# deck wood that doesn't splinter



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

we have a deck - typical pressure treated construction.

problem: railing has a 2x6 top cap. it has splintered, split, curled up grain, etc. time to replace.

any thoughts on a good weather resistant wood for this task?

i.e. p/t comes in pine, fir, &whatelse? any of the species more better than others?

I've got some old pcs of 2x4 redwood that's been in the weather for years and years without a problem. not sure if that quality is even available anymore....

cedar? does it stand up with turning into splinter heaven?

this will be unstained, unfinished, not no nothing - wood&rain&snow&ice.....


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

Ironwood, AKA 'Ipe' is a heavy, dense wood often used for decking and other exterior uses and will not rot in your lifetime. I put cedar decks in 26 years ago and they were in bad shape 8-10 years later, so I went Ipe and there is no visible deterioration after 15 years or so.
The cautions, it does like to make small splinters that are unusually annoying, so you will want to really smooth it out, and maybe give it a quick sand with fine paper every few months the first year, after that you'll be fine.
I hit it with a pressure washer every couple years.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The treated wood should work unless it's defective. Some companies will take green wood and just hose it down with the chemical to give it the treated color instead of actually pressure treating it. Any wood needs to be treated with a deck finish periodically to maintain it. Depending on your weather and the brand of sealant it may take very frequent treatment.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

nothing is rotting / etc - so "it's working"

but it's the splinters that's the problem. a handrail isn't much of a handrail if it gives you two handfuls of splinters...

supposedly Trex Transcend 2x6 composite is special orderable from HD - need to check the prices....


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

Could you plane or sand the splintery spots? 

I was going to replace our deck boards last summer and realized there was a lot of good wood underneath the splintery curls, etc. Went over it with a heavy duty hand sander (and old all metal Craftsman 4" belt sander) and it was almost like new.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

one would think a professional deck builder would select the least curly 2x6 with the straightest grain from the pile for use on the top cap. but . . .

one pc I would say could be "salvaged" by sanding; most of the others are splintering apart on the faces and to the extent that replacing them is easier.

I priced out some other options today at our local lumberyard. looks like I'll be putting plain ole' PT back on. PT is about 1/10 the cost of other options.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Tom,
You said the wood was not rotting. Does this mean it's still in pretty good shape? 
If so, it sounds like it's the hand rails your displeased with. Maybe you can use a router with a round-over bit and slightly round all the edges of the hand rails. Then use a belt sander to smooth the tops of the rails if needed. It would sure beat a complete replacement if it worked for you. 
Good luck.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

I'm gonna' need a bigger sandpaper . . .


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

TomCT2 said:


> snip
> 
> this will be unstained, unfinished, not no nothing - wood&rain&snow&ice.....


Better find a composite material and metal railing in that case.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

TomCT2 said:


> I'm gonna' need a bigger sandpaper . . .


A picture sure helps everyone see what your working with. 
I can't post pictures myself because I follow this forum on my I-pad. 
Your railing looks to me like it could be refurbished. 
And yes you would probably start with 60 grit on a belt sander.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

We've got such brutal temperature swings here = -30F in the winter to 95F in the shade in summer. Many many people are ripping off their deck rail caps and replacing them with recycled composite 2x6. Looks OK. Smooth. Expected to outlast the rest of the deck.


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## ronbergley (May 19, 2014)

Composite is your best choice. If you want to stick with wood and don't mind the expense Teak would do the trick. Pressure treated pine is only going to last so long as a handrail before this starts happening. Another approach would be metal railing.

Ron
Quality Custom Interiors


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## MatthewEOD (Dec 6, 2013)

Composite deck is where its at. They are pretty amazing.


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## Jig_saw (May 17, 2015)

Either teak or Indian rosewood. Both weather resistant to the point of being waterproof and don't crack in the sun.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

You guys are all talking some very expensive options here.
Too rich for my blood.

Treated lumber works fine if you buy it dry to the touch (most is soggy wet) and look for straight grain. 
Otherwise on my deck/porch I have Poplar straight from the sawmill at a full 2" x 6" on a rough sawn appearance, @ $.75c a board foot. The price might vary regionally.
Poplar weathers very well, has a better grain structure than pine and also looks better.
My rails have been on 2 years without any stain. They are starting to grey up and I have one split, but the rails were put on somewhat green at 20% moisture content.

Past that, Composite is probably the next step up at 4x the cost of treated.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think the issue here has more to do with the specific wood that was used. Like anything else pressure treated can be done good or bad and there is no way to tell by looking at it if the wood was poorly treated. I replaced a trailer deck in 2009 with treated wood and before I could put a finish on it I hauled a tractor and got a couple spots of oil on the wood. Since it made an extra job cleaning the oil off to finish the deck I've never got around to it and except for it turning a little gray the wood is in the same condition as when I installed it. The trailer sits outside 24/7 in the hot Texas sun.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

...too expensive
indeed. my initial thought was composite stuff - that's $5-6 / lineal ft in 2x6
clear cedar is more.
I got funny looks when I asked about redwood.

#2 PT is seriously less.

the cost issue is not just absolute cost - the deck is pushing 15 years old. putting a 50 year handrail on a deck that will likely need rebuilding in 20 years is questionable...

anyone with experience using Yellawood brand? the marketing fluff talks about it being #1 grade, etc etc. I'd have to drive a bit to get it - but perhaps it's worth it.


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

When we were pricing out a deck replacement, my wife wanted composite, my father-in-law recommended composite, but in the end--to me--plastic looks like plastic. And yes, I know it's not really "plastic." My wife's aunt had her deck professionally done with composite, and...it looks pretty bad. If, with wood, there are gaps or spaces where the boards and trim don't fit exactly, it still looks o.k. But if it's composite and there are gaps and spaces, it looks cheap. Just my opinion. 

It's also very expensive. 

In the end, I destroyed the neighborhood peace with my belt sander for a few hours and replaced a few boards here and there.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

*Ipe railing parts*



TomCT2 said:


> we have a deck - typical pressure treated construction.
> 
> problem: railing has a 2x6 top cap. it has splintered, split, curled up grain, etc. time to replace.
> 
> ...


From

http://www.ipedeckingseattle.com/index.php

I like this:


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