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Replacing the decking on Dulley's second-floor deck

About 15 years ago, I installed a sliding glass door and deck on my second floor bedroom. I used standard pressure-treated lumber. Even though I sealed it regularly, it deteriorated and needed to be replaced. I decided to replace it with AZEK (www.azek.com, (877) 275-2935) cellular PVC decking. I chose this low-maintenance decking material because it is difficult to maintain a second-floor deck and, being under trees, I wanted a decking material which does not stain easily. The AZEK decking looks great and feels good to walk on. I am not sure yet what type of railing I will install. It is also fairly lightweight so it was easy to pull up to the high deck from the ground. It feels very solid when it is attached to the joists.

Once I ripped off the old wood, I decided to try FastenMaster (www.fastenmaster.com - (888) 633-3800) hidden Cortex matching screws to attach the AZEKdecking. They are a little time-consuming to install, but they worked fine. Once the plug is hammered into the screw hole, they are difficult to see. One hint is to use a powerful drill/driller when installing the screwed to make sure they go deep enough. I also predrilled a 1/8-inch hole so they would penetrate the old wood joists better. I ran them down slowly for the first couple threads to make sure they were going in straight. Then I hit full speed and drove them down with some force.

Outdoor view of the deck off my second floor bedroom.	Even though it has been treated regularly, the decking is badly deteriorated.
Notice the rotting on the supports for the railing. Even the nails are starting to pull out.	The AZEK decking was delivered by Forge Lumber. This is Brownstone color and each piece is 12 feet long.
I removed the first plank near the house. It was the least deteriorated.	When deposing of old decking lumber, always hammer over any nails for safety.
I removed six planks from the end of the deck. The joists are still in pretty good condition so they do not have to be replaced.	I laid four planks of AZEK decking over the open area. I am waiting for the special screws to arrive to begin fixing them down.