Attaching wooden boards to metal deck

If the metal that the cedar baords are laying on is grating (galvanized up on edge), then you would need galvanized washers big enough – fender washers. or maybe fabricate metal strips/clips that would pick up two carriage bolts? thinking out loud, maybe cut up a length of the thinner Kindorf, but come to think of it the perforations are awfully large for 5/16″ carriage bolts. Look for some kind of lengths of perforated galvanized angle. Chop it into lengths with a chop saw or grinder. Part of the flaw with my approach is the high cost of hardware here in NYC. I purchase galvanized bolts (and i use a lot of them) at Fazio’s steel in Glassboro NJ. That’s a hike from NYC, and it is god’s country. They sell everything there, from block and tackle to bull dozers. Used and new. What I especially like is nuts and bolts, in bulk, bag’em yourself, then pay by the pound, $2.00/lb. What Home Depot would charge $2.50@, I can buy 10-15 pieces. What do you think of cable ties? Drill 1/4″ holes and get long cable ties, even if you needed two for each pair of holes?? Shop Ebay for much cheaper bulk prices on cable ties.

brucef

in Carpenters and Woodworkers 12 years ago

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brownieinhk | 12 years ago

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Hello everyone, I am looking to you knowledgeable folk for suggestions about how I could attach wooden boards to our metal deck. We have the boards but aren’t sure what to do with them – how to properly space them, how to secure them, etc. It this seems to be a job that we might not be able to do well ourselves, we would also like any recommendations for people who might be able to help us with the project. Thanks in advance for any advice.

brucef | 12 years ago

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Not sure what your metal is, or the wood, but I’m thinking galvanized carriage bolts, or blind screw up from underneath with coated decking screws. They sell self-piercing #10’s at Kamco that might avoid the necessity of drilling up thru metal.

timber | 12 years ago

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Why do they have to be attached as opposed to just laying on top of the metal?

nalusurf | 12 years ago

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What are your deck boards made of? Spacing will depend on the type of material. For example, pine boards should be installed with no spacing as they shrink as they dry out and create spacing on their own, If you are using a composite decking you will have to install with uniform spacing (often the manufacturer will specify the necessary spacing). Listen to brucef, he offers a lot of good construction advice on this site.

brownieinhk | 12 years ago

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Thanks everyone for the suggestions. They are cedar boards resting on a metal grate.  Right now they are laying on top, but are wobbly, which is why we would like to attach them.  Brucef, if you are still there, what do you suggest we use to anchor the carriage bolts underneath the metal grate? Thanks again!

urbanexteriors | 12 years ago

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It’s not an easy fix, but I’ve done it a few times. Unfortunately, there is a good possibility that your cedar has cupped and warped…that would account for the wobble. It’s not good to leave unfastened wood out in the sun, rain and snow. If that’s the case, it might not be usable.                                                     Email me if you’d like to discuss your options. steve@urbanexteriors.biz