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Installing Western Red Cedar Decking

The concrete-block retaining wall for the deck and yard transition is complete. The walls curve as they flow into the yard and carry the steps from the deck to the yard and grill station below. Bob meets Tim Berky, the general contractor, who is attaching the western red cedar decking. Berky explains that he started with a solder board of cedar that is mitered to give a clean edge to the deck. The overhang is for the 1-by-12 cedar board that will face the pressure-treated front and sides of the deck. Berky shows Bob the stainless-steel, self-tapping square-head screws that he is using to attach the decking. Berky points out that stainless steel fasteners are recommended for use with cedar. Berky is driving the screws by hand rather than using a nailgun because he feels it gives a better, more solid installation. Berky uses his framing square rather than a 16-penny spike to space the deck boards and create an even reveal. Berky prefers the framing square to mark the spacing because it will not leave an indentation in the soft cedar boards.

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Chapters from this episode

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Restoring Old Windows

Installing a Standing-Seam Copper Roof Now Playing

Installing a Standing-Seam Copper Roof

Installing Western Red Cedar Decking Now Playing

Installing Western Red Cedar Decking

Building a Western Red Cedar Deck Now Playing

Building a Western Red Cedar Deck

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Clip Transcript For:

Installing Western Red Cedar Decking

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" of one of the key things about. Doing this kind of project is to have somebody stationed as your cut off person jammies -- so over here and we've got. -- is helping move material over here and Tim of course is doing the actual installation one of the things that we're looking at where I'm standing right now though is work that's been done since last week all this concrete concrete block. And retaining wall in the curved one here is part of the architect's design. For integrating the deck to the yard and what we'll be. Bill -- a set of steps that comes from the deck all the way down to here and then curve out into into the garden in the gazebo and behind me will eventually be the gas grill. But let's interrupt Tim for a minute and talk about. How we build this what's the first thing you did -- month. The first thing I did is I took inside and a band right around the outside. This way we don't look at the open end grain right here -- this water will water the outside of the deck and you mitered it sends a very very elegant and then you got quite a bit of an overhang here what happens. Over the pressure treated lumber. We're gonna be putting a one by twelve cedar board down on the bottom so the whole thing will be dressed out in cedar nothing gets painted that's correct all right. Now one of the things with decking any kind of decking is fastening it with the right kind of product what do we got here. Using a stainless steel finishing up the screw right here. And it's self tapping. It's self tapping and it's a square -- right that's correct OK so these are stainless steel you can also go with hot dipped galvanized. But not electroplated galvanized in terms of reaction with the -- went up to until. Yep let me know really what's recommended for the cedar is that stainless steel and what about using an elegant. I I really -- recommended this takes more time but it's going to give a very good professional finish OK I want to get up -- take a closer look. And they automatically countersink which is important. It because it's a screw as opposed to nail you don't have to worry too much about them coming back up that's right new -- pull up yeah all right now let's ask the question about spacing. Very often guys will put spikes in you know sixteen penny nails as spacers and then pull -- not as they're going along. You're using a framing square. Right well might my concern with the nails using them as spaces as the actual nail with a softer wood like cedar. Nationally -- and every time you put nails and it -- basic OK I just use my regular framing square bridges the two joists. Gives -- very consistent reveal all the way down right. Clever."

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