Tag Archives: Decking material

Deck Framing with Joist Tape

How to Make Your Framing Last as Long as Your Ipe Decking

Ipe decking can last up to 75 years with hardly any maintenance. That’s great! But customers often wonder: what about the framing?

Deck framing is usually made of pressure treated pine. It’s cheap, easy to install, and readily available. But pressure treated pine is only rated to last about 15 years. So why would you spend all that money on 75-year ipe if you’re going to have to replace the deck in just 15 years anyway due to rotten framing?

It’s a great question! Here are a few way to make your framing last as long as your ipe decking:

Build the Frame with Ipe

The most obvious fix is to build your frame from the same material as your decking. This will certainly work, but it will be very expensive. And because ipe is so tough, it will be a lot harder to build the frame and secure the deck boards to it. For these reasons, we don’t typically recommend going this route.

Build the Frame with Metal

Metal deck framing comes with many of the same advantages and drawback as ipe framing: it’s expensive and difficult to work with. Additionally, metal products tend to react with ipe and stain the decking. Because of this, you’ll have to use joist and ledger tape as a protective barrier between the framing and the deck boards.

Metal framing can be a great solution if you don’t mind the extra cost and effort, but we don’t usually recommend it. However, now that we’ve brought up joist and ledger tape…

Build the Frame with Pressure Treated Lumber and Protect It with Joist and Ledger Tape

Ledger Tape and Joist Tape

The third option—and the one we recommend—is to use pressure treated pine, then cover your joists, posts, and ledgers with a protective, waterproof tape.

Most wood deterioration is caused by exposure to the elements, especially moisture. The areas of your frame that are most susceptible to rot are places where the wood touches up against something else, creating tight spaces that trap water. Common culprits are the bases of posts in contact with the ground and the tops of joists in contact with the decking.

Joist tape creates a protective barrier between the decking and the joists and keeps the wood dry. Ledger tape does the same thing, but it’s wider so it can cover a broader area. Ledger tape is good for protecting ledgers, beams, and posts.

You should apply joist and ledger tape to all your horizontal framing surfaces. The tape should be wide enough to fold over the sides for maximum protection. You may have to cut the tape in order to wrap corners without creating wrinkles, which can allow water to seep in.

Using joist and ledger tape on your deck framing will drastically improve the lifespan of your deck without costing you tons of money or effort.

3 Reasons To Buy Extra Decking and Not Exact Amounts

We get it, exotic hardwoods are expensive. It’s natural for you to want to save your pennies and order just the right amount of material for your deck, but this is probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

Materials like decking aren’t made to fit exact specifications; they are crafted on-site by cutting each board to meet the dimensions of your design.  It’s these characteristics that necessitate ordering extra material just in case something happens. The extra material ordered is normally between 10% and 15% of your original amount and is referred to as “waste.”

If you’re not convinced that ordering waste is important, here are 3 reasons that’ll change your mind.

  • Save time just-in-case boards arrive damaged from freight. Sometimes packages, including large items, get damaged during delivery. If you have some extra material to immediately replace the damaged ones, you can continue your building without having to stop.
  • Have extra material just-in case you measured wrong. Sometimes building a deck on paper doesn’t translate to the actual deck you’re building and you can end- up ordering less than what is needed. If you order extra amounts, you won’t have to worry about being short and being forced to stop construction.
  • Accidents like breaking boards or cutting the wrong length boards are not unusual. If these accidents happen and you only ordered exact numbers, an accident can cost you both time and money.

Sometimes saving money up-front can ending-up costing you more later down the road. Spending that small “extra” amount so you can have a comfortable buffer of extra wood during your project will alleviate the pain of possibly having to wait for more wood, or needing to have your contractor come back at a later date. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy your beautiful new outdoor living space without any setbacks!

What’s the Best Decking Material to Build with in 2011?

Best Decking Material

Owning this view is more affordable with Cumaru decking.

Spring is finally here. The morning air is more welcoming. And, the memory of shoveling snow is fading.

If you’ve been inspired and are thinking of extending your outdoor living area with a new deck, you are not alone! Thousands of deck remodels and new builds are being planned by hard working professionals and DIY homeowners alike. And, the first question everyone is asking this Spring?

What is the best decking material?

In previous years, both Ipe and composite decking competed for “best-in-class” status. However, with demand skyrocketing, so are decking prices.

While Advantage Trim & Lumber offers the lowest Ipe prices in the market, it’s important to know that Cumaru wood has a greater return on investment plus the same qualities as Ipe.

How does Cumaru compare to Ipe in terms of performance? Simply put, if Ipe is a Lamborghini, Cumaru is a Ferrari.

Don’t worry. You won’t have to pay nearly as much for your Cumaru deck. Given all the benefits, you’ll be happy to know that a Cumaru deck is very budget-friendly. For more info on Cumaru as well as prices, check out our Cumaru decking page. In addition to learning about its strength and resistance benefits, you’ll also find:

Building the deck you deserve shouldn’t mean you have to go over budget. Now, you can build your very own outdoor retreat with one of the best decking materials without having to sweat how you’ll pay for it.

If you want a custom quote on Cumaru wood decking, call us today.