How to fix bowing decking boards?

[Sladie]

Hi Guys, I’m in the middle of building a privacy screen with Merbau wood using the Jacks Screen Up system. Have got about half way through and noticed about 7 of my decking boards have bows in the centre. When placed in the screen up posts they don’t look horizontal at all. Any recommendations on the best way to try and straighten the bow. I only bought the decking this week from Bunnings. At the moment I have bricks on top of the middle hoping it will correct. Is it best to just return the 7 x 2.7m lengths or will the bricks work. 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Sladie,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

Unfortunately, without attachment points, you don't have many options to straighten them out. 

If you used a slat vertically at the centre of the span, you could pull the slight bow out and then screw them in place.

What you are doing with the bricks will certainly help, but if you can't get the bow out, you can always return them and select straighter pieces that you are happy with. 

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Jason]

Hi @Sladie,

Just checking in to see how you went with your project. Please let us know if you need further assistance. We're here to help.

Jason

[Noyade]

Hi @Sladie 

I watched similar construction with a fence in my suburb a few years back. Looked gorgeous at first, but in short time the wood bowed and twisted. Their attempt to prevent the gravity sag was thin metal plate screwed to the backs which when walking past you don't notice but I don't think it solved the problem completely.