I’m thinking I want to go with 2x for my decking and round the edges with a router. The main reason being I want 20’ boards and I can’t seem to find 20’ 5/4. The added strength is a bonus.

Now, how do I go about finding premium grade 20’ 2x6?

I thought you were in the lumber business???

Just curious, why do you need that much added strength? The strength isn’t so much in the decking as it is in the framing underneath, except for point loads. I’ve seen lots of hot tubs, which is extremely heavy, on regular decking. They just had to add additional framing and bracing underneath.

True. Can you picture what it'll look like once it dries out.

Nah. I grow em. Don’t have many contacts for end products, especially treated.

Look at sturdy deck? I believe that’s the name of it. Not a true 2x6 but close and has the rounded edge but does cost a little more. Has a lifetime warranty

Ah. 10/4

2x6 porch decks are the way to go! You get less splitting and warping after they (pressure treated) dry out some. The added strength is a plus as well. The cost is very similar for a sturdier product!!

I wish I had used 2x6 instead of the 5/4

Nobody is going to provide you with all straight 2x6’s or 5/4 boards out of a bundle. (Alfa lumber in Birmingham provides the best no.1 pine you can get) Especially 20’ long. That’s what a small nail bar to pull boards straight before you nail or screw them, or “pull nails” are for. (That’s a nail angled in the side of the board to pull it straight) Your decking depends upon the joist center width. If you’re building a regular deck with no hot tub or anything else super heavy on top, then 5/4 boards with joists on 16” centers will be fine. With 2x6”s you can move your joist out to 24” centers. A 2x8 joist should span no further than 12’ without a girder. Just FYI.
You can thank these rapid growing pine trees for knotty, crookedass boards.

True statement here. I’d go with 2x6’s all day.

Spoken like a fella that knows his business.... well said Johnal3

I used 2x6 treated deck boards 10 years ago when I built my house. It's under covered porch. All the ones around outer 3 feet or so have rotted. May have been the batch I got, but the centers rotted completely out. Treatment looks like it was dipped rather than pressure treated.
I know of a lot of 5/4 that has lasted a lot longer under more harsh conditions.

If you can find out where that wood came from, they’ll replace it for close to free. You still have to pay for labor, but it’ll save you some money if you want to deal with the headache of finding a dealer and having them come out to look at it. Treated lumber under a cover should never rot in 10 years unless it is in contact with the ground.

The treatment 10 years ago had a lot of failures. They have gone back to ground treating everything and it is making a difference in longevity.

I don’t think they’re “ground treating” everything, but yellowwood had a ton of issues back in those days for sure. We can thank the EPA and all the “green” tree hugger typea for that.

Call midway lumber. It's right down the road from you. Will cost a little more than HD or Lowe's but they can get what you want. If you are willing to drive a little and pick through some culls you can get some good deals at flomaton lumber.

Yes they did and I have a brand new deck because of it. I built the first one and I built this one. The lumber was free the 2nd time. It took me almost a year to get the guy out here to look at it though. I'm not sure if that's his fault or the guy at the lumber company.

Very true. I will never use 5/4 boards again.

Yes, but it's spelled Alpha Lumber. 😀 Jumbo and his guys are the best in the business.

Do not use a router to ease the edges of the 2x6 lumber. The preservative treatment does not penetrate deep into the boards and you may be exposing untreated lumber.