I'm building a small deck for my daughter (it's about 9' x 8') to hang out under some trees in our yard. I'm not sure how often she'll use it, so I want to keep things budget-friendly and finish it up before summer ends. I'm planning to use IKEA decking tiles on top, but for the subfloor, I'm looking for a cheap material. I've heard that sealing plywood edges with wood glue could help, and I have some leftover exterior paint that we don't like. Can I use any grade of plywood for this project? What are your thoughts on using OSB?
1 Answer
Using plywood or OSB for outdoor decking isn't the best idea. They’re just not built to handle weather, and you’ll likely find they deteriorate after a season of rain. If you're looking for a budget option, consider using free pallets instead; just remember to leave some gaps to let water drain off. They can actually hold up better with some proper spacing!
I thought about using pallets too, but gathering and preparing enough of them seemed like a huge hassle, which is why I passed on that.