What would you do? - deck help

[David Feldbaum]

I decided to leave it alone for now. I can always unscrew the entire deck board. problem is i have these special slips for spaces so it might be a pain. While not ideal its about 1/4 inch gap that is about 3 inches long. Its not really that noticeable.Again i have idea what I am doing. But so far its pretty dam professional. IMG_0735.jpg

[David Feldbaum]

I liked Rich's comment. I actually have a tool that bends the wood in place. I Cranked to hard on it last week and nicked one of the 20 footers. Most people would have said eh its fine. Just sand it out. But I knew it would bother me, so i bought another 20footer.

[David Feldbaum]

What do you guys now think about me taking a rectangle sander, and just sanding the board in place. I don't think i want to use the multitool. it will burn the wood. This IPE is tough. I already broke 2 bits and my counter sink.

[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.
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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

[Jay Michaels]

I would imagine sanding end-grain on ipe would take you approximately 3-4 months, but it would get the job done.

[Frank Pratt]

What do you guys now think about me taking a rectangle sander, and just sanding the board in place. I don't think i want to use the multitool. it will burn the wood. This IPE is tough. I already broke 2 bits and my counter sink.

Burning with a multi-tool has more to do with deep cuts in wide material where the swarf can't clear, causing the heating. On a board that's only 3/4" thick, I doubt it would be a problem as long as the blade is sharp. But it will probably take more than 1 blade, depending on the quality.

An oscillating or orbital sander will take forever, use a truckload of sandpaper and still probably burn the wood. A rotary diamond disc on an angle grinder would probably make short work of it though, but you'd have to be really careful not to let things get away on you.

[Bill McNiel]

Score it with a knife and straight edge (multiple passes) and use a chisel to create a wall maybe 1/8"-1/4" deep then use your multi-tool. The process will take 5-10 minutes.

[Patrick McCarthy]

The 2 screw heads shown are sunk deeper than i would have expected. My concern is water accumulation. Are you going to plug them and trim with a flush cut saw?
Sorry if i am jumping a few steps ahead.

[David Feldbaum]

Yes indeed. I have not plugged the holes until I am 100% sure I am good to go. Everything is a hidden system. I started this project in June. Have another stair to finish this weekend, then all the railing. Huge undertaking, but hiring someone wasnt really an option. I enjoy doing this myself and learning along the way. Plus most people you hire do a sloppy job.

[Steve Fish]

Take a stiff rip of plywood and nail it down between the gaps in your decking. Make sure it’s flush or a tiny proud of your field boards. Use it as a guide with a quality flush trim saw. Might have to finagle the last tiny bit next to the brick with the multi tool. Finish with 60 then 80 grit paper and a sanding block. That ipe makes a beautiful solid deck but it’s hell on tools. Looks great so far

[Mel Fulks]

I have an ipe deck, it’s nice enough, I used the special plastic biscuits. If I had to do another one I would just use slotted brass counter
sunk screws.

[Frank Pratt]

Score it with a knife and straight edge (multiple passes) and use a chisel to create a wall maybe 1/8"-1/4" deep then use your multi-tool. The process will take 5-10 minutes.

That's a great way of helping the blade stay on course.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Analysis paralysis going on here, it's not detail oriented thinking, it's just good old fashioned indecisiveness. If you want that board trimmed, just do it. Pick a way and go. You'd be done with this already if you had.

If you want something to worry about, those don't look like hanger rated screws.

[Jack Frederick]

We did a small deck on the place a few years ago and after trying various mounting methods went with Camo. It has not failed anywhere on the deck. As to squaring that board I’d take my hardware store plastic handled double sided pull saw to it and it would make short work of it and give a good surface.