Home Improvement Thread

[Morkle]

It's a light gray color from Trex/Lowes. It's not terrible ALL the time, but that's something that a lot of people mention after the fact. If it's a cloudy day, it's manageable, but if it gets consistent sun for an hour or two, it's a lava-field.

All that being said, I'd still choose Trex/Composite over wood, any day of the week.

[dodint]

I worked for a state park at the beach in NC. They rebuilt the entire boardwalk with Trex, w/SS nails. It was toasty for sure.

[Kane]

Sounds like you need a Sunsetter Retractable Awning.

[count2infinity]

Hmmm... that's concerning. Our deck at the moment that's painted red gets pretty darn hot already. Is it noticeably hotter than your old deck, mork?

[NTP66]

Sounds like you need a Sunsetter Retractable Awning.

I've honestly thought about getting one myself for a while now.

[Morkle]

Sounds like you need a Sunsetter Retractable Awning.

Meh we just use umbrellas, not a big deal. We also have outdoor carpets down underneath the couches and adirondack chairs - so we've figured ways to mitigate it and the wife still gets to spend money.

[Morkle]

Hmmm... that's concerning. Our deck at the moment that's painted red gets pretty darn hot already. Is it noticeably hotter than your old deck, mork?

This house didn't have a deck - my parents deck was wood and it was hot, but shaded most times. Mine is full-sun from 10AM to about 5:30-6.

I have slip on shoes, we have umbrellas and carpets. We've mostly mitigated the heat where we sit and relax.

[NTP66]

Sounds like you need a Sunsetter Retractable Awning.

Meh we just use umbrellas, not a big deal. We also have outdoor carpets down underneath the couches and adirondack chairs - so we've figured ways to mitigate it and the wife still gets to spend money.

It gets annoying with larger parties. Umbrella on the patio table, then a 10x10 tent right next to it if we have to use two tables. Adding a large awning would probably bring me out back more, if I'm being honest.

[Morkle]

We've thought about a pergola but that's just another thing to add to the deck.

[robbiestoupe]

This is why I'm glad the previous owners put a roof over our back deck.

My problem is the back yard gets so much shade, and we get so much rain in the spring, that anytime I go out in the yard (or the kids), we track a lot of mud back to the deck. It's just an aesthetic thing, but the deck always looks dirty.

[Morkle]

Ours does with a toddler sometimes. Which is why the powerwasher with a light scrub is clutch. I remember my parents staining the deck like once every few years. Eff that noise.

[CBear3]

We've got a concrete patio off the back door and a full southern exposure. I've been dreaming of ways to use that space more without melting our faces off in the summer or freezing in the winter.

My folks just got a sunsetter style awning for their back deck. My mother's health has given her limited mobility and used it to get some fresh air a lot last summer without baking in the heat.

[robbiestoupe]

Ours does with a toddler sometimes. Which is why the powerwasher with a light scrub is clutch. I remember my parents staining the deck like once every few years. Eff that noise.

I re-stained it in 2018 and right away in 2019 it appeared it needed a new coat. Nope. At least it took care of the carpenter bee issue, though.

What psi nozzle do you use on yours? I'm worried I'll blast it all off

[NTP66]

We've got a concrete patio off the back door and a full southern exposure. I've been dreaming of ways to use that space more without melting our faces off in the summer or freezing in the winter.

My folks just got a sunsetter style awning for their back deck. My mother's health has given her limited mobility and used it to get some fresh air a lot last summer without baking in the heat.

Our concrete patio faces west, so it gets all of the afternoon sun. Granted, the actual patio isn't hot like a deck would be, but shade is required if you intend to spend summer out back.

[robbiestoupe]

Our deck is perfect. With the roof comes a way to mount a fan, which is nice when bugs are around and during hot, muggy days. We use our deck quite a bit from spring-fall.

It's also great to sit out there during a thunderstorm in the summer. You can feel the cool air coming in and can watch the action in shelter.

[skullman80]

We have a concrete patio as well, but thankfully whenever they did it they put a roof over it so it's shaded. I put up a blind last year to help with some of the sun, but need to get some professional looking ones this year.

[Morkle]

Ours does with a toddler sometimes. Which is why the powerwasher with a light scrub is clutch. I remember my parents staining the deck like once every few years. Eff that noise.

I re-stained it in 2018 and right away in 2019 it appeared it needed a new coat. Nope. At least it took care of the carpenter bee issue, though.

What psi nozzle do you use on yours? I'm worried I'll blast it all off

For my trex decking? I use a sun-joe electric power washer with the car wash nozzle. I've taken it down to right on the board and it's been fine. Trex decking is pretty tank-like unless it comes to food grease, etc.

[robbiestoupe]

Ours does with a toddler sometimes. Which is why the powerwasher with a light scrub is clutch. I remember my parents staining the deck like once every few years. Eff that noise.

I re-stained it in 2018 and right away in 2019 it appeared it needed a new coat. Nope. At least it took care of the carpenter bee issue, though.

What psi nozzle do you use on yours? I'm worried I'll blast it all off

For my trex decking? I use a sun-joe electric power washer with the car wash nozzle. I've taken it down to right on the board and it's been fine. Trex decking is pretty tank-like unless it comes to food grease, etc.

We have trek on our front stairs and I used a pressure washer on it a couple years ago after some green mold/algae was forming on it. It took some of the color out of the planks. Not sure which pressure setting I used - it was the white nozzle, middle one of the 3 on my pressure washer. The lower pressure nozzle did nothing.

[Morkle]

Yea, I've used a bit of bleach/etc. never had any issues - and I believe it's the 25 degrees or 40 degrees.

[mac5155]

Composite decking joists should be on 16 inch centers in order for it to be warrantied (and not feel spongy). depending on what your current deck is, I'd bet it's on 24" centers.

[eddy]

We've thought about a pergola but that's just another thing to add to the deck.

When I built my deck, I put a pergola on one side and planted some trumpet Vines at the base. In a few years, it provided complete overhead coverage of sun for half the deck so you could have sun or shade. It's at the point now where I can sit under the pergola in the rain in summer and not get wet.

[mac5155]

I was going to say that pergolas are useless IMO for that reason but now I'm googling trumpet vines

[AuthorTony]

If you plant trumpet vine, be prepared for it to go everywhere and never being able to eradicate it.

[count2infinity]

Plant grapes instead.

[Morkle]

Yea I'm not interested in vine at all. My last house had vine and it took years of constant pulling to get it out and there was still some left when we moved. I hate vine.