The support posts on our deck are twisting?

Question

our deck is about 4 yrs old. support posts (16 & 20 ft lengths) are twisting; no lag bolts were installed; wood was "green" when installed. will they continue to twist & warp or are they now dry? we are concerned from a safety standpoint as this is a two level deck

Answer 1

was your deck professionally installed or did you do the work yourself?  If it was professionally installed, call the installer and see what remedy they can offer.

My first thought was to get some L brackets and get the supports bracketed to the decking asap.

Answer 2

it is weird they are not connected, if this is true then they didn't ever do anything so leave them, but if they should have been carrying a load then re-bolt them, as long as they are not ugly looking, then use it the way it is.

Answer 3

You should worry more about the danger of using pressure treated wood than the twisting posts.  Exposure to the arsenic or copper compounds in treated wood can be dangerous.

Answer 4

I think this is a normal result of using pressure treated wood. The long runs of pressure treated wood will want to twist as they dry out. Normally, this shouldn't pose a problem. However, if you are truly concerned you might call a local engineer to double check and decide if any additional bracing or replacement is needed.