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+-- Thread: deck and protruding nail heads. (/showthread.php?tid=7354199)
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deck and protruding nail heads. - Wild Turkey - 04-03-2020
Built our deck when we moved into this house 35 years ago.
It's made of PT 2x4's -- at the time 2x4's were cheaper by the square foot than other flooring options.
But now it needs a facelift -- some boards replaced and protruding nail heads made safe for bare feet.
Two 16d nails per board into stringer. Served well for years, but now getting it ready for new owner.
Question: Can I run a floor sander with coarse paper over the whole deck, grind down the nail heads and add a big deck screw between the nails?
I'm actually thinking a 2-1/2" #8 washer head would get'er done!
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - Stwood_ - 04-03-2020
Sure.............may have a few sparks. Don't catch anything under the deck on fire.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - Cooler - 04-03-2020
Either hammer them down with a good nailset, or pull them up.
If you sand them, it will expose fresh raw steel and which will rust quickly. You might even sand off the entire head and the nails will be worthless.
If they protrude enough to pry up, then replace them with a screw. If they don't then put a screw alongside them and hammer them down. The adjacent screw will prevent the nail from riding up again.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - Phil S. - 04-03-2020
I'm with Cooler. I'd used a big pin punch with a tip not much smaller than the nail head and a heavy hammer to set the nail below the surface and back it up with a stainless torx deck screw if necessary.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - fredhargis - 04-03-2020
I have that problem with our deck, and while hammering them in might be a "proper" approach, there's n way I'm doing it to our deck...that;s a lot nails! I like your approach, though I'm not sure a floor sander is going to do it. With absolutely no experience with a floor sander I'm thinking it's just going to rip the paper frequently. But if it works, then screw it down.....one other thing, I don't know is a #8 screw has enough arse, might want to get something a little more substantial. Lastly, I do think the new exposed nail heads will rust and might be a little unsightly.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - mike4244 - 04-04-2020
(04-03-2020, 12:54 PM)Wild Turkey Wrote: Built our deck when we moved into this house 35 years ago.
It's made of PT 2x4's -- at the time 2x4's were cheaper by the square foot than other flooring options.
But now it needs a facelift -- some boards replaced and protruding nail heads made safe for bare feet.
Two 16d nails per board into stringer. Served well for years, but now getting it ready for new owner.
Question: Can I run a floor sander with coarse paper over the whole deck, grind down the nail heads and add a big deck screw between the nails?
I'm actually thinking a 2-1/2" #8 washer head would get'er done!
Punch the nail heads down then pressure wash. You can make the boards look new pressure washing them. Apply Thompsons Water Seal or a similar product.
mike
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - tomsteve - 04-04-2020
take care of the nails first- pull what ya can and drive in what ya cant.
when/if ya rent the sander and youre getting a drum sander, dont mention youre doing a deck or they might not rent it to you. be careful not to screw up and rip up that head on the sander with an exposed nail or you WILL pay for the replacement.
unless ya have a fake id and dont go back to that store ever again.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - rfd8w5 - 04-05-2020
Sanding 35 year old pressure treated lumber may not be a good idea. That stuff is/was really toxic. Full of arsenic, chromium and copper.
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - petertay15 - 04-05-2020
There is a palm-sized, air powered tool made for that purpose. It will drive each nail back down in seconds. Then, as mentioned, power wash. Then with a garden sprayer, apply a water-proof deck protection
RE: deck and protruding nail heads. - DaveR1 - 04-05-2020
(04-03-2020, 12:54 PM)Wild Turkey Wrote: Question: Can I run a floor sander with coarse paper over the whole deck, grind down the nail heads and add a big deck screw between the nails?
I'm actually thinking a 2-1/2" #8 washer head would get'er done!
This made me think of my dad. In 1969 my dad started redoing the walls in our 3 bedroom Cape Cod style house. Nearly all of the nails in the drywall in every room had popped out. He reseated the nails with a punch and then drove ring shank nails in next to them so the heads would prevent the original nails from backing out. (This was before sheet rock screws) It was a lot of work but it did the job. I always thought, though, that the next owners might have bad words for my dad if they decided to remodel. The next owners wound up burning the house down with a laptop left on a couch. They probably never saw the nails.
I guess if I were planning what you are talking about, I'd seat the nail and put a washer-head screw in next to it. Or maybe you can pull the nails and replace with screws?