Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Filling old screw holes on deck joists ???

What's an easy to use filler for old screws holes and something that will fix the splits in my deck joists?

I'm replacing some of the 2x6's that have warped and I'd like to repair the joists that have splits and stripped out screw holes from the 2x6s warping. I need something that will allow the screws to to driven through the same spot or very close.

I thought about using epoxy but it might be too tough when it's cured without pre-drilling all the holes. Mixing wood glue and sawdust would work well but I'd rather buy a ready made product

Ideas?

I would drill and insert wood dowels and glue.

Liquid nails.

I would use epoxy, why do you think it is too tough? And, why not predrill screw holes?

I'm not sure what the call it but they have a tape you just lay over the top of the joists and it seals the joist pretty well from the weather/elements. Most lumber yards here carry it.

Cured epoxy doesn't "give" as easy as wood. Pre-drilling would get around that though.

I just want to dab some goop in the splits and holes and call it good.

Epoxy deteriorates with constant exposure to sunlight. May or may not compromise its structural strength significantly, but it sure gets yellow and ugly. Best to paint it.

Paul

Gorilla Glue ought to do it. Just remember it expands, so don't over fill holes.

You can avoid all those problems with the right epoxy. You can get epoxy with UV stabilizers in it and if it really is going to flex (I doubt that much on a deck) you can get a flex additive for it as well. There's a lot more to epoxy than the 5 minute mix tubes you get at the home store.

I'd just use longer screws and forget about filling the holes.

I used epoxy to repair some of the deck boards but it eventually failed because of the wood warping and flexing. The epoxy didn't necessarily fail but the wood next to the repairs flexed/warped and compromised the bond.

I like that option.

I am planning on using longer screws and then re-staining the deck. There's a few of the treated deck boards that warp depending on whether they're wet or not. It's crappy lumber.

All good points, especially the last. Very true.

Paul

I wouldn't worry about filling holes in joists either. It not gonna effect the integrity of the joist one iota. Now if a joist is bad, you'll either have to replace it or sister a joist alongside it. I wouldn't worry about trying to glue together a split joist either. Just replace or sister new one alongside it with deck screws and construction adhesive.

+1 If it's bad enough just replace it or scab to the side. If adding one beside the old one ,I would use full length and make sure it is secured to the structure just like the one you are replacing( like screwed into a seal plate and resting on a support). Use Liquid nails on the top of the joists to help secure the new decking and just use the longer nails.

He's trying to match the existing screw pattern on the deck boards.

It's not that I'm trying to match the screw pattern exactly but at the ends of the boards/joists there's not much room to vary and avoid hitting the splits.

I'm going to go with gorilla glue and longer screws. That's a quick and easy fix and it will work good enough.

Keep the Gorilla glue off your hands !!

The bad thing about gorilla glue is the amount it expands, depending on where you put it. It can make a hole/split worse.