Decking Archives - AdvantageLumber Blog

How Wide Is a 5/4 Deck Board?

January 24, 2025 by Advantage Lumber

One of the most common questions homeowners and DIYers ask when planning a deck project is, “How wide is a 5/4 deck board?” The answer might surprise you: 5/4 refers to the thickness of the board, not its width. Let’s break this down and clear up any confusion about 5/4 decking measurements. What Does 5/4 …

Teak Without the Guilt: Sustainable Luxury for Your Home

October 10, 2024October 10, 2024 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Teak has long been the gold standard for luxury outdoor furniture and high-performance wood products. Its timeless beauty, natural resistance to the elements, and durability make it a favorite for decking, siding, and more. But traditional sources of teak, such as Burmese Teak, have raised concerns about environmental and ethical issues. Fortunately, there’s a way …

Stay Cool with Trex’s Heat-Reflective Decking Technology

October 8, 2024 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

When it comes to outdoor living, few things are more enjoyable than relaxing on a beautiful deck during a warm summer day. But one challenge many homeowners face is the intense heat that can make walking on a deck uncomfortable—or even unbearable. Enter Trex’s innovative heat-reflective technology, which has changed the game for anyone looking …

How Wide is a Decking Board?

September 23, 2024 by Advantage Lumber

When planning your deck, one of the key factors to consider is the width of your decking boards. While decking boards come in various sizes, the most common standard widths are 6 inches and 4 inches. Understanding these dimensions and their use cases can help you make an informed decision when choosing the right decking …

How To Build a Deck Over Concrete

July 6, 2023 by Advantage Lumber

Building a deck over a concrete patio strikes many as a great way to revitalize their backyard. Cover up that old, dirty, cracked concrete slab with the rich, natural beauty of wood; a perfect solution! And it can be…but the reality is that installing a deck over concrete is usually a bad idea. Deck Problems …

Summer’s Here and It’s Time For Shorts

June 16, 2017 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

Summertime is here! While you break out the board shorts, we’ll break out the short boards! We do everything we can to eliminate waste, so we keep cutoffs to sell at bargain prices. Many lumber companies sell shorts at a discounted price, but few will call 7 FEET a short board. We do!

Deck Safety – Proper Fasteners & Fastener Locations

May 25, 2017May 25, 2017 by Mr. Ipe Hardwood

It is that time of year again. Old man winter has finally decided to make his annual retreat leaving us with warm days and warmer thoughts. This month w shake off the sweatshirt and trade it in for a bathing suit. Before you put the hot coffee down and run out for a cold beer there’s a couple things you should double check. The thing that may take the spring out of your step the quickest, is a sprained ankle.

May is NADRA’s (North American Deck and Railing Association) “deck safety month” for good reason. This is the time of year we really start to use our decks often. Based on data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 6,000 people are injured each year in incidents involving the structural failure or collapse of a deck or porch. The worst part of these accidents isn’t that they ruin a spring and summer but more that they are preventable with a little bit of forethought and diligence. You are going to want to make sure that everything is sturdy instead of appearing sturdy. One of the most common failure points is the ledger. Here’s a couple things to look for on a ledger.