Deck board spacing or no

[Rewind97]

Great thread timing!!! I'm going to have to replace my deck boards this summer. Also going to replace the railing around it so it will look uniform.

Question.........once you get the first board down and square do you just operate off of it or do you check each board for square?

 

[dave*99]

Pressure treated deck; no gap for me. 2 months later the gaps were good and remain that way.

 

[jd_1138]

Great thread timing!!! I'm going to have to replace my deck boards this summer. Also going to replace the railing around it so it will look uniform.

Question.........once you get the first board down and square do you just operate off of it or do you check each board for square?

I'd make sure the first board was nice and square and then just operate off it -- checking like every 3rd board to make sure it's square.

Also, maybe check out this cool Kreg deck jig. I am using it on the next deck I build. I like the fact that the screws are not exposed and because the wood is pre-drilled before screwing -- less chances of split wood. Square drive, too, which is super nice to work with.

 

[nh_yota]

Great thread timing!!! I'm going to have to replace my deck boards this summer. Also going to replace the railing around it so it will look uniform.

Question.........once you get the first board down and square do you just operate off of it or do you check each board for square?

If I space the boards I use a pair of speed squares laid down with the edge in the board gap so they don't fall off the board. Much faster than using nails in my opinion.

I don't check every board for square but after about 4-5 boards I'll check to see if they're square and if I need to adjust the spacing a wee bit to end up with a full board at the end.

 

[shoot summ]

Check the measurements of the frame for square/consistency.

Install first board, **** subsequent boards to it. Check measurement from latest board to end of frame occasionally to make sure both ends are tracking the same. Adjust if necessary.

 

[premierplayer]

no spacing, use a board bender and slam em' tight, they will auto space themselves (shrink) in no time
use a string line (or chalk line) to set the first board, slam everything after to it, maybe check every 5-6 courses, or if you see it running out.

 

[Rewind97]

I'd make sure the first board was nice and square and then just operate off it -- checking like every 3rd board to make sure it's square.

Also, maybe check out this cool Kreg deck jig. I am using it on the next deck I build. I like the fact that the screws are not exposed and because the wood is pre-drilled before screwing -- less chances of split wood. Square drive, too, which is super nice to work with.

From the looks of this tool you are required to have a space between boards, what if you don't want to have spaces will this still work?

 

[Moose97]

I also used cedar decking but mine was reclaimed. Had been on another deck for about 5 years. I did space mine but with new wood I would not space.

 

[8mpg]

I didnt read the whole thread...maybe it was brought up.

Spacing depends on what you are using. Wood decking may or may not have a space. Plastic based materials you space. For wood (pressure treated), you space if you are using KDAT (kiln dried after treating) or if you are using the wet **** at Home Depot/Lowes, no spacing. The kiln dried stuff has already shrank. Yellawood is a brand of wood that is big into KDAT pressure treated wood.

So thats my recommendation. No spacing if using wet wood. Space them if you are using kiln dried wood

 

[jd_1138]

From the looks of this tool you are required to have a space between boards, what if you don't want to have spaces will this still work?

Looks like a space is not needed to me? Maybe I'll email Kreg's customer service and ask. The jig looks pretty slim with that little lip that goes in between the boards, so I am thinking it can slip in between boards even without a gap.

 

[63spyder]

All my decks have 3/8 spacing on purpose . Allows the pine needles to fall through ,and easier to power wash every year. The edges don't rot from constant contact and trapped moisture. Warmer here and wet rainy days here in Oregon. Did I mention pine needles, gobs and gobs of pine needles.

 

[Almostbroke94]

Just decked this last week on Friday by myself with hidden fasteners, the versa clips spaced each board a little over an 1/8 Expensive but looks good. 18W X 38L

 

[Milzo]

I work for a deck builder. We build about 250 decks a season. If your deck gets sun then don't gap non-kiln dried PT decking. If your deck is fully shaded then gap the boards.

Personally I prefer PT over composite although we sell 70% composite vs 30% PT as most people don't want maintenance. Another good option is PT decking with vinyl, aluminum or composite railing since that is the biggest PITA to stain.

The bowrench is a great tool.

 

[Rewind97]

Looks like a space is not needed to me? Maybe I'll email Kreg's customer service and ask. The jig looks pretty slim with that little lip that goes in between the boards, so I am thinking it can slip in between boards even without a gap.

Camo has a system for no gaps called the "Marksman Edge"

http://www.camofasteners.com/hidden-deck-fastening-system/marksman-tools/

Anyone tried this? I'd like to get the pro model but it's almost $400

 

[Joemctag]

I actually like about a 3/8” gap. Want leaves and pine needles or anything else not to get caught where you couldn’t pry it out. To me, deck boards should have gaps. Wood shrinks and swells appreciably across the width of a board.

 

[CraigStu]

Me too Joe. I actually specified a 3/8 inch gap for our deck and front porch when our house was being finished a year ago. Previous house and PT w/tiny gaps that the previous owner had sealed up w/ several coats of Behr Deckover. There was a concrete patio under it so I see why he did that but we hated it. I want the **** to slide between the boards when hosing down the deck. That previous deck required that the **** be hosed either 15 or 20 feet depending which side you wanted it to run off. A further previous house I used the grey Trex for the deck. Dang that **** was hot on bare feet.

 

[PhantomEB]

A good read here, especially since I am planning to redo my deck this summer. 2 levels to split the amount of stairs into two for the bulldog. Upper level outside the patio doors will be covered and guttered, and continue to be my bbq area. Lower one is to be more of a catch some rays sitting area as the ground level one just off to the side is completely covered as my gf burns easy.

 

[rusty1]

wood shrinks in width, not in length, no spaces

 

[yeldogt]

This is an old thread .... Just be mindful of the material?

If using the better quality (and I use that loosely) 1" thick premium SYP decking. It is sometimes quite dry and you may have to gap it depending on the application.

I redid an old cedar deck and went with the "no gap" typical recommendation for the SYP -- when it got wet -- never opened up. This was for a two level deck partially on the ground and the other part above but still not high.

I'm ripping it out this year and replacing it with Zuri

 

[Innovate1]

Not the original question but I have trex and almost no gap. Crud plugs the minimal remaining gap and water doesn't drain well. This is 15 year old stuff before the edge fastened stuff came out - the edge fastened stuff has a forced gap. Have even thought about pulling ever other board up and ripping them down a bit for drainage but think I would have a bear of a time getting the old screws out. Or carefully guiding a skill saw down the small gaps to wide them. Open to ideas. Main concern is near the house not the open areas.

 

[Mike C5]

I used 2 x 6 PT on my exposed deck (instead of the 5/4) and no space between them on install. They shrunk to acceptable gaps except for an area within a few feet of a north side wall. It gets little direct sun in this area and not enough shrinkage occurred (15 years old now). Something to think about.