Well the “Big Boxes” in town only carry the 5/4 (1.1") type decking, 2 (1.5") by 6 is special order at least here in town. Maybe Kelowna has a supplier, I’ll let the fingers do the walking. 
Jack,
I took a look at your site, and was surprised to learn that the redwood failed, but I am at a loss to understand why. Did you try to stress the redwood into a curve after the ladder was formed? The TREX will accommodate that, being plastic where wood will not.
Have you had any problems with sag between vertical supports on tangent? That is the biggest reason I decided to go with redwood. I found that the TREX would sag even with vertical supports driven into the ground every 18 inches. What has been your experience?
SteveF
Steve,
I really think the redwood failure was due to I made the curves on a jig that was exact to the track curve, when I’d pull the corners out of the jig they would relax a bit. That being said since I built the corners that way it also made it so there is a inner and outer stringer joint at the same place on every section I made. That joint not being staggered made a very weak area and since the straight sections where trying to hold the curves together back at what I had made them to in the jig it put a large stress on all of the joints. Also since I wasn’t putting any supports in while I assembled the redwood base I didn’t have anything that would help keep things in the proper place. Designed a bit different the redwood would probably work. In fact I still have the sections that I made up that will be kept for possible future use. With as hard as it can be at times to find clear wood that can handle the bending and just for my sanity I went ahead and went with the Trex since I figured I could get the joints staggered much better with it.
I haven’t noticed any sagging on any of the roadbed yet (except the spot mentioned earlier). I do however intend to put trestle bents in under the elevated area which will keep that from happening even if it wants to start to sag. So when complete that will have supports approximately every 6 inches.
Thanks for the reply, Jack. I guess there is no right or wrong way to do this, just whatever way one feels comfortable. I, too, have noticed the relaxing of the curve after it comes out of the jig. I started laminating two 3/16 X 1.5 inch slats of redwood that I had ripped to form the curve in the jig. That seems to have solved the problem nicely.
So, I guess we can name our poison. Either go fairly permanently with concrete as does Marty, spend huge amounts of money for 2 inch L channel steel as Jens does, support TREX every 6 inches or laminate redwood. Or, just lay it on the ground and ballast it, and then reballast every week for the next year…
No matter what, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch!”
Steve
Climate and “the lay of the land” play a big part in the choice of what works. What works best for one person is useless elsewhere.
I do mine a bit different. I put the spacers on one of the lengths and then lay it out on the ground. I use stakes to hold it in position while I screw the other length to it. It pretty much holds it shape after that. One of the advantages of doing it this way, is you get some nice easements into the curves.
Bruce Chandler said:That's what I did when I used the trex. Now doing that with the redwood may have had a better outcome than it did. I also thought of Steve's point of laminating a couple pieces of redwood together in a jig to make the stringers, which would have made things a bit easier. I've got a project planned this year that will require some laminating of redwood we'll see ow that goes.
I do mine a bit different. I put the spacers on one of the lengths and then lay it out on the ground. I use stakes to hold it in position while I screw the other length to it. It pretty much holds it shape after that. One of the advantages of doing it this way, is you get some nice easements into the curves.
I priced out Trex at the local Home Despot. $17 and change for an 8’ 2x6? Yikes!
I think I paid somewhere in the area of $1.60/ft for the 2x4’s that I got.
Don’t buy Trex…too expensive and too floppy.
Unfortunately Home Despots around here dont carry Tuf Board, or anything like it… grrrr
Don’t be too sure. They really don’t know what they have. I asked at one and they said they had never heard about it…yet I saw it in the next aisle. I think it’s part of a plan to get you to visit every corner of the store…
Bruce Chandler said:....which woulsd probably take about a week..............;
Don't be too sure. They really don't know what they have. I asked at one and they said they had never heard about it...yet I saw it in the next aisle. I think it's part of a plan to get you to visit every corner of the store....
Bob McCown said:Bob,
Unfortunately Home Despots around here dont carry Tuf Board, or anything like it... grrrr
The Norwood Home Depot carries Tuf Board.
Brian
Bob McCown said:You might wanna look in the aisle that carries trim boards and mouldings. That's where I found mine.
Unfortunately Home Despots around here dont carry Tuf Board, or anything like it... grrrr
I also was told by the local Home Despot that the product was unavailable…only to find it propped against the back wall of the store separate from everything else…kinda towards plumbing and heating.
Sometimes I wonder what Cracker Jacks box store marketers get their degree from.
Have you ever noticed the turnover in those stores? I’ve never seen the same guy in there twice. They seem to be a way station for folks waiting for better jobs in their field. One guy had a PhD in Marine Biology and was waiting for a job to open up in his field… in Spokane!!!
I doubt if anybody really has any idea what is in the stores…