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Deck Stairs
Building outdoor decks adds to the value of the property and if
designed properly look fantastic. Deck stairs like this one in the
picture above have a nice look and excellent stain finish to them. The
Finish will have to be maintained yearly depending on the weather in
your area.
Hear some great advice when building outdoor
stairs for your deck. Redwood, cedar and pressure treated
materials seem to last a little bit longer than regular
construction standard building materials, like Douglas fir or
southern pine when use outdoors.
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I prefer not to use Redwood or cedar for my
deck framing materials. These are considered soft woods and
could break easier under stress or heavy loads.
One of the biggest problems with deck stair damage will be
moisture. Moisture over time will damage the wood and could
attract termites. Termites love your deck if it's touching the
dirt or not built high enough off the ground.
You can use any wood you want and over time if
the deck and the stairs are built incorrectly, there is a good
chance it will suffer from some sort of damage. |
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I prefer using Redwood when building
stairs and decks, simply because I like the way it looks. In the
past few years there have been a number of manufactured decking
materials and they seem to last a long time and look nice.
Whatever you choose for your building
materials, make sure the deck stairs and deck footings stick up
at least 6 inches above the soil. This will help prevent wood
damage to the structural framing and decking materials.
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