If your home has a wooden deck, you should do an annual visual inspection. Take this time to make sure the deck is structurally sound and all the deck nails are in place.
Some things to look for are large splinters and popped decks nails. These are serious tripping hazards, so if you notice these issues, immediately take care of them.
You might think the first tool to reach for would be a nail set, but that has a really small tip and has a tendency to slip off the nail head.
Instead, use an old hinge pin as the nail set. It’s nice and long, has a diameter that’s typically the size of the nail head, and it does a great job of driving the nail down.
Drive deck nails so they’re not flush, but below the surface. That way, if the nail pops up a bit, it won’t be in the way.
If you do this once a year you’ll keep your deck nice and clean and you won’t catch your foot in any popped nail heads.
Watch the video to see the Simple Solution!
A better solution to pounding down a loose nail would be to pull it out and replace it with a deck screw. A loose nail will work its way back out again in no time. The screw replacement is a fix-once repair.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Brian!
Simple Solutions are all about fixing things with what you’ve got on hand.
But absolutely, deck screws are awesome.