But, with what you spend on materials, you want to be sure you do it right. One critical step that can be easily overlooked is the board spacing. Leaving a gap between boards is critical for a well-built deck that will have space to drain, dry, expand and contract without causing the wood any damage. They will have the ability to check the moisture content of the wood, tell you the best spacing and help with installation to ensure it gets done the right way. Instagram houzz YouTube.
Why Is Deck Spacing Necessary? Account for Expanding and Contracting of Wood The most important reason to have a spacing gap is to allow the boards the room to expand and contract naturally. Makes for Easier Cleaning Another benefit to proper deck board spacing is that the spaces help make it easier to sweep away debris from the surface of the decking.
Using a Moisture Meter The best way to decide the appropriate spacing for your boards is to check the moisture content of the wood before installation. Tips for Proper Deck Board Spacing Once you receive your decking, it is best to let the wood acclimate for at least weeks in a dry area outside in order to adjust to the local climate. During installation, make sure to keep your decking material in a cool, dry place where it will not be exposed to excess moisture and expand, which can affect the spacing between the boards.
Use spacers, a sixteen penny nail, or a pencil to help ensure even spacing between all the boards. However, residents of drier areas of the country, like the Southeastern U. For the best results, consider working with an experienced professional who will know what gap size is ideal for your climate and wood type. This is because the boards will likely contract over time as they release moisture creating a larger gap during the drier seasons. The ideal spacing can vary based on the season; for example, in the Pacific Northwest, the summers are dry but the winters are very wet, or in the Northeast, the summers are generally humid and subject to significant rain but the winters tend to be below freezing and, therefore, extract water from wood.
If you live in a varied climate, you might look into a resilient spring loaded deck clip, like our ExoClip that expands and contracts with the wood, and automatically maintains an appropriate gap. The best way to decide the appropriate spacing for your boards is to check the moisture content of the wood before installation.
The amount of moisture in the wood will let you know whether the wood will expand or shrink right away. As the humidity increases, the moisture content increases which causes the wood to expand. As the humidity decreases, the moisture content decreases which causes the wood to shrink.
Read more about the movement of wood in relation to moisture content: Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. The relevant table is listed below.
Use a moisture meter to find out how much water is in your wood. Be sure to check multiple pieces of wood and take an average moisture count, instead of relying on just one piece of wood that could be an outlier.
Calibrating your moisture meter to the particular wood species is also a critical step to ensure that the readings you get are accurate - follow the recommendations from the manufacturer. For lumber decking, both the moisture content of the lumber and the environment its installed in matter. Look at the ends of the boards and install the decking "barkside" up to prevent cupping. Install decking with 3" pressure-treated compatible deck screws instead of nails.
Use two nails for each joist to deck board connection. Start installing deck boards at the outside of the deck and work towards the house wall. Stagger butt joints as much as possible for a nicer appearance. You may want to predrill the screw holes at the ends of the boards to prevent the wood from splitting. You can use a chalk line and circular saw to trim the edges of the decking.
Hidden deck fasteners are also an option to create a fastener-free decking surface. Kyle: Not in my view in any reasonable manner; but if you wait for the most-dry weather the gaps will be about as big as they'll get. When installing decking boards I always just butt two lengths on a joust and screw each piece Someone said to miter the ends but I feel then the screws are just catching a small amount of each board and in future will pop up.
We have a year old Victorian house with a very large wrap around porch. The front porch is rock solid however the very small back porch covered and only 6' x 8' with steps to the back yard is soft and needs to be replaced. The contractor said the foundation and joists are solid but the covering has to be replaced. My question is can the pressure treated planks butt together or is there a need for gaps in such a small covered area.
Re posting, edited for brevity Warren Scott said Thank you and good luck for the upcoming articles. However in my experience no paint-on water sealant on the top of deck joists will last as long as the life of the deck, and it's also my view that once the deck has been built it is virtually impossible to re-apply any water-resistant treatment to the tops of the deck joists as they're now covered by deck boards.
Yet water can seep into that joint. By no means do I install flashing atop all of my deck joists; I rely on good drainage from adequate deck board spacing and on air movement thanks to elevation above ground to avoid or at least reduce rot risks on the deck joist tops of course benefiting too from having used treated wood in the deck construction. I do use flashing at the deck ledger and other key locations prone to water entrapment and rot.
I never would use nor rely on roofing paper atop deck joists as a rot resistant measure; it's just not long-term durable where exposed to the weather. My friend coated joists with Thomson's water seal. Seems easier than cutting strips of roofing paper and may offer as much or more protection. What do you think? On by mod - deck has nails sticking out and gaps size of pinky. It sounds like the deck nails need to be hammered down and set or perhaps pulled and replaced with deck screws.
If you don't like the wide deck board Gap gaps you'd have to remove and reset all of your boards. I live upstairs an the deck has nails sticking out an gaps size of pinky u can't sweep cause everything falls down under can't even relax on the deck. Gaston Gosselin said: I am commenting to let you know what a terrific experience my daughter enjoyed reading through your web page.
She noticed a wide variety of pieces, with the inclusion of what it is like to have an awesome helping style to have the rest without hassle grasp some grueling matters. When securing the decking, it is important to leave adequate spacing between the boards for water to drain. Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.
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