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jane__ny

Using wood filler on cracks on an old deck??

jane__ny
15 years ago

Deck is about 20yrs old. It is sound (had it checked) and large. Pressure treated wood has many cracks in the wood which make it look old. Saw an episode on HGTV showing wood filler used to fill in the cracks before painting.

This deck is up two stories and in full sun all day. Wood is dry and cracked. We plan to put the house on the market in Spring and want to paint the deck. Would wood filler work?

Would appreciate any thoughts.

Jane

Comments (9)

  • john_hyatt
    15 years ago

    Dont do it Jane...for a lot of reasons. Most of those shows should require a permit from one of us before anyone watches or belives what they say. J.

  • brooklyndecks
    15 years ago

    Jane,

    That would work as well as putting a bandaid on a bullet wound.

    steve

  • aidan_m
    15 years ago

    If you already bought the "Magic Putty" from the TV commercial sold by that Guido guy who sells all the orange cleaners and other stuff, go ahead and try that.

  • john_hyatt
    15 years ago

    YOOOOOOOOOOOO Man Aidan that was cold!! JohnMon geting Major grins!!!! J.

  • concretenprimroses
    15 years ago

    My dh did something similar on our porch many years ago (water based putty) and it all fell out. Then four years ago he used duct mastic on our upstairs screened in porch floor and it has held up great through NH winters. 'Course he also painted the floor after. Duct mastic is made to withstand lots of expanding and contracting. We are going to use it on our two downstairs porches in the next year or 2 as we continue to fix them up. Porches get more protection than decks, especially screened in ones, so I'm not sure how it would translate to you, Jane.
    kathy

  • john_hyatt
    15 years ago

    Jane its a Contractor thing I am thinking. For my part I hae been out on service calls from the Wallet that bought a house where the last owner had done something like that.

    They are plenty mad.I mean really reallly mad.

    It would be better if you just put a coat of finish on that deck, that is better for your customer, of course if you dont care and let the buyer beware is the goal you probley could get away with latex caulk and heavey bodied paint. Then in a very short time all that caulk is pushed up taking the paint with it the thing looks like hammered poo poo (see how good im being ?? ) and someone like me gets a call to fix it. I give them a bid,get yelled at and scooted off the yard. Then when this new owner goes to sell something he remembers this, pulls the same thing on one of his buyers.

    Worst case so far>> 200 ft of lamanated curved benches around a pool, the whole look is centered/picture framed around these benches they also acted as a rail against the 8' drop behind them. They are also completley rotted out. HO hires painter who glues them back together with latex and white paint. Bang Bang I get a call because the new lady owner sat on them one time, $12,000 dollars later they look steller but this lady now caries a glock just hopping for a lucky shot.

  • jane__ny
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Okay John, I wouldn't do such a thing. Deck is sound, just looks dry and cracked. I've decided to paint it dark brown and leave it be. If I had the money, I'd have it sanded because its a beautiful deck - except for the dryness.

    Jane

  • tommyw
    15 years ago

    Well Jane it can be done. I have done it successfully. I patched my decks cracks with Bondo and then sanded the surface with a belt sander. After that I applied two coats of a solid color stain (similiar to paint). The decks get full sun and full exposure to the elements. It has held up well after five years.