My large deck made with pressure treated lumber has dried out so that there are large cracks in the spindles and posts,and decorative round knobs on top.I want to fill these cracks before I give it it’s first coat of stain.What material to use???that won’t dry and fall out-Thank you.
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No such animal.
My advice would be to replace the truly bad pieces, seal and stain the deck.
You`ll have to do this twice a year if you hope to avoid further/greater splitting.
Nature of the beast.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
The problem you are having is the reason most of us don't use PT for any kind of decent deck finish material. It is pushed by box stores for economy level work, but can't be expected to do well except that it won't rot. making it look good is like trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear.
Sorry to give the bad news, but I'm more concerned for you on another level. The PT being retailed for the last couple years has an extremely corrosive copper chemical that has been foiund to quickly corrode normal fasteners. The joist hangers, nails and screws that you used should all be hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel to resist this corrosion. Simpson hangers will bne labeled Z-max
Double check that on yours, please, so that in a couple years, nobody gets hurtfrom structural failure.
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I don't think that there are any. The cracks will continue to grow, albeit more slowly, over time and any material placed there will fall out.
Just stain it (oil-based semi-transparent holds up best) every few years and think of the cracking and checking as "character"
-Don
All of which leads to the question of why we can't buy a decent grade of PT. And which explains, in part, why most professional decks these days are composite decking, vinyl-wrapped posts and aluminum railings. Maybe also explains why we put finish materials over most of what the framers do in a house.
I can buy #1 KD PT but why bother. It costs as much as composite.
I checked w/ my most diligent supplier (they say they do their own pressure treating, over on the Oregon coast.) They have #1 fir. When I asked about KD, they said, "Guess you could do that. Don't know anyone who does..."