Non standard decking?

Living_proof

I have inherited a large decking area at the sunny end of the garden. There are a few boards which have rotten but having taken a bit to our local timber yard I find they are non-standard at 114mm wide. It looks like the whole decking will have to be ripped up and concreted unless I can source some suitable planks. None of the usual suspects supply in 114 widths, so does anyone have any ideas please?

EachPenny

Living_proof wrote: »

I have inherited a large decking area at the sunny end of the garden. There are a few boards which have rotten but having taken a bit to our local timber yard I find they are non-standard at 114mm wide. It looks like the whole decking will have to be ripped up and concreted unless I can source some suitable planks. None of the usual suspects supply in 114 widths, so does anyone have any ideas please?

Buy standard width and cut them (with a circular saw) to 114mm?

But that will depend on whether you need to match the pattern as well, or if you are willing to put up with a slightly different appearance? (the new wood will look different anyway and take time to blend in).

If the boards can be removed without damage you could consider moving some existing ones from one side to fill any gaps, and then put the new ones all together on that side to minimise the 'zebra' effect.

stator

Have you checked gumtree? I had a look and someone was advertising some 4.5" boards near where I live

Living_proof

stator wrote: »

Have you checked gumtree? I had a look and someone was advertising some 4.5" boards near where I live

I see some in Truro which are free! But too far to go in a Nissan Micra! I will keep looking, and presumably these are the old imperial sizes.

sevenhills

Living_proof wrote: »

I see some in Truro which are free! But too far to go in a Nissan Micra! I will keep looking, and presumably these are the old imperial sizes.

When I repaired a friends decking, the boards were really long and were delivered, not even sticking out of my estate car with a ribbon tied to the end would be safe.

WobblyDog

Living_proof wrote: »

I have inherited a large decking area at the sunny end of the garden. There are a few boards which have rotten but having taken a bit to our local timber yard I find they are non-standard at 114mm wide. It looks like the whole decking will have to be ripped up and concreted unless I can source some suitable planks. None of the usual suspects supply in 114 widths, so does anyone have any ideas please?

Could the boards have shrunk a bit in the recent hot dry weather? The gaps between my decking boards seem to have grown by about 5mm in the last few weeks.

Living_proof

WobblyDog wrote: »

Could the boards have shrunk a bit in the recent hot dry weather? The gaps between my decking boards seem to have grown by about 5mm in the last few weeks.[/QUOTE

But then presumably it would have shrunk in both dimensions and actually dropped a little? Maybe I should wait until it rains and see if it swells up! It's going to be a very expensive job unless I can just replace the half dozen rotten boards. Actually I think I could measure out a small bit of board and submerge it for a few days and see what the result is. Thanks for the idea and it would be a real moneysaver if it works!

getmore4less

Living_proof wrote: »

I have inherited a large decking area at the sunny end of the garden. There are a few boards which have rotten but having taken a bit to our local timber yard I find they are non-standard at 114mm wide. It looks like the whole decking will have to be ripped up and concreted unless I can source some suitable planks. None of the usual suspects supply in 114 widths, so does anyone have any ideas please?

Is it a rectangle with same length boards?

The usual trick is to remove enough from the ends to replace those rotten in the middle between the good ones.

Then you just replace the end ones with any size you can get

if they are not rotten the full length you may be able to make a board or two from the good bits.

Living_proof

getmore4less wrote: »

Is it a rectangle with same length boards?

The usual trick is to remove enough from the ends to replace those rotten in the middle between the good ones.

Then you just replace the end ones with any size you can get

if they are not rotten the full length you may be able to make a board or two from the good bits.

Had I known the problems sourcing new boards I would have been more careful about the way we ripped out the rotten ones! I will tell the hired help of your suggestion and see what they say. I have advertised on Freecycle and Gumtree in the hope that someone has a few half-decent ones lying around and meanwhile save up for the inevitable total replacement.

custardy

I'm confused by the issue here? Surely it's just a case of being left with a gap at some point requiring a board to be cut down it's width as required?
Might look a bit hotch potch but I assume you will be looking at full replacement at some point if you have rotten boards.

troffasky

custardy wrote: »

Might look a bit !!!!! porch but I assume you will be looking at full teplavent at some point if you have rotten boards.

I am baffled about what missing 5-letter word might be. I cannot think of a single swearphrase that involves "porch". Perhaps I've lived a sheltered life?