Do you need to treat a Douglas fir porch deck?
So, any outdoor Douglas fir construction, (such as siding, fencing, and decking), all need to be treated to help them hold up against a deluge of rainwater. So, what is the best treatment for a Douglas fir porch decking?
What kind of wood is used for porch decks?
Douglas Fir Porch Decking Douglas Fir has enjoyed a long career as a dependable and beautiful material for use in porch construction. It is commonly used in the Pacific Northwest and Craftsman style construction. The products below are all tongue-and-grooved, kiln-dried and precision milled.
How do you seal a pressure treated fir porch?
If that porch has been made out of pressure treated Douglas fir, then you should seal it with an exterior wood sealer. The pressure treatment process will infuse Douglas fir with chemicals that help to protect it from rot, insects and decay.
What is the best sealer for Douglas fir decking?
And a quality oil-based sealer, such as Rust-Oleum’s Oil-Based Ultimate Spar Urethane will keep your Douglas fir decking dry for up to 5 years. Available in Gloss, Semi-gloss, and Satin, this product offers UV protection, guards against weathering, and prevents your deck from getting scratches and scuff marks too.
How do I protect my Douglas fir outside?
Double coats of exterior-grade stain protect your wood from the elements. Not known to hold paint well, Douglas fir's beauty lies in its color and veining, which makes waxes or surface sealers the best choice to protect the wood and display its beauty.
What is the best treatment for Douglas fir?
WHICH TREATMENT FOR DOUGLAS FIR WOOD ? If you wish to preserve the original appearance of your douglas fir and at the same time protect it from UV rays or humidity (and thus avoid greying or blackening of the wood), we advise you to use a saturator.
Can Douglas fir be pressure treated?
This lumber is pressure treated in order to protect it from termites, fungal decay, and rot. Ideal for a variety of applications, including decks, landscaping, stair support, walkways and other outdoor projects where lumber is exposed to the elements. This lumber can be painted or stained.
Can Douglas fir be used for deck posts?
If you plan to use Douglas fir as a decking material outdoors, it really needs to be stained, sealed, painted or protected if you expect to get a decent usable lifetime from your deck. If you paint the Douglas fir, you lose the ability to see the beauty of the wood itself.
Is Douglas fir good for outdoor deck?
Turns out Douglas fir is more than just a good-looking wood. Its durability and resistance to rot and insects make it a favorite choice for outdoor projects like porch decking as well. In fact, vertical-grain Douglas fir has been a traditional choice for porches on historic homes for more than 100 years.
Can you leave Douglas fir untreated?
Yes, the Douglas Fir will decay in a few years if left untreated: 1) dryrot in end grain, 2) grain will raise, 3) major dis-colorization, 4) knotholes will become loose and fall out, 5) warping due to excessive moisture penetration.
Is prime the same as pressure treated?
Much PRIME SYP (Southern Yellow Pine) is pressure preservative treated and used for decks.
Is Douglas Fir soft or hard wood?
Pine, Douglas Fir, and Cedar are considered Softwoods. Hardwood is a generic term for the scientific name angiosperm. These plants are often deciduous trees that have broad leaves, and carry their seeds in some variation of a nut or fruit.
What is better cedar or Douglas Fir?
Durability. Both cedars and firs are softwood trees, with hardnesses ranging between 320 pounds-force on the Janka hardness scale and 490 pounds-force. On average, cedars are slightly softer. However, cedar significantly outperforms fir in its resistance to decay and wet conditions.
Is Douglas Fir harder than redwood?
Characteristics of Douglas Fir Lumber Its Janka Hardness rating of 660 makes it harder than most other domestic softwoods, including redwood, reports Sustainable Lumber Co.
Is a Douglas Fir a cedar tree?
The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine....Douglas fir.Douglas-firOrder:PinalesFamily:PinaceaeGenus:PseudotsugaSpecies:P. menziesii16 more rows
Is Douglas Fir good for pergola?
Douglas fir wood pergolas are better at withstanding strong gusts of winds, thunderstorms, and earthquakes.
What type of wood should I use for a porch deck?
The wood that I prefer to use for these porch decks is vertical grain Douglas Fir. It can still be found at many traditional lumberyards. The wood that was installed on many of the old porches, and the ones I built, had a tongue and groove profile.
What to do if you cut a piece of wood?
IMPORTANT TIP: If you have to cut a piece of wood that’s been treated or painted, be sure to coat the cut end with the borate solution and then the finish sealant or paint. If you want to minimize any cupping or warping in the wood, consider installing a vapor barrier on the soil under the porch.
How long does it take for wood to dry before painting?
Once it’s dried for two weeks, then paint the wood on all edges and surfaces before it’s installed. You can use semi-transparent wood preservatives instead of paint if you want the natural look.
Can you use borate powder on wood?
If you want your new wood material to last for generations, you have to treat it with borate chemicals before it’s installed. Borate powder is easy to get and it dissolves in hot or warm water with ease. Here's a great borate powder for treating wood. There are many borate suppliers to choose from.
Do you have to stain all sides of deck?
If you don’t pretreat the wood before it’s installed, you’ll never be able to coat all the surfaces.
Does composite decking have plastic?
Composite decking products contain high amounts of plastic. Plastic expands and contracts dramatically when heated. If you don't allow for the decking to move, it can bow, twist or uplift as the material grows in length. The instructions said to make sure the decking was covered from the sun.
Can you recoat primer with finish paint?
They almost always tell you the best primer that's compatible with the finish paint. It's best to apply the finish paint as soon as the primer label says it's safe to recoat. You'll get a better bond between the two paints if you do it this way.
Douglas Fir for decking?
Has anyone used Douglas Fir 1x4 boards for decking? I'm building two decks, 18x16 and 8x12. My father has pushed fir since the beginning saying people have been using it for 100 years,etc. I would like to go with Mahogany but i think it will be out of my price range considering two decks.
Comments (13)
Your Father is right Doug Fir has been used that long for outside projects. Trouble is we are no longer cutting old growth now days it second growth Big differance.
