Use and Care Guide

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
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Fasteners
• Hot-dipped galvanized fasteners (meeting ASTM A 153) and connectors (ASTM A 653 Class G185
sheet), or better, are recommended. Fasteners not meeting or exceeding these requirements could
result in premature failures and degradation of fasteners and treated wood.
• Screws take longer to drive than nails, but hold boards more securely and will allow for easier removal
if necessary.
• Use 3 1/2” long nails on nominal two-inch decking and 3” nails for 5/4” decking. Use two nails across a
2 x 4 and three across a 2 x 6. Drive nails at a slight angle toward each other.
• To reduce splitting when using nails, especially near the ends of boards, drill a pilot hole about three
quarters the diameter of the nail. For dense or brittle wood, grind sharpness from nails or blunt the
points by striking them carefully with a hammer.
End Cuts
• Liberally coat all cut ends, holes, or other intrusions into the wood with a suitable wood preservative
product containing a minimum of 0.675% copper as oxine copper (copper-8 or copper-8-quinolinolate)
or 1% copper as copper naphthenate. (One such product is Outlast® Q8 Log Oil. See www.chemtch.
com for information and to order).
• Orient supporting posts so that original factory treated ends are in contact with the ground. Trim the
top ends as needed and cover them with post caps or cut them at angles to shed water and treat with
a brush-on preservative (see above).
Maintenance
No maintenance is needed to maintain resistance to decay fungi and termites. However, protection is
required to maintain the wood’s appearance against weather. Sun and rain cycles cause stresses in
lumber and result in swelling, shrinking, warping, and cracking.
• The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) recommends yearly deck safety checks.
For a checklist, see www.nadra.org.
• To help protect against moisture damage, apply water repellent after your project is completed and the
wood has had a chance to thoroughly dry.
• You can use a deck cleaner/brightener every couple of years to freshen the look of your deck. Bleach
is not recommended since it contains chlorides and can cause hardware corrosion.
• After cleaning the deck, reapply a water repellent or water repellent stain to restore color to the deck.