Wooden Deck Floorboard Replacement

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Introduction

An outdoor deck is a great space to spend your summer evenings with family and friends. Unfortunately, due to the wooden structure of an outdoor deck and the volatile weather that we experience during Canadian winters, wooden decks are prone to dry rot. Dry rot weakens the structure of wood and is caused by species of fungi that digest components of the wood which give it strength and stiffness. Dry rot compromises the structural integrity of your deck. Throughout this guide, I will explain the steps on how to identify and replace a deck floorboard that is subjected to dry rot.

What you need

Step 1 Floorboard

Wooden Deck Floorboard Replacement, Floorboard: step 1, image 1 of 1

Identify a floorboard that must be replaced.
Floorboards that have been damaged by dry rot are often soft and spongy. There may also be black fungus evident on the wood and any paint on the floorboard will have become damaged.

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Step 2

Measure the length of the floorboard to determine the size of the replacement floorboard.

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Step 3

Place the end of your crowbar within the crack next to the floorboard and pry it out.
Caution: Ensure that you are wearing safety gloves, steel-toed boots, and safety glasses during this step to prevent injury.

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Step 4

Using a pen or pencil, mark your replacement board at the length determined during Step 2. Using a lumber saw, cut the replacement board to its desired size.
WARNING: Ensure that you are wearing safety glasses, and do not wear any loose fitting clothing, jewelry, or gloves during this step.

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Step 5

Using a pen or pencil, make a marking to identify where the deck's support beams lie below the replacement board.

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Step 6

Using a hammer and wood nails, secure the replacement board to the support beams below.
For this specific replacement board, 3 x 2 1/2" wood nails were used to secure the board to each of the support beams.