Couple of suggestions. 1. When you cut with a circular saw put the wide part on the board your going to cut so you get a more perpendicular cut. 2. To keep a board from splitting drill a pilot hole and use stainless fasteners, especially in beach or high humidity areas. Even a galvanized nail will rust and expand and split the wood. Does anyone have experience using solid stain rather than paint. Stains are made to soak into the wood, last up to 15 years and not peal. Paint is made to coat a surface and last longer but from my experience on PT wood they tend to peal.
mars1952 I hope not to do much work on it. We want to sell and move south. However I want it safe for any buyers / new owners. It is only 10 inch off the ground so I may just rip it up and put down patio blocks.
a better alternative for non skid is "Quaker Oats" grits. the grits actually absorb the paint and become one with it.....Cheap, effective, and you can cook the remainder...
Ray karl I have used screws on decks before but this time I used galvanized ring shank 10D nails. The ceramic coated deck screws I used the last time are starting to fail after about 5 years.
Ray karl The builder of the deck used 8D ring shank nails to nail down the steps and they held for 20 years. I do like screws better but they are a lot more work.
