My 8 year old decking is starting to curl due to water from rain. How do we stop this? Is there a water resistant decking I should have used? The deck get recoated every 2 years..
Hi @Nakkas
Any chance of posting some photos of the warped pieces? Cheers! 👍
That was quick! 😁 @Nakkas
Is it just this board?
It looks like it just needs re-screwing? Hard to tell...
It looks like some misadventure with the screw on the right (two holes)?
No screw on the left?
I relocated the screw to help pull down on the plank as it was stripped. There is a screw on the other side. There are about 4 planks that are not flat. May just replace a few of them
Would it be worth a try with bigger screws before replacing boards?
Standing on the board - does it 'bend' back into position?
I know from personal experience hardwood fence palings that have warped slightly have snapped the screw size on the left.
Now I'm not suggesting you use the one on the right - but maybe try something bigger than you're presently using?
Hi @Nakkas welcome to Workshop and thanks for posting.
There may be a few reasons why this may occur.
Too much sun on the top, combined with too much moisture below.
Too little clearance between the ground side moisture and the bottom of the deck boards
Inadequate ventilation below the deck
Improper drainage below the deck
High exposure to sunlight above the deck
Minimal gap space between the deck boards
Insufficient fastening of the deck boards
It may be worth checking these suggestions to find root cause and then proceeding from there.
Thanks. Sound like most of those are the issue. Moisture and ventilation I have no control over at this time.
@EricL do you have any suggestions buddy?
Hi @Nakkas,
Let me also extend a warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community! Thank you for joining and asking your great question about deck curling. With summer approaching, many of our members will be looking to restore their deck and might also be seeking the same advice. Our resident DIY guru @EricL will be online later this afternoon but let me tag @Adam_W as he has created this helpful guide How to renovate a timber deck and may be able to give some advice on your deck.
Katie
Hello @Nakkas
My apologies for the late reply. A lot of what @CSParnell has mentioned are the major reasons for the timber deck to curl. An interim solution for your deck would be to remove any panels that are hindering the air from passing through the bottom of the deck. Getting good airflow going would stop the moisture from forming underneath the deck. The trapped moisture and air act like a sauna saturating the timber underneath.
Use a garden rake to break up the surface of the soil underneath the deck. This should encourage water flow and prevent stagnant water from forming underneath your deck. The best solution is to remove your decking panels and prepare the soil underneath the deck. Break up the soil underneath and try and place a slope that drains the water away from the bottom of the deck. Line the bottom with weed mat or geo fabric and then place draining gravel on top to encourage water drainage. Make sure to give your deck room to breathe by not closing off the sides of the deck.
In regards to the actual decking panels, the solution offered by @Noyade is the most practical one, use a longer screw if possible. You can also remove the panels to the left and right of the curling panel and screw them down from the sides at a 45-degree angle. I also suggest finding some timber filler of the same colour and filling in the old screw holes to prevent water from soaking inside.
If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.
Eric
