What would you do? - deck help

[David Feldbaum]

Hello to my fellow woodworkers.


I think this falls under that category. I am building a deck myself, with a friend who has helped since hes built things before. Problem is I am super anal how things are built. I wasn't paying attention and i forgot to square off the ends of this decking before laying it out. Its 20 feet long and screwed in. It would take me too long to un do it all. As you can see from the photo I need to cut off that bit of angle so my first step sits flush with all the decking. I am dealing with IPE and i cant afford to make mistakes. What ideas would you guys have to cut this angle edge off to make it square? I was thinking of sanding but i only have an orbital sander. I have jigsaw, track saw, dremel but haven't thought of a solid idea yet. IMG_0737.jpg

[Stan Calow]

Is it just the one board? How much do you need to cut off? 1/4" or so? Do you have access to a multi-tool (like a Fein multimaster)? That's what I would use, so you could cut all the way to the wall. Or a handsaw.

[Gary Ragatz]

Score the top as deep as you can and take your time with a hand chisel?

[Frank Pratt]

With 'normal' wood, I'd say use a hand chisel. But ipe is just so hard that it eats edges for breakfast. Careful use of a multi-tool is probably how I'd go at that.

[David Feldbaum]

thanks guys. i forgot about my multi too. its a milwakee. not that best. have to be careful i dont burn the IPE.

[Ron Selzer]

multitool have spare blades and change as soon as a blade dulls

[johnny means]

I'd grab my Ryoba and get at it. You can ride the edge of the adjoining board for a perfect match.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Since the board is screwed in, I'd bite the bullet - curse like a drunken sailor @ how stupid I'd been - and take the board out where I could do a proper job.

I know my luck...which is that I would somehow screw the board up trying to do it in place & be out the price of another board.

[Doug Garson]

I'd trim the stair tread to clear rather than the deck board, but then I'm not that anal that this would bother me.

[Mike Kees]

I agree with Doug. Then just for kicks see how many other people actually notice it ,my experience is 98%of the world will never even see it even if you point it out.

[Bill Dufour]

Flush trim router bit or roundover router bit. You could clamp/screw a guide cleat to the deck before hand.
Bill D.

[Mike King]

Since the board is screwed in, I'd bite the bullet - curse like a drunken sailor @ how stupid I'd been - and take the board out where I could do a proper job.

I know my luck...which is that I would somehow screw the board up trying to do it in place & be out the price of another board.

If you look closely, you will see that the board in question is the starter course. The field of decking is screwed using clips that are in a grove that hold to the starter course then each additional row. So to unscrew, he'd have to start at the edge of whatever field he's laid, perhaps the entire deck. Not a low effort approach...

[Rich Engelhardt]

If you look closely, you will see that the board in question is the starter course. The field of decking is screwed using clips that are in a grove that hold to the starter course then each additional row. So to unscrew, he'd have to start at the edge of whatever field he's laid, perhaps the entire deck. Not a low effort approach...

True enough - however - the same amount of effort will be required after the attempt to make a presentable cut goes awry and ruins the board.
The aggravation level will change though. Big time. Usually it squares - not doubles.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do have to be 100% honest though and point out - - what the OP sees as a flaw, is a non-issue.
It's a deck - not a piece of furniture.

6 months outside & the deck will be filled with a whole bunch of mismatches like that & worse. In the meantime, few if any are going to pick up on that as a flaw.
A deck is not the realm of a finish carpenter & certainly not the cabinet maker & for sure not something a furniture maker takes on for money.

Really, the best tool to use to address this is a pencil eraser.

[Bill Carey]

.................... Really, the best tool to use to address this is a pencil eraser.

2nd this idea

[Matt Day]

If it’s screwed in just deal with it and remove the screws. I bet it will save you a lot of hassle especially if you mess it up with a multi tool.