DIY Wood Deck Inspection

Is My Deck in Danger of Cellepsing! How to perform a DIY deck safety inspection. HULA HOOP TEST JOINED AT THE HIP 90% of deck collapses occur because of ledger board separation. Look for: Plant your feet in the center of your deck and move side to side in a vigorous hula hooping • Loose connections. • Inferior fasteners (i.e. nails instead of lag bolts). motion. If the deck wiggles, you're in trouble. • Dry rot, splitting or decay. ON THE SURFACE Walk the entire surface of your deck and note any: • Loose, cracked or splintered boards. • Popped nails. • Signs of rot or insect infestation. A LEG TO STAND ON Examine all footings and support posts for: Loose connections. • Inferior fasteners (i.e. nails instead of lag bolts). • Pooling water. • Signs of decay. STAIRS & RAILS Test stairs and handrails to ensure they don't wiggle or sway. THE SEEDY UNDERBELLY Peek at the underside of your deck to ensure that the joists remain stable and there are no signs of rot or insect infestations. DRY ROT PICK TEST WATER HAZARDS Spot-check various areas of your deck- especially joists and support posts - for dry rot using the following test: Water from downspouts or lawn sprin- klers can rot your deck. Check for: 1. Stick a screwdriver, awl or ice pick into the wood. • Downspouts, sprinklers or hoses that discharge near support posts. 2. Leverage the tool to pry up a splinter (parallel to the grain). 3. Decay may be present if: • Rot in any wood that is regularly exposed to water. • The wood is soft and spongy. • The pick easily penetrates to 4 inch or deeper. • The wood breaks directly over the tool with few splinters or no sound. Copyright © Rick's Custom Fencing & Decking www.RicksFencing.com SOUND DECAYED