Building Tips for Pressure-Treated Decks
Building outdoors with pressure-treated wood necessitates a few special construction practices, precautions, and maintenance procedures. Use hot-dip, galvanized or stainless steel fasteners to prevent corrosion and premature failure. Be sure to protect the finished product from moisture and sun damage.
Most important is to build your deck safely and in accordance with state and local building codes. Follow all building tips, consumer information, handling precautions, and care-and-maintenance recommendations when building with pressure-treated wood. Anything you build with pressure-treated wood will last a long time, so it makes good sense to build your deck like a master craftsman.
Here are some helpful tips for building your wood deck:
- Use appropriate fasteners
Use hot-dip galvanized fasteners or other fasteners as required by building codes; otherwise, your treated wood will last longer than the unprotected fasteners you've used to put it together. Since ProWood Micro is less corrosive than ACQ, these recommendations are the same as they were with CCA-treated lumber.
- Install deck boards best-face up. As a general rule, nail boards with the best-side facing up to reduce cupping and improve appearance. Fasten thin boards to thicker ones to maintain structural integrity.
- Drill pilot holes. It’s a good idea to drill pilot holes for your fasteners, especially when nailing near the edge or end of the board. Pilot holes will help minimize splitting.
- Space boards for shrinkage. If the wood has been kiln-dried or air-dried after treatment, you don’t need to allow for shrinkage. But if the wood has not been “dried” following treatment (as evidenced by the word “dry” on the end tag or stamp), butt decking boards together. As drying occurs, the wood is likely to shrink somewhat.