Decking Archives - Page 71 of 86 - AdvantageLumber Blog

DIY Deck Installation Tips #2 – Proper Ventilation & Gap Spacing

October 22, 2010September 24, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Deck Ventilation & Gap Spacing — Don't follow Doug's advice. Your deck will need proper gap spacing.

Doug Tales – Give Your Decking Room to Breathe

Building a deck is not as simple as laying out some boards and using a hammer, glue, and nails. You can’t avoid the physical properties and nature of ALL decking materials.

With that in mind, it’s important to realize that even though decking materials are not living things, they still do “breathe.”

All decking materials expand and contract during the course of the year. When it’s hot and dry, wood contracts. When it’s humid and/or rainy, wood expands. The way decking materials behave should not be lost on anyone. However, even seasoned deck builders can sometimes forget, or be altogether unaware of just how important proper air ventilation is. Proper deck planning will ensure that air can flow freely through the deck and under the joists. Allowing for proper air ventilation will ensure that moisture can evaporate evenly and consistently. Why should you even bother planning for how air moves under a deck?

Ipe Wood Benefits Go Deeper than Strength

September 23, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

What’s important to you about owning a deck? Is it the pristine look? Or, is it the sense of relaxation and comfort you get when spending time outdoors with the people you love? Does it help when the decking material you chose is something you know you can depend on? For many Ipe wood deck …

DIY Deck Installation Tips #1 – How Not to Handle New Decking

September 17, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Doug Tales – Cover The Decking, Ruin the Wood

The story you are about to read is true and, unfortunately, all too common…

Doug’s order of wood decking has just arrived. Needless to say, he’s very excited. Even though the sky is clear, Doug knows that it’s going to rain overnight. So he covers it with a tarp so that the wood can be protected prior to installation.

The next day, it’s sunny and clear again. Doug says, “Time to get building!”

He removes the tarp from the pile, “So far, so good.”

As Doug starts prepping the wood, he notices that some boards are a little warped. He thinks to himself, “What gives? I thought this stuff was supposed to be strong!? Oh well, I bought a deck wrench, I’ll just straighten up out. No worries.”

A couple of hours later, Doug’s wife comes out to see how things are going, “Um, honey. What did you do?”

5/4×6 Ipe Decking – A Reliable & Sturdy Wood Decking Choice

September 15, 2010September 15, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

5/4×6 wood decking is a superior sized deck board for many reasons. The extra thickness provides increased structural stability, a more rigid surface, and is ideal for all exterior applications.

5/4 x 6 Ipe wood decking has given many homeowners a solid, reliable surface that hardly ever has to be tended to, if ever. If you’re looking for decking materials for any deck projects that is going to be installed close to the ground, just having that extra 1/4″ is essential. For instance, if you’re about to construct a deck, your contractor should insist on buying 5/4×6 hardwood. Why?

DIY Deck Installation Guide – Introducing Doug the DIY Deck Builder

September 9, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

At Advantage Trim & Lumber, we’ve heard it all. For close to 20 years, we’ve gathered stories from people across the country who’ve shared their deck building experiences. 95% of these stories have happy endings, but those remaining 5%? YIKES! Sometimes, what seems like an innocent decision can turn anyone’s deck building plans upside down. …

Tigerwood Decking in San Francisco, CA

March 10, 2022September 1, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Decking in California — This Tigerwood deck will be an attractive place for patrons to sit, eat, and relax.

Why is Tigerwood a great decking option for California homes and businesses?

For starters, Tigerwood is instantly attractive. Many of our customers in California have told us that they enjoy working with such an easy material because it cuts labor costs and install time. We’ve even had customers call us to say that the second their commercial project was completed they saw an immediate increase in business thanks to more walk in traffic and customer interest.

It’s not hard to imagine people walking by this pizza parlor in San Francisco and staring at it. With those rich colors of rusty oranges, brown, and dark black streaks you would only need one attempt to guess this wood’s name. From California to New York, you can find more and more outside commercial projects using exotic and eco-friendly decking materials like Tigerwood.

Looks aside, there are some very practical reasons why Tigerwood is a great choice for commercial applications.

Wood Decking Options

August 30, 2010 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Cumaru wood decking There are a ton of decking materials in the market today. At Advantage we specialize in hardwood decking only because our customers demand the best. This is why, of the many wood decking options out there, Advantage has thoroughly tested and selected four of the finest, most reliable options that work well in any climate.

Tigerwood, Cumaru, Ipe, and Garapa are the Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and Audi of the decking world. Each has their own distinct look at set of qualities, but one thing binds them together. The combination of reliable durability and resilience that serves to give you an outdoor retreat with high performance.

For instance, check out this wood deck pictured above.