I admit, I'm not as diligent as some of you. Usually I just give it a quick glance each spring, but after reading this thread, maybe I should be crawling under there more often. Last year I found a couple of boards that looked fine from above but were soft underneath—pretty unsettling. And yeah,
is exactly how I felt squeezing into that tight space..."spiders be damned"
"Last year I found a couple of boards that looked fine from above but were soft underneath—pretty unsettling."
Yeah, that's exactly how I learned my lesson too. I was helping a client pick out new outdoor furniture, and when we moved the old stuff off her deck, my foot went straight through a board that looked perfectly solid on top. Talk about embarrassing...and scary. You're definitely not alone in this. It's good you're thinking about checking more often—better safe than sorry, spiders or not.
I've had that happen too—nothing quite like the feeling when your foot suddenly sinks into something that looked perfectly fine a second ago. One thing I've started doing regularly now is a quick "screwdriver test." Basically, every spring (and sometimes again in the fall if we've had a rainy year), I walk around the deck tapping lightly with the handle of a screwdriver. If anything sounds hollow or feels soft, I'll gently press the tip into the wood to see if it sinks in easily. It takes maybe 10 minutes tops, and it's saved me from at least one nasty surprise.
Another trick is to pay extra attention around places where water tends to pool or drip—like under planters or near gutter downspouts. Those spots usually deteriorate faster.
Curious if anyone else has found other quick methods or tools that help catch issues early? Always looking for ways to keep my inspections thorough but quick...
"Another trick is to pay extra attention around places where water tends to pool or drip—like under planters or near gutter downspouts."
Definitely agree on this. Had a planter sitting in one corner of my deck for years, and when I finally moved it, the wood underneath was practically mush. Now, besides the screwdriver method (which works great), I also use a moisture meter occasionally—just poke the prongs into suspect spots and you get an instant reading. Quick, easy, and gives me peace of mind...
Definitely agree on this. Had a planter sitting in one corner of my deck for years, and when I finally moved it, the wood underneath was practically mush.
Good call on the moisture meter—I hadn't thought of using one on my deck, but makes sense considering how well it works for drywall and flooring. I've mostly stuck with the screwdriver method myself, but honestly, I probably don't check as often as I should. Last summer, I found a soft spot near the grill area...turned out grease and rainwater had been quietly teaming up against me. Lesson learned, now I'm more vigilant about checking those sneaky trouble spots.
