Thanks for the insight FN. I'll be doing something similar myself in the next few weeks. Looks like we're also going to do the Trex transcend (either "Havana Gold" or "Spiced Rum"). Deck is 32' wide by 16' deep - but we're leaving all the beams, joints and posts - only replacing the decking boards (putting a waterproof membrane down under it so that the lower deck remains dry) and also (unfortunately, as I didn't foresee this with it's additional cost) the entirety of the railings.
Current railings are attached "outside" of the rim/edge joists and to meet code they need to be placed inside - which means either moving the current wood ones are buying new composite or vinyl ones (we're doing the later). What did you go with for your railing system - Trex or some other company? We're looking at a company called "Fairway", but have also looked at the basic Trex stuff. Also, what color decking did you go with, and are you happy with it?
Album with pictures
We went with Trex Tiki Torch for the inner, then did a 5-board wide Fire Pit colored picture frame border. I was originally going to do Tiki Torch inside with Spiced Rum around the border, but I wanted to use the Trex Transcend railings, and they only came in certain colors. My wife is
super matchy-matchy, so we switched to the Fire Pit. The Spiced Rum has a much nicer wood grain though. It may have still worked, but we're very happy with the result with Fire Pit too. Most of the Transcends colors are really nice. Not sure if you're looking at going with the grooved boards or some other fastening method. I used the grooved boards and they worked well.
Regarding the railings - I went Trex Transcend. My old deck had the railings outside too...I ended up starting from scratch, but you can probably move it inside without too much issue. Railing code in most places is that it must be able to withstand 200 lbs of lateral force at the top of the rail. Most inspectors will just measure to make sure they're 6' or less apart, and firm. I have a section that is about 7', but my posts are WAY over supported because I knew he'd give me a hard time, so they're not moving. Most are double or triple-blocked, with tension ties and 1/2 threaded rod through at least 2 joists. Basically, they're not moving.
Overall, I liked the Transcend railing. It can be a bit tricky to work with and cut, especially if you need to do birds-mouth cuts for angles. I highly recommend a Diablo Trex blade for your saw(s), and an oscillating tool to cut the little trim inserts as they're really brittle. I had a few literally shatter in my miter before I switched to the oscillator. You can buy Trex railing online and have it shipped from two big online deck stores, decksdirect.com and thedeckstoreonline.com. I ordered several things from both and had positive experiences.
Some other money saving tips and points I'm remembering now:
- Don't just rely on Lowes/Home Depot. My best pricing on the Trex came from a local lumber yard, and the railing were cheapest online.
- I got all my joist hangers, etc. from online stores too, at about 2/3 the Home Depot price.
- If you go with the Trex grooved boards, be sure you have a router as you'll want to router the end-cuts and put a T-clip there too. Transcends are known to lift up if not properly secured at the ends. No need to buy the Trex-branded mounting stuff though. I bought a basic Slot cutter bit at Home Depot to extend the groove onto the edges, and bought the Home Depot TXB fasteners for a lot less than the trex ones. They worked great.
- I also LOVE the Cap-Tor decking screws if you need to screw a board straight in without the hidden fasteners. I needed some for my edge board, and my stairs. I just pre-drilled a small pilot hole, and the screws did the rest. They drive fast, hold strong, and are color-matched great. They also have reverse-threading that prevents mushrooming.
- Your deck is 32' wide...The longest Trex decking is 20' long, so be sure you plan your decking lay to deal with the seam. You may need to cross-block or add some more blocking to your joists to accommodate where the boards will end.
I'm sure I'll think of more stuff. Let me know if you have more questions. I have a full bill of materials of everything I bought if you're looking for rough prices.