deck fasteners

Oct 09
19

How to Repair Deck Nail Pops

3 Comments

One of the more ugly, and dangerous, decking problems are nail pops. Unfortunately, this process occurs naturally in decks across the country. As deck boards contract and expand, nails will become loose and literally rise out of the deck board.

Here's what an extracted nail can do to a deck surface.

Here's what an extracted nail can do to a deck surface.

If you built a deck using nails and want to be proactive about deck maintenance, then here’s some helpful advice that will help solve this nasty deck problem.

If you notice that your deck has nails that are popping out:

  1. Remove the nail
  2. Make sure that the hole is cleaned out
  3. Replace the nail with a stainless steel deck screw.
  4. Sand the area if necessary to remove any material that splintered off

Proper deck maintenance is essential not just because you want a clean looking deck surface. It’s also an issue of liability. Deck owners who don’t repair nail pops and allow an accident to (inevitably) occur, are often sued. Sure Hazard Insurance may cover some of the damages, but you just know that those home owners end up with sky-high premiums afterward.

So, how do you PREVENT nail pops? Simple, build a deck using Ipe Clip deck fasteners and deck screws. Also, when you install our decking fasteners at the recommended 45° angle, you will increase holding power and not even have nail pops as an issue.

NOTE: Are you going to build a deck using ipe, or some other hardwood decking? Do yourself a HUGE favor and pre-drill your holes before you install the deck fastener with the screw. You’re installation will go alot smoother and you will end up with a much stronger and rigid deck.

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This entry was posted on October 19, 2009 at 10:42 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Deck Problems by Dan Schiefer 3 Comments

3 Responses to "How to Repair Deck Nail Pops"

  • Donald says:
    November 15, 2010 at 8:59 am

    Pre-drilling Ipe is doing yourself an ENORMOUS favor! I would hate to see how many screws break from not pre-drilling. Ipe is such a dense hardwood, and that is what makes it so strong!

  • Ray Pachino-Contractor in DC says:
    November 16, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    Ipe is such a dense, tight-grain hardwood that pre-drilling is essential to not break drill bits. I would say that Ipe is the longest lasting hardwood. It has the highest decay and insect resistance, with up to a 100 year lifespan.

    I did some quick research and found that Ipe has a hardness of 3600 pounds, and has bending strength of 22,560 psi. Now that is a strong piece of wood. So I agree with Donald when he said “Pre-drilling Ipe is doing yourself an ENORMOUS favor!”

  • Biltmore bound says:
    November 17, 2010 at 7:16 am

    True story – I went to the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC last weekend. There is a wooden walkway that leads from the house to the restrooms. While walking on the walkway, I stumbled and thankfully didn’t fall. I looked to see what I could have possibly tripped on and believe it or not, it was a “nail pop”. I will always recommend Ipe Clip hidden deck fasteners!

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