Patio Materials (Hilo: houses, construction, university)

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Because of the termites, a wooden deck might not be the best choice. So what is used for patio construction on Hawaii?

[whtviper1]

Wood - here's mine - good old fashioned wood. There is wood everywhere in Hawaii - you get it treated to resist termites.

[KauaiHiker]

My deck is that brown recycled plastic "boards." It's 20 years old (came with the house) and seems to be doing well. It did get a bit rougher when we power-washed it, so now we avoid that--but it still looks and feels nice. The supporting structure is regular wood. Usually, a deck is up in the air, or at least on post & pier like the house, so you can inspect underneath pretty easy for termites, unlike a wall or window.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Our lanai is concrete as it is ground level. Our second story lanai is painted wood. Which we have to repaint every two or three years In the years since our house was built in 2005 we have found no evidence of termites.

[Jungjohann]

This discussion is not about 'Lanai', it's about patios... Stick to the subject matter...

Wiedersehen

[whtviper1]

I'm beginning to wonder if Oregon has ever been to Hawaii. Wood is such a common building material in Hawaii and in another post you suggested we don't have a lot of pests to worry about if a farmer (we have the most). Have you been here?

[Jungjohann]

I'm gonna get over to the Islands one of these days... however, when building your patio, don't use lumber treated with borosilicate, I think that's the stuff.. It'll wash out when the lumber gets wet. And, make sure you retreat any cut edges, the termites just need a way into the lumber, once inside, they'll eat their way right to the treated surface of the lumber.... When I DO finally get to Hawaii, I really want to check out the pineapple aisle,, think it's named 'Patio'. Must be nice.

aloha, SF, CLEAN SWEEP BABY!!!!!! like a friggin dyson

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

Because of the termites, a wooden deck might not be the best choice. So what is used for patio construction on Hawaii?

Many of the houses are constructed of wood. Many of the decks are constructed of wood. Many of the fences are constructed of wood. Thus the need to educate yourself on the indicators of both dry wood termites and ground termites, and to be very proactive if you suspect a problem (ie call in a professional).

[OpenD]

Patio is not a word much used in Hawai'i. It pretty much pegs you as a malahini.

Despite the hazards from termites and from wood rot, wood is still a very, very popular building material in Hawai'i, especially for private homes and their decks and lanais. Take a little stroll through the HPM lumber yard in Hilo, for example and you'll be disabused of any notion to the contrary.

Building codes (each county administers their own) require the use of treated lumber for any wood found within 12" of the ground. Some people use it more extensively for parts of a structure which are exposed to a lot of rain, such as stairs and hand rails. Paint and preservative wood treatments are widely used to make wood last longer. But starting with the right treated wood is key, as are mediation steps, such as the use of metal termite shields between post and pier, and pesticide treatment of the surrounding soil.

U of H, as always has good info on treated wood for use in Hawai'i.

University of Hawaii Termite Project - Wood Preservatives

[offthegridinhawaii]

Thanks!