A Weather-Proof Deck

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Older Construction

If you move into a house with a buried-post deck, you might try the methods I used once to add years to the life of several still-sound but vulnerable old hand-hewnwood-post fence gates. With a hand auger and half-inch-diameter, foot-long spiral bit, I drilled deep holes down the center of the post tops and kept them filled with linseed oil all summer. I also capped the posts with old sheet-zinc roof flashing to keep out the rain. Sun-heated, the oil soaked in to revitalize the old wood. I brushed the outer surfaces of the dry old wood with deck preservative till it wouldn't absorb any more. Then, before the fall rains began, I doused it with sealant.

To deter underground attack, I poured a ring of rock salt around the base of the posts. It gradually dissolved in the rain and soaked down into both soil and post end. I don't recommend salting the soil on any large scale. (Roman conquerors salted the fields of defeated enemies.) But a few cups of salt will repel bugs and molds from the gallon-milk-container-sized core of soil surrounding a buried wooden post.

Alternatively, dig out soil around buried posts as far down as you can and replace the soil with good-draining crushed rock or gravel. Pack well with a length of 2 x 4 as you add each three inches of rock.

Aboveground, rot enters most readily where rain water flows in but can't evaporate—in the small spaces at the junctures of posts and beams and where fixtures and fittings attach to wood. Look for the black stains that betray spore-making activity.

Give special attention to the back or sides of the deck where it mates with the house. Such places where the sun never shines and where wood remains wet year-round can become a fungus garden unbeknownst to you.

Many deck backs and corners are too close to the soil to permit a ground inspection. If the more easily inspected joints out front are moldy, the hidden ones will be more so. Pull up enough decking to get at the back—even if you must sacrifice a few nailed-on 2 x 4 deck planks—then, in replacing the decking use easily removed self-tapping deck screws (see page 33). To let the area dry out thoroughly, leave it exposed to air and sun over the summer. If you have the perseverance, cover with a strip of plastic when rain threatens.

Dig out wet and mushy soil and the or ganic debris that accumulates under a deck. Trench under the deck if need be to drain the soil.

Around the deck perimeter, root out close surrounding brush to let sun shine in. Pull away climbing vines, floor coverings, leaning boards, or anything else that can trap moisture. Remove shade-making umbrellas, tables, or awnings so sun can get in to heat and dry out the wet spots.

When the wood is dry as possible, soak problem areas with a powerful fungicide made for docks and decks. Undiluted household ammonia will also serve—but only as a short-term measure. I use a stiff brush to scour out the black stain, though it offers little added benefit beyond cosmetic. A hand spray bottle is good to force the mold killer into all the cracks and crannies. Repeat every few weeks till fall. Then, let dry again and soak with deck preservative, followed by a sealant.

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