best way to trim deck boards post nailing

Hi all

as pictured here, http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=39828, my deck is almost done.

one thing i still need to do is trim the ends of the deck boards, which are merbau. there will be no overhang (i will be attaching a 'face' decking board over then ends of the decking boards to conceal them).

what is the best way to cut them off? im thinking the trusty circular saw, however im not 100% sure how to attach a fence to the deck to guide the saw, and im also concerned about the gal titadeck nails that sit proud of the merbau - the saw will have to go over them - a bumpy ride!

any ideas would be much appreciated.

kayno

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Originally Posted by kayno

Hi all

as pictured here, http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=39828, my deck is almost done.

one thing i still need to do is trim the ends of the deck boards, which are merbau. there will be no overhang (i will be attaching a 'face' decking board over then ends of the decking boards to conceal them).

what is the best way to cut them off? im thinking the trusty circular saw, however im not 100% sure how to attach a fence to the deck to guide the saw, and im also concerned about the gal titadeck nails that sit proud of the merbau - the saw will have to go over them - a bumpy ride!

any ideas would be much appreciated.

kayno

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Buy a length of 70x12 hardwood to use as a straight edge and run the edge of the circular saw base plate against the edge. use some 3mm ply to bridge the nail heads parallel to the 70x12 straight edge.

hmmm ok - i like the ply wood idea, thanks

what about attaching the length of hardwood to the deck? i dont really want to screw/nail it into the existing deckboards - they weren't cheap!!

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Originally Posted by kayno

hmmm ok - i like the ply wood idea, thanks

what about attaching the length of hardwood to the deck? i dont really want to screw/nail it into the existing deckboards - they weren't cheap!!

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If you can't clamp it, screw it with small gauge screws. Collect some of the sawdust and mix it with an exterior filler and fill the screw holes. You won't notice them.
Cheers

I just used a couple of 4" nails. It's only a deck! Guess what, I walk past that section every day and I never notice the nail holes. ;)

OK, if you are really that worried about it, get someone to stand on the board and then get underneath and drive in a couple of screws with big washers between two decking boards.

Use the ply as shedhand suggested and just cut freehand. I did the exact thing yesterday on my deck.

I chalk lined the cut and used ply (9mm - thickness doesn't matter) to bridge the nails. Then I just took my time and cut them freehand using the circular saw.

Do you have enough scrap overhang to do this? Not all overhangs, just a few.

From your cut line, nail or screw a straightedge outboard at the narrow dimension of the saw's baseplate. Use filament tape to attach two strips of masonite to the baseplate, one on each side of the baseplate, so that the wide dimension of the baseplate is inboard of the nail heads. (Tape wrapped over to the top of the baseplate.) From your pics on the other thread, it appears you have only two sides to cut, and the tape should survive that.

[BTW, very fine looking deck.]

Joe

Im with vernon, just mark with a chalk line or similar and cut free hand with a circular saw, just take your time and do it in one continuous pass if possible.

Worked fine for me, easy and neat.

Joel

Agree with jdub.. Chalkline and freehand saw.. go slow and sill be fine.. You can also go over the edge with your grinder and 80 or 120 grit paper to remove and burring and smoothe the edges.

Yeah except you only get one go at it and if you stuff it, well, you have to live with it. So if you're comfortable with using a circular saw freehand then go for it, otherwise take the time to set it up so it's fool-proof and get the job done. In 2 weeks you'll have forgotten how much effort you went to.

thanks to all who responded!

i think ill go with screwing some hardwood down as a guide, and bridging the gap between the nails and guide with plywood.

im a real novice at this stuff (this is the first thing ive built since year 10 woodwork many moons ago) and i dont want to muck it up. plus my saw is a $50 GMC job, so with all that in mind, i wont go freestyle :)

thanks again - will report back how i go

went to bunnings this weekend and grabbed the 4 lenths of merbau that i needed for around the edge of the deck. they also doubled temporarily as the fence for trimming the ends. i screwed one piece to the deck to act as the fence for the saw with three No6 screws, and the holes they left were not to noticable at all. very happy

I also grabbed a new blade for the circular, with 40 teeth, rather than using the old 24 tooth blade i had. it made a really clean cut, and using ply as a bridge to avoid the nails, it all worked a treat. spent today on the deck enjoying it for a change (rather than working on it!) watching the cricket :D

thanks again for all the advice on this one guys :)

That's not carpentry; that's cabinet work. The fourth picture looks kinda hard to walk on, though.:D

Joe

Looks great. It's a credit to you.

Yeah, that last photo is a real neck twister ... was it taken after one too many cold one's???

convert DSC00078.JPG -rotate 90 DSC00078.JPG

I know you have done the job and very nicely too, but surely you could have simply fixed your straight edge fence so that the nails or screws were located in the gaps between the deck boards......

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Originally Posted by Christopha

I know you have done the job and very nicely too, but surely you could have simply fixed your straight edge fence so that the nails or screws were located in the gaps between the deck boards......

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i could have done that too - a piece of scrap timber under the decking for the screw to sink into and there would be no damage to the deck.

oh well - its done now.

Now all i need to do is add up the number of threads in hear that say "weather your deck for 6 to 8 weeks, then oil it", and the ones that say "use a chem wash then oil it" and the ones that say "oil it straight away" and see which ones wins, and go with the winner.

if only it were easy!

Hi Kayno,
I had the same dilemma in regards to oiling the deck.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through a 100sqm deck and as it has taken about 3 weeks to get this far (laying the decking), I decided to oil it to provide some protection to it.

I figured I would rather "waste" money on oil and oil too soon, then wait and possibly regret not oiling it.

I plan to oil each 1/3 as I get it nailed down and then do the second coat on the whole lot.

I chem washed first (with Feast Watson deck cleaner), then washed with washing soda in water (it's supposed to neutralise the oxalic acid in the deck cleaner).

After allowing the whole lot to dry, I oiled it with Eco Wood Oil.

So far, so good ... but it's only been a week.

thanks for your post Vernonv. I think I am going to chem wash it first and then oil. It has already started to go a dark colour along he front (the first boards, which where laid 5th November) as they are more exposed to the elements. The final boards that were laid (15th November) havent really changed (they are under cover). Hopefully the chem wash will make them all look the same again.