I’m with you on not trusting wood hardeners for anything structural. Had a deck job last year where we tried to salvage a couple of questionable boards—looked fine after patching, but by spring, they were spongy again. Now I just budget for full replacement if there’s any doubt. It’s less hassle in the long run.
I hear you on the wood hardeners—tried that route on a couple of fascia boards and it just delayed the inevitable. Full replacement’s definitely more peace of mind, even if it stings the wallet a bit. Curious—when you’re checking for bad spots, do you just go by feel or do you probe every board? Sometimes I can’t tell if a board’s really gone until I pry it up...
I get what you mean about not knowing for sure until you start pulling things up. Sometimes a board looks fine on top, but the underside’s basically compost. I’m a bit of a “poke and prod” type—if I can get a screwdriver or awl into it with barely any effort, that’s usually my sign it’s toast. I’ll tap along the length too, just listening for those hollow spots. But yeah, sometimes you just can’t tell until you start prying and then half the board crumbles in your hand.
I’ve seen folks try to save questionable boards with fillers or hardeners, but honestly, it’s like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. If you’re already replacing underlayment, might as well swap out anything even slightly suspect. It stings up front, but saves headaches later when you don’t have to rip everything up again.
Ever find yourself second-guessing a board that’s borderline? I swear some of mine have looked sketchy for years and somehow held on... until the day they don’t.
I’m with you on not trusting a board just because it “looks” okay. My process is pretty basic but has saved me some headaches: I start by walking the whole deck and feeling for any give or bounce—if it flexes under my weight, it’s usually a goner. Next, I’ll poke at suspect spots with a screwdriver, like you mentioned. If I can dig in more than a quarter inch, I just replace it. I’ve tried wood hardener on small spots to save cash, but honestly, it never holds up long term, especially if you’re putting new underlayment down. It’s tempting to leave a borderline board if money’s tight, but every time I’ve gambled, I’ve regretted it later when the soft spot spreads. Better to bite the bullet now than redo the job next year.
I get where you’re coming from—those borderline boards are always tempting to leave, especially when you’re watching the budget. But honestly, every time I’ve tried to “save” a questionable spot, it’s come back to haunt me. I’ve seen guys use wood filler or hardener, but like you said, it just doesn’t last under real-world conditions. If I’m not 100% sure about a board, I swap it out. It’s more work up front, but way less hassle than tearing up new underlayment later.