Got a deck on a rental. 14' long covered with 18 2x6's. Top of the wood is checked and split pretty badly. Priced composite decking at Home Depot. About $500. Any other ideas out there? Seems too expensive. I may just turn the 2x6's over which should get me a few years, but if there is a long lasting alternative to high priced composites I'd like to know.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Decks, in general are money pits - that and an unknown, potentially massive insurance liability - neither of which I would want as a landlord. I'd remove it, unless it is an essential part of the unit's entry/exit system. Too many decks can literally go south, if you know what I mean.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

with all due respect, is every decision you make invariably based on money? or do aesthetic and other concerns occasionally intrude? why would you want to deprive a tenant of a nice deck?

to kerry: i would flip the wood and use some cwf every year, from now on.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

It's a rental and that is about money. That said, the more attractive the place, the more you can ask. OTOH, you don't want to get carried away and spend money you may not recover for a long time, not in this market.

And on that note, . I'm no carpenter but I don't see how CFW will fix the splits. Also, there is an issue of liability. IF it gave way and I fell thru, you can bet the next person I will send to you is my lawyer.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

It's not structurally unsound, just aesthetically displeasing. What's cwf? I've never put anything on it. It was pretty badly checked when I bought the place 12 yrs ago.
I'm all for maintenance free. It's just that composite decking seems outrageously priced. The existing joists are closely spaced enough for composite.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=cwf&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Again, what is your time worth. Do you want to keep having to maintain it or can you sucker the tenant into doing it every other year?

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

What is your time worth? Do you want to stain it every couple of years or what? You have to make sure that you have enough stud to make composite work since it is more flexible than wood. If so, I would go for it since it is maintenance free.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Last time I checked, Ipe was less money than composite. But it's not as easy to put down since it's quite hard. The township here just re-decked an old, one lane bridge with Ipe

If the point is to make a faded deck look nice is it not possible to find a non slip paint that will bond to plastic? You can also make other paint more non slip by adding sand... May be this is a bit too wacky - I'd probably be a bad landlord. (I first thought of Astro-turf!)

You're bringing me around to the exterior carpet idea. I'm even thinking it can be put over the existing 2x6's without any plywood since the spaces between them are not wide. It would cover the ugliness of the old decking, protect it from any further UV damage, be quick to install, and relatively inexpensive.
I am looking for better visual appeal. I've used composite decking in a few other places and I don't have a lot of confidence in its long term durability. That aluminum decking is the ticket. If there was a dealer near me, I think I'd put it down before I put down composite again. It's a little less than double the price of composite but I think it would probably outlast composite by a few millenium.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Concrete with re-bar'll work far better than anything. Since cost may not be an object.

__________________
'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Concrete and rebar on a deck on the second built built on the roof of an addition would be bit of a challenge.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

i think joe favors apt. bldgs which resemble a "suoermax"? perhaps captive tenants are the best tenants? ankle bracelets?

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Nahh, if BP can pump concrete a mile deep in the ocean surely you oughta be able to overcome such a small obstacle as THAT!

The composite stuff is the cat's meow here in the desert. You ain't got no UV rays like we got UV rays. Heck, we have to wear moon block let alone sun block!

Got a buddy of mine whose composite deck is 15 years old and it still looks good. My neighbor put up a wood (cedar) fence 5 years ago and it is already warping and splitting. My cedar fence is 15 years old and I treat it every other year (about $225 a pop) to keep it in good shape.

So I'd say it's the old, "Pay me now or pay me later" routine.