# How does one remove a middle board on a wooden deck?



## MOXJO7282 (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm assuming there is a cutting tool that can use to cut out a section of a rotten wooden deck board without damaging other surrounding boards. Can someone provide some guidance on what tool I need and how to approach this?


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## WalnutBaron (Jun 6, 2014)

Joe, I would recommend using a jigsaw with a minimum 4" blade. You'll want to start the cut at least six inches on either side of the dry rotted section of the board, since it's likely there is dry rot beyond what you see. You should also make sure you're cutting in an area that does not cause damage to the cross members beneath your deck.


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## slum808 (Jun 6, 2014)

What type of deck boards were used? Is it wood with tung and groove?


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## Rose Pink (Jun 6, 2014)

I would think that if you cut down the center of the rotten board, you will not damage the boards on either side.  Then you can just remove the broken pieces and replace with a new one of suitable length.  You could even begin this with a hammer and chisel on the center line (near one of the ends) of the rotten board.  Or just begin to break it up where it is the rottenest and most prone to breakage.


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## Htoo0 (Jun 6, 2014)

I was wondering the same thing. Most decks I've seen have spaces between the boards. They are either nailed or screwed in place. Some are attached with hidden fasteners. Photos or a really good description would help.


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## pacodemountainside (Jun 6, 2014)

Being a former  re-modeler type, based on  OP question would suggest he  get 3 bids from  local "handymans". Bids will give an idea what he is in for.

Buying  jig saw or skill saw,  screw gun, right materials, etc. and dealing with unforseen damage when opened up could prove very costly.

Cutting a straight line with power saw  requires   some skill!


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## BJRSanDiego (Jun 6, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> I'm assuming there is a cutting tool that can use to cut out a section of a rotten wooden deck board without damaging other surrounding boards. Can someone provide some guidance on what tool I need and how to approach this?



There are a number of ways to do this.   It depends somewhat on your tools and skill-set.

One method (requiring the least amount of tools) is to pull up the damaged board and replace it in its entirety.  Hey, it's only one board.  If you get on a ladder from under it (if possible) you can probably loosen it.  

If you have a saber saw, just cut out the bad section as close as you can to an underlying joist.  But you'll need some underlying access to a joist to toe-nail the new board.  Some people might use a flush-cut blade in their saber saw and "heel" cut the portion of the remaining board so that it leaves a space of about half of the width of the joist (or leaving 3/4 inch) for fastening.  Alternatively, since you only have one board to replace, you could also use a sharp wood chisel.  If you are lazy or don't have enough tools, you could just cut the existing board to the edge of the joist and then attach another board underneath (like a 2x4 or 2x2) to give you something into which to fasten your new board.


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## Kal (Jun 6, 2014)

Life gets real easy if you have an oscillating tool.  Here's an example:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7ogm5y736m_b

 This tool will enable you to cut the old board at a joist at a 45 or 90 degree angle.  Hammer the old board from below, or make various cuts until you can pull it free.  Assuming it is nailed into the joist, you may need to think hard about removing the old nails without damaging the adjacent good boards.  A crowbar would usually work but this requires care to avoid damage.

 I use an abrasive air cut-off wheel to easily cut off the nails, but you would need an air compressor and the air powered tool.


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## GrayFal (Jun 7, 2014)

pacodemountainside said:


> Being a former  re-modeler type, based on  OP question would suggest he  get 3 bids from  local "handymans". Bids will give an idea what he is in for.
> 
> Buying  jig saw or skill saw,  screw gun, right materials, etc. and dealing with unforseen damage when opened up could prove very costly.
> 
> Cutting a straight line with power saw  requires   some skill!



I was thinking the same thing!  Don't you have a 'guy'? Everyone I know on LI has a guy


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## csxjohn (Jun 7, 2014)

Not knowing exactly what you're up against makes it hard but I like some of the advice you've been given.

I have a cheap oscillating tool from Harbor Freight but it would not be my tool of choice for this job.

If you have tongue and groove boards my choice would be a circular saw with the blade depth set just less than the thickness of the broad in question so as to not saw through the joists.

If it's like most modern decks with spaces between the deck boards the job becomes easier.  A drill and a keyhole saw will allow you to cut the board off at the places where there is not rotten and using various sized pry bars the bad piece can be  removed.

I often use a hack saw with a handle on one end to cut nails in hard to get at spaces.  A sawzall type tool might work also.

The one I use is similar to this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Irwin-Tools...S_Hand_Tools&hash=item27e45c21b2#ht_671wt_662

I would not call "my man" for a relatively simple repair like this.


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## Kal (Jun 7, 2014)

What is the width of the deck board? That will make a big difference in tool selection. If the boards are 4", a circular saw wouldn't work. Even then the curvature of a circular saw would make it almost impossible to get a complete cut across the old board at the center of the joist.

The hand held hacksaw blade would work but the tight spaces at the cut end of the board will limit the lateral movement of the blade.

I had to have a board replaced on my oak hardwood floor. The PRO used the oscillating tool and made the end cuts a piece of cake! Absolutely the perfect solution for that type of task. The tongue-and-groove design made it even more difficult but the replacement worked nicely.


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## Elan (Jun 7, 2014)

I have at least 4 power tools that would do the job - circular saw, jig saw, osc tool and a recip saw.  Which one I'd use would depend on the particulars of the deck.

  BTW, the oscillating tool works great for cutting nails in situations like this.  With the right blade, of course.


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## csxjohn (Jun 7, 2014)

Kal said:


> ... If the boards are 4", a circular saw wouldn't work. Even then the curvature of a circular saw would make it almost impossible to get a complete cut across the old board at the center of the joist.
> 
> ...



Clarification, the circular saw would be used for tongue and grove cutting the length of the board not across it.

For across I'd use a keyhole saw manually or a power jig saw.


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## csxjohn (Jun 7, 2014)

Elan said:


> ..
> BTW, the oscillating tool works great for cutting nails in situations like this.  With the right blade, of course.



The right blade is the key.  The metal cutting blade that comes standard with all of these tools I've seen are for soft metal such as aluminum and copper.

Get the right blade!


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## Kal (Jun 7, 2014)

csxjohn said:


> Clarification, the circular saw would be used for tongue and grove cutting the length of the board not across it.
> 
> For across I'd use a keyhole saw manually or a power jig saw.



 The problem with the cross cut is that it needs to be made at the center of the joist.  That way the replacement board can be nailed into the joist for proper support.  The cut would also have to be crisp to afford a clean joint with the new material.


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## Kal (Jun 7, 2014)

Elan said:


> I have at least 4 power tools that would do the job - circular saw, jig saw, osc tool and a recip saw. Which one I'd use would depend on the particulars of the deck.
> 
> BTW, the oscillating tool works great for cutting nails in situations like this. With the right blade, of course.



You're right, the osc tool would cut the nails off flush at the top of the joist. But you're right, the supplied blades are for soft metal, not heavy nails.  For me, I just run an air hose to the deck and cut the nails. Here is an inexpensive cut-off tool: (I remove the protective guard to allow easy access)

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-high-speed-composite-air-cut-off-tool-68832.html


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## csxjohn (Jun 8, 2014)

Kal said:


> The problem with the cross cut is that it needs to be made at the center of the joist.  That way the replacement board can be nailed into the joist for proper support.  The cut would also have to be crisp to afford a clean joint with the new material.



That's not the way I make that type of repair but without knowing the exact situation it's hard to say.

I'm not attaching a new board or leaving the remaining board attached to only half the joist.

I attach a nailer to the existing joist and nail the new board into that.  You don't need access to underneath to do that, it can be done from the top by slipping the nailer board through the opening you make when you remove the old board.

With access to the underneath side of the project it may or may not be easier.


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 8, 2014)

sorry I provided such a poor description. No tongue and groove and no access to under the deck.

I have (3) boards that have 2 ft sections at one end the need replacing. I had a wooden bench that was part of the original deck and the 2 footings rooted through the base boards.

When I knot out the rot I can wedge a hammer and I was able to remove one of the sections with the except of a 2 inch section where it was attached to the joist. I will try to do the other like that and should be left with 3 2 inch section above the joists of the rotted boards that if I can remove should give me the space I need to nail the new into the joist that is available.

As a result I think I only need an ocs tool and hopefully I'll be good to go.

That's for all the input from my TUG friends.  I'm sure there may be another site I could have asked this questions but I trust no one more than my TUG friends.

And the great thing I could ask almost anything and a good logical set of responses will follow.

That's what makes TUG such a great response a one stop shop for TS info and so much more.


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## Kal (Jun 8, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> ...When I knot out the rot I can wedge a hammer and I was able to remove one of the sections with the except of a 2 inch section where it was attached to the joist. I will try to do the other like that and should be left with 3 2 inch section above the joists of the rotted boards that if I can remove should give me the space I need to nail the new into the joist that is available...



 Your added info helps!  Getting the remaining stubs out looks like a manageable task.  The OSC tool will help.  Also maybe a wood chisel starting at the end face of the board then splitting lengthwise should work.

 You're still left with nails remaining in the joist.  Either cut them off flush at the surface of the joist, or try this:

 Grab the head of the nail with vice grips and tightened as hard as possible.  Then use a pry bar, levered against the tip of the vice grips and pull the nail.  Make sure you place a scrap piece of wood under the pry bar where it rests on the deck surface so as not to damage the surrounding deck surface.


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## csxjohn (Jun 8, 2014)

I have a selection of these that I use for nail removal.  When we install flooring and need to take up an existing floor with luan nailed down they are very handy.

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/special-use-pliers/8-203-mm-end-cutting-pliers

I also use them around the house.  If part of the nail is showing these will usually grab it and with the rounded head they work with little effort.

If you find the joists cannot take new nails using a nailer board like I mentioned earlier will work just fine.  Of course having some scraps of treated lumber on hand will cut your costs.


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## thheath (Jun 8, 2014)

pacodemountainside said:


> Being a former  re-modeler type, based on  OP question would suggest he  get 3 bids from  local "handymans". Bids will give an idea what he is in for.
> 
> Buying  jig saw or skill saw,  screw gun, right materials, etc. and dealing with unforseen damage when opened up could prove very costly.
> 
> Cutting a straight line with power saw  requires   some skill!



100% agree

Also if you have rot on the top of the deck, you might be looking as issues on the underside too.

Where the deck connects to the house is normally an area of concern also.

Photos would help to get you better recommendations.

Ted


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## Kal (Jun 8, 2014)

csxjohn said:


> ...When we install flooring and need to take up an existing floor with luan nailed down they are very handy.
> 
> http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/special-use-pliers/8-203-mm-end-cutting-pliers...



 Oh of course.  I have one of those tools but could use it in combination with a pry bar to get leverage for nasty larger gauge nails.


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## easyrider (Jun 8, 2014)

Who ever suggested jig saw with long blade must be doing things somewhat the way I do. I cut the old board back at least 3 deck joists ( 32" - 48") and I make a bevel cut that is over the top of a joist using a jig saw. Then cut a bevel into the replacement board , lay the board down where it fits, drill out 2 - 3 pilot holes @ 1/8" that are long enough for your deck screws, gorilla glue the bevel cut together, install screws at the bevel the install the rest of the screws. After this glue drys I sand the bevel and putty it. Most of the time you can barely notice the splice after restaining. 

Bill


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 9, 2014)

Bought a jig saw to do the job. Went to Lowes and one of the workers had just did same thing. He carefully drilled holes in the edge of board over joist to be able to fit the jig saw and then used the saw to cut straight across. The only concern is cutting the joist too so I have to be careful.

I considered a dremel or OSC tool but their blades seemed only to cut so deep, less than the 2" I need so I though the jig was the best option.

I'll let everyone know how it goes.


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## csxjohn (Jun 9, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> Bought a jig saw to do the job. Went to Lowes and one of the workers had just did same thing. He carefully drilled holes in the edge of board over joist to be able to fit the jig saw and then used the saw to cut straight across. The only concern is cutting the joist too so I have to be careful.
> 
> I considered a dremel or OSC tool but their blades seemed only to cut so deep, less than the 2" I need so I though the jig was the best option.
> 
> I'll let everyone know how it goes.



Cut off that jigsaw blade so it's an eighth of an inch short of hitting the joist.  I'd still cut next to the joist and install a nailer board.

That jig saw will come in handy for many projects.


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 9, 2014)

I have a friend who is insisting I use the dremel because he thinks it will be hard for me to use the jig to cut a straight line and also miss the joist. I do see his point so reconsidering using the jig saw.  I'm also leaning to a sister joist and starting to think its the best way to go.

Its raining here today so I have another day to mull it over.


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## csxjohn (Jun 9, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> I have a friend who is insisting I use the dremel because he thinks it will be hard for me to use the jig to cut a straight line and also miss the joist. I do see his point so reconsidering using the jig saw.  I'm also leaning to a sister joist and starting to think its the best way to go.
> 
> Its raining here today so I have another day to mull it over.



I'm glad you came up with the right wording, it escaped me.  For me it makes it much easier to cut off the old board flush with the joist then just nail into the sister joist.  

A scrap piece of 2x4 treated material will work, securely fastened to the existing joist with galvanized nails.  I pre-drill holes in the sister a little smaller than the diameter of the nails I'm using and start the nails before lining up the sister.  

Pre-drilling keeps the piece of wood from splitting. I'd do the same with installing the new surface board.


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## easyrider (Jun 9, 2014)

A dremel will give you a uneven cut, imo. Use a speed square or lag a piece of board down to the deck to use as a saw guide. I use a speed square. Set the jigsaw at 45 degrees. Draw a line 1/4 inch into the opposite side of the joist. Pull you nails or screws if you can. Line up your guide with the saw blade. You might need to drill a pilot hole for the jigsaw blade. Make the cut. 

If you would rather do more work then add a nailer. If your doing this just cut even with the outside edge of the joist leaving the old deck over the joist. This will leave a gap in the deck because of the butting together of the deck instead of bevel cutting as the board shrinks.

Bill


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 10, 2014)

*major success!!*

I'm happy to report a jig saw worked perfectly without the need for another tool. I carefully angled the blade to make a small hole at the edge to insert the blade up and down and then just cut straight across. Made a nice even cut especially with the splinter giard in place on the jig saw. Used sister joists with pre-drilled holes, which was a good tip.  

The guy at Lowes even cut my boards although they usually don't cut deck boards I guess. They boards fit like a glove and I screwed them in using deck screws. 

I must admit I surprised myself because I used to be a guy with 2 left thumbs due to having 4 older brothers and never getting a chance to fix anything growing up so I never would've even attempted in the past but with a daughter in college who wants to study abroad for a semester every little savings helps.

Thanks again for all the great insight from my TUG friends. I couldn't have done it without you that is for sure.

Next is replacing the water value in my refrigerator. At first glance replacing looked like a big challenge but one search on Youtube and it should be an easy job that saves me at least $125 in labor. Too bad the small little replacement piece is $100.


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## Rose Pink (Jun 10, 2014)

Glad it worked out so well for you.


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## csxjohn (Jun 11, 2014)

Good job!  On to the water valve.


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 11, 2014)

So another lesson I learn as I try to become more handy. Don't assume parts are proprietary. 

This $80 water value that I paid GE to express ship for an additional $20assuming it was the only source can be found on Amazon for $25.  I was going to have to return the GE part to save the money and expected to eat the express shipping costs and shipping back to them but luckily the part arrived damaged. 

I told the Fed Ex guy I'm not accepting so I'll get a full refund including the express shipping so thank you Fed Ex for damaging my package that I overpaid for.

So if I can successfully replace this part we will have saved about $175. I'm really liking this handyman stuff.


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## csxjohn (Jun 11, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> So another lesson I learn as I try to become more handy. Don't assume parts are proprietary.
> 
> This $80 water value that I paid GE to express ship for an additional $20assuming it was the only source can be found on Amazon for $25.  I was going to have to return the GE part to save the money and expected to eat the express shipping costs and shipping back to them but luckily the part arrived damaged.
> 
> ...



This is where I order appliance parts.  Never thought about looking on Amazon.

I found them while looking for an oven igniter.  

https://www.midwestapplianceparts.com/


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## Elan (Jun 11, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> So if I can successfully replace this part we will have saved about $175. I'm really liking this handyman stuff.



  Absolutely.  I save enough every year via DIY to pay for multiple vacations.  BTW, eBay is great for appliance parts.  Just find a highly rated seller with feedback in the thousands.


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 13, 2014)

Water valve replaced. Very easily I might add. At first couldn't figure out how to remove the hoses. After tugging and twisting for a few minutes I again turned to youtube and it helped again.  

I learned that there is a ring at the end of the valve that you pull back and at the same time you pull the hose and just like that it popped out.   Connecting new was real easy. Inserted the valve back into the fridge, connected with a hook and a screw and job accomplished. 

So for $28 it is all repaired. To think I almost said yes to a $99 service call +$95 part.

Probably the best part was my soon to be 14 yr old son has been looking over my shoulder the whole time so he's working through these challenges with me and learning a lot more than I ever did at his age.


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## GrayFal (Jun 13, 2014)

Well Joe, you are obviously much handier then you let on. Good for you!


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## vacationhopeful (Jun 13, 2014)

As a young person, I did chores because I had limited funds. 

As I got older, I realize that having funds to hire people became a royal pain as they professed GREAT KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS, they usually truly lacked one or both.

As a semi-retired person, I started to realize, I knew how to do many repairs fall away better and it cost me WAY LESS money to just take my time and do it myself.

I guess you, Joe, figured out a stage of life I never was in --- you have kids in college or about in college. You are back to limited funds and know that GOOGLE has the great knowledge you need.

Way to go ... my sister is google'ing her home repairs also - she retired and just has too much time.


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## csxjohn (Jun 13, 2014)

MOXJO7282 said:


> ...Probably the best part was my soon to be 14 yr old son has been looking over my shoulder the whole time so he's working through these challenges with me and learning a lot more than I ever did at his age.



That's how I started to learn much of what I know about home repairs.  Later reading books on home repairs and now the internet.  Good job!


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## dioxide45 (Jun 14, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> As a young person, I did chores because I had limited funds.
> 
> As I got older, I realize that having funds to hire people became a royal pain as they professed GREAT KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS, they usually truly lacked one or both.
> 
> ...



I fixed a burnt out dryer element using Google and YouTube. Of course there was the $80 part, though much cheaper than a house call from a repair person. Rather easy, though perhaps not everyone is handy and/or is willing to just pay to avoid the trouble.


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