One thing I'm curious about...why DO wooden decks seem to "fail" so quickly these days? My stepdad built a deck back in 1983 or 1984. I sold the house in October 2022, so that deck was a good 38-39 years old at that point, and still all original. The only thing that had to be replaced was one board on the second lowest step. Each step consisted of two boards that were maybe 2x6, and one was getting soft, so I cut a new board and replaced it in 2016.
Admittedly, we were extremely lazy about treating the deck, as well. My stepdad might have kept up on that in the early years, but he and my Mom moved out of there in 1989, and my grandparents used is as a rental property through 2003. I doubt any of the tenants took care of it, and I know Grandmom didn't! I moved into it in late 2003, and do remember treating it once, in 2004. But then I got lazy about it.
When I sold the house, the deck did have some issues, but it was mostly just the staircase, which really needed to be rebuilt at that point. But the deck itself was pretty solid.
I remember Granddad building a deck off the back of his house the following year, inspired by my stepdad. So that would've been either 1984 or 1985. He didn't build it nearly as sturdy as my stepdad did, though. I remember my uncle and I having to get under it in the late 90's and shoring it up here in a few places where some nails had come loose. Honestly, it's at the point where I wouldn't trust walking on it now, but age-wise, it's also into its upper 30's.
Was deck wood simply treated better back in the old days, or something?
which started melting, and she ran across the deck to toss it in the dirt. A few drips got on the deck but didn't seem to do anything so I guess it is acetone resistant too lol.
