Hey Everyone - Rob Jones here.
Just to let you know, we’ve moved the posts of this blog to blog.builddirect.com. And this is also where future posts will be published. Really, it’s like we’ve moved next door - not too far away.
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Cheers,
Rob.
Here is a great and timely article on the fire rating of Ipe.
http://www.deckmagazine.com/article/164.html#IPE
While not defininitive, it certainly suggests a great resistance as compared to other organic and most composites on the market.
Here is a page from a customer of ours who used Quadra Vinyl Decking. It shows a great installation and final product, and also some of the things to be aware of when installing a product like this:
http://decksummer08.shutterfly.com/
If tou have feedback or projects of your own, let me know.
It’s good to get a sense that even great products (Quadra is our highest rated deck product) can still have challenges during installation. The finished results speak for themselves.
Key Characteristics for decking projects vary from person to person and from project to project. One of the criterias we have been hearing more about is flame spread ratings and fire class.
This link provides a great overview of the topic and how it applies to commonly used decking projects:
http://dps.state.la.us/sfm/doc_flamespread.html
Of note, you can see most wood products are class III or C which means they are the most flammable. The exception to this for deck use is Western Red Cedar.
Additionally, most composites are Class B rated, but the only one that I have seen that is Class A is Premium Composites. This seems to be a unique feature to this product which makes it a consideration in fire prone areas or potentially on roof top applications.
I’m interested to see what other products are used out there in fire sensitive settings. Let me know.
Campbell
Earlier this week I wrote about a couple of shots I saw that outlined the framing and preparation for a cedar deck. The shots continued to show the cedar being delivered and then installed.
There is a great video of the wood being hoisted 40′ to the roof top for the deck here: Hoist Cedar 40\’ to roof
He was also fortunate to find a fork lift handy to remove his decking from the truck and get it to his hoist. Most of the time it is unloaded by hand:
And the results:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/2532123705/in/set-72157605113591323/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12955651@N07/2486973876
I saw a great little photo spread on a cedar deck which lays out the various steps on his cedar deck as it is being built:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/2500012839/in/set-72157605113591323/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/2500016459/in/set-72157605113591323/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/2500850462/in/set-72157605113591323/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12955651@N07/2486973876
When looking at the composite decks that are available, the choice of product out there is pretty large. Considerations include colour availability, materials, warranty, dimension, coverage, span and, of course, looks.
One question I hear often is regarding hollow (engineered) deck boards vs solid deck boards: what’s going on?
The simple answer is: not a lot. Deck boards are rated for strength over spans through standardized test procedures. So whether a board is hollow or not, from a strength perspective you need to see how it is rated to make plans for spacing your joists. Hollow boards are typically engineered to more efficiently use less material to create a strong or stronger board than a solid board.
There is a visual component that concerns some regarding the look of the deck board ends. Obviously, wood decks are not hollow and the aesthetic of deck boards being solid is difficult to shake. To overcome this, there is usually a number of options for addressing this including finishing strips or fascia boards.
Some decks also require a solid board as the plans call for some to be routed. This is one application where a solid board is the only choice.
Given the similarities in application and the cost saving associated with a hollow board (less material), you may ask why solid boards are so prevalent in the North American market. The reason seems to be perception. As mentioned before, wood decks are solid and the first composite deck boards on the market were all solid. This seems to have created an image in the minds of many consumers that that is what composite decking is. Whereas, in Europe and Asia, engineered hollow boards have broad acceptance.
By adding a flush mount attachment it is possible to prevent overdriving nails and banging up the surface of your boards. Many people find themselves pre-drilling their nail holes with particular brands and this can obviously slow down a project. Considering the benefits and the low maintenance costs (most brands have pretty good track records for durability).
In the world of Fiber Cement application most installers have added pneumatic nailers to their ever growing list of power tools. They speed up the installation process, making money for professionals. The question is whether purchasing one makes sense for the DIY.
In terms of improving efficiency, a reputable source figured that the nail gun fired 10-14 nails in the time it takes to hand drive one 2 ½ inch nail. That is roughly a 600% gain in efficiency. The numbers prove to be effective for a contractor and obviously similar efficiency gains transfer over to the DIY. Therefore we just need to address the financial advantages. In other words, is it worth spending the money on a gun if you’re doing a one time installation of 2000 sq ft. It will cost $780 for mid range equipment brand new. My local tool rental shop will provide the same equipment; a compressor, a hose and a gun for $45 a day.
Maybe that is the best comparison. There is little debate over whether the nail gun improves efficiency; it is just a matter of how much you want to spend in addition to the material cost. In my mind, $45/ day is well worth your time. In fact I think it is a great deal. If you don’t have a line up of projects that would validate purchasing a nail gun, then consider renting one for your next siding project.
Tyler Fox
The focus of decks tends to be deck boards, the railings that are needed on virtually every deck are often relegated to an afterthought. The reality is that railings are the most customizable and visible part of your deck. Railings also play a huge role in the safety of your deck.
So what is involved when looking at railings? There are a variety of choices available in materials alone:
- Aluminum
- Composite
- Wood (Cedar, hardwood, pressure-treated)
- Vinyl
Just to name a few. Like decking, there are pros and cons to each. Vinyl, composite and aluminum represent low to no maintenance and long term lifespans. Natural wood looks and feels great, but needs periodic maintenance. Each material also varies with cost, strength and aesthetic value.
Often customers are looking to coordinate their railing materials with their deck materials. However, this is not always the case. We have some outstanding looking decks with materials mixed and matched: Aluminum on cedar, vinyl on composite and steel on hardwood (ipe).
Next post I’ll talk about some of the labour saving you can get with different rail packages.
Hi All, So straight walls and 90 degree corners are a piece of cake……right? Once you’ve master the skills of being able to install this stone and have it come out straight you can move on to something a little different. Lots of people are stumped when you run into situations where you don’t have 90 degree corners.
Sometimes it’s bay windows on the house or even if it is on a custom fireplace. Basically you have 3 choices. 1) You can just butt the stones together and you will get a vertical gap where the stones meet. 2) You can grout the line, but when you do this on stack stone it will look a little different because they aren’t meant to be grouted 3) Last but not least, miter cut the stones carefully and butt them together. This is in my opinion the best way because if you cut the angle correctly the joints will blend well.
Check out this thread from ContractorTalk.com, one of the mason guys on there helped a contractor solve his problem of having to do a fireplace with Cultured Stone but with non-standard angles. I’d like to hear if anyone has better suggestions. It’s like therapy, sometimes it’s good to talk about it.
Cheers,
Dave
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