Eventually, most wood decks will become looking quite tired and weather worn. Even though there are some proprietary products which can rejuvenate a gray deck to some degree , there's not a lot that can be done when the surface starts to splinter, crack or display other significant signs of decay and deterioration.
Normally the only answer in this case is to pull up the current boards and substitute them with new lumber , preferably a high durability timber species such as Ipe, which has a typical outdoor life of up to 40 years even in fully exposed exterior locations, and is exceptionally hard and resistant to splintering.
But these days there is another option which permits you to both change the material for resurfacing the deck, and give you the opportunity if you have an upper level deck, of creating a waterproof area on the surface below . Interlocking tiles like as those supplied by HandyDeck and other suppliers are modular tiles constructed with an inbuilt interconnecting plastic base, which can be simply laid over the top of an existing structurally sound wood deck , so there's no need to even remove the existing planks . Needless to say this will raise the surface to some degree, so you need to make certain that any outward opening doors will clear the extra height of the deck tiles.
Apart from the ease of installation, interlocking tiles are now available in a wide range of materials including granite, sandstone, slate , ceramic , composite wood and of course a number of diverse wood species, so you have a number of alternative options if you wish to change the appearance of your deck. And with tiles from some makers you can blend different materials, so for example you could have a wood deck with a highlight panel of slate in the middle .
As the tiles have locking tabs on all sides , they don't need any screws, nails or adhesives but are simply snapped in place over the current deck. Around the outside of the deck, edging pieces or transition strips are generally available to give a neat professional finish.
If you have an upper level deck and wish to make a waterproof area below, a straightforward solution to this problem without the cost of installing a special under deck ceiling system , is to simply lay down a seamless EPDM sheet over the top of your existing deck, making sure that the EPDM sheet is properly sealed against the boundary walls. Then you click the interlocking tiles over the top of this sheet. The only crucial point to note if you are planning to use this technique of creating a dry under deck area, is that the surface of your deck should slope a little away from the house, so that water draining off the EPDM sheet under the tiles would flow away from the house walls.
Just keep in mind also that if you are using wood deck tiles for resurfacing , that the wood colour will fade and turn to a silvery grey over time depending on prevailing weather conditions just the same as for a conventional wood deck. Whilst the repeated application of a good quality decking oil or sealant will help retard this process , if your deck is fully exposed to the sunlight , it will never eliminate the color fading entirely .
But if the thought of ongoing maintenance is a concern to you, then one of the big advantages of using deck tiles for resurfacing an existing deck is that you can select from other materials such as composite wood which will not require the equivalent level of upkeep.
Normally the only answer in this case is to pull up the current boards and substitute them with new lumber , preferably a high durability timber species such as Ipe, which has a typical outdoor life of up to 40 years even in fully exposed exterior locations, and is exceptionally hard and resistant to splintering.
But these days there is another option which permits you to both change the material for resurfacing the deck, and give you the opportunity if you have an upper level deck, of creating a waterproof area on the surface below . Interlocking tiles like as those supplied by HandyDeck and other suppliers are modular tiles constructed with an inbuilt interconnecting plastic base, which can be simply laid over the top of an existing structurally sound wood deck , so there's no need to even remove the existing planks . Needless to say this will raise the surface to some degree, so you need to make certain that any outward opening doors will clear the extra height of the deck tiles.
Apart from the ease of installation, interlocking tiles are now available in a wide range of materials including granite, sandstone, slate , ceramic , composite wood and of course a number of diverse wood species, so you have a number of alternative options if you wish to change the appearance of your deck. And with tiles from some makers you can blend different materials, so for example you could have a wood deck with a highlight panel of slate in the middle .
As the tiles have locking tabs on all sides , they don't need any screws, nails or adhesives but are simply snapped in place over the current deck. Around the outside of the deck, edging pieces or transition strips are generally available to give a neat professional finish.
If you have an upper level deck and wish to make a waterproof area below, a straightforward solution to this problem without the cost of installing a special under deck ceiling system , is to simply lay down a seamless EPDM sheet over the top of your existing deck, making sure that the EPDM sheet is properly sealed against the boundary walls. Then you click the interlocking tiles over the top of this sheet. The only crucial point to note if you are planning to use this technique of creating a dry under deck area, is that the surface of your deck should slope a little away from the house, so that water draining off the EPDM sheet under the tiles would flow away from the house walls.
Just keep in mind also that if you are using wood deck tiles for resurfacing , that the wood colour will fade and turn to a silvery grey over time depending on prevailing weather conditions just the same as for a conventional wood deck. Whilst the repeated application of a good quality decking oil or sealant will help retard this process , if your deck is fully exposed to the sunlight , it will never eliminate the color fading entirely .
But if the thought of ongoing maintenance is a concern to you, then one of the big advantages of using deck tiles for resurfacing an existing deck is that you can select from other materials such as composite wood which will not require the equivalent level of upkeep.