What grade of redwood is usually used in making redwood decks?
2007-02-10 07:31:01 · 4 answers · asked by mullinsbrendan 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
How much are you willing to spend on a deck. commonly used speaks for itself grade common. Your best bet is to read about wood so you can identify the defincies in lumber. For instance pith wood the very center of the tree, dont use it . Knots in cedar only choose sound knots that are no bigger then a dime. I could go through and tell you all kinds of things about lumber but its the pocket book that is going to determine what grade of lumber your going to choose. check out the growth rings in the lumber the tighter they are the better. There is also different ways the lumber is cut. If you can afford it get edge grain. remember this about wood it should be treated and cared for. Eventually that expensive deck you put on will rot, regardless what you do to it. I live in british columbia and this is what i do for a living, i work with cedar. its beutiful but very expensive so if you are going to put on a deck out of wood be prepared to put in the expense of a good finish on it and do it again and again as the years go by. We use a very good finish on our fences for the people that are willing to pay the 60 dollars a gallon and we put on one coat. And in three years time it looks like **** need to do it again. the fences that have had two coats put on it lasts much longer. You can put on cheaper stuff but you wont be happy.
2007-02-10 08:13:36 · answer #1 · answered by jhdjkhblpk;mvhyf nbjhghbmnbjgb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The higher the better. Con-Heart (construction, heartwood) is best.
Redwood lumber is harder to get than it used to be; the quality is way down, the price is way up. We build a lot of decks; and just don't use redwood anymore- we use Trex or similar composites. They are now as cheap as good redwood, and last much longer with no maintenance except cleaning. So long, that you should install them with stainless steel screws- otherwise the screws will rust off long before the deck material fails.
2007-02-10 19:59:36 · answer #2 · answered by spiritgide41 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Construction Common will work.
Select boards with small, tight knots in the center, not on the edge. If you can, try to use as much of the red heartwood. The yellow sapwood does not contain much, if any, of the insect-resisting tannins.
2007-02-10 15:44:25 · answer #3 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi,"Com Common" is used.
2007-02-10 15:37:07 · answer #4 · answered by Sandyspacecase 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋