll screening (eg. around a pencil) to get the right size for stuffing between boards. You could just cut screen in strips the proper length, roll them, stuff and you're done. A little weatherproof glue shd make it a fairly permanent solution. Just buy a roll of screen closest to length you want --- you can even choose mesh and color. I bought a roll at Home Depot for $10.
2006-06-24 06:29:54 · answer #1 · answered by pithE 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Any caulk you use between the boards will eventually crack or fall thru, as you attempt to apply it.
You can recover the deck floor, with a luan, OSB, or plywood... or you could screen under the floor, as several have suggested here... or... screen around the perimeter of the underside.
To screen the underside, simply staple the screen material to the underside of the floor.
To screen the perimeter, you can do it just like you did above the floor.. perhaps add some lattice panels to go over the screen.....
You might also check into putting vinyl skirting around the perimeter.
One thought just hit me... you may want to apply a vapor barrier, instead of a screen... (Im assuming you have a roof over the deck, since you screened it in). A vapor barrier is a heavy plastic... you can nail it directly to the underside of the floor joists, or lay it on the ground.... this will greatly reduce the amount of humidity you will find of a morning, inside the screened deck area. (There is a LOT of moisture that comes up thru the ground, most folks do not realize that) By the way... if the rest of the home does not have vapor barrier, then you should put it under there too.
Whatever your choice, don't forget to do the the underside along the house too.... because if the bugs can get under your home, then they could still get up into the deck area, unless you have blocked it off.
Good Luck!
2006-06-24 07:22:32 · answer #2 · answered by thewrangler_sw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Screened In Deck
2016-10-06 08:12:04 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What kind of bugs and how high is the deck from the ground. In addition there are various chemicals that can be applied to the deck boards that not only protect it agains weather but keeps the bugs aways I cant remember the name right now but if you search it on the net you can find it.
2006-06-24 02:13:03 · answer #4 · answered by wiseornotyoudecide 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How big is the deck? Would plywood floors cost too much? There is also roll out flooring like linoleum that's pretty cheap. Screening underneath would be good if you can get under the deck. Check out some yard sales. Maybe you could find used carpet or plywood.
2006-06-24 03:56:45 · answer #5 · answered by Mache 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh I hate that! Go-nats and some smaller mosquitos fly right through that cheap grasshopper food (fiberglass) screen. I've sprayed the screen with bug repellant at night, it seems to work okay. It's better than spraying myself or the bed. I'm looking into getting screen with smaller holes... like mosquito netting!
2016-03-15 18:40:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Professionals installing screened in porches/decks will install the screen between the floor joists and the deck boards as the floor goes in.
2016-01-11 06:12:46 · answer #7 · answered by pat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How about screening it from underneath? Rain water will still go thru but bugs can*s get in. Just a thought.
2006-06-25 09:47:23 · answer #8 · answered by llittle mama 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put screen under the floor cracks to keep the bugs from getting in.
2006-06-24 03:59:45 · answer #9 · answered by leebaugh2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
seems like you could just screen in the underneath also!! it would still allow water to pass through, but not let the bugs come up!!
2006-06-24 02:15:48 · answer #10 · answered by dragonfly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋