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Crystal Lake, IL
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Lakewood, WA
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Deck floor board spacing
[#2] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 5:16:49 PM |  |  |
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There should be gaps between the boards to allow for water runoff. I was always told a 1/4 to1/8" gap between boards. I have also been told that if the boards are wet/swollen, they could be installed flush and that when they dried they would shrink and the gaps would be there.
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Rob Jones
South Sound Inspections
Seattle Home Inspection
"If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."
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Oak Park, IL
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 Deck floor board spacing
[#3] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 6:36:57 PM | | |
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For dry boards, the thickness of a carpenters pencil. Wet wood a 16 penny nail will work. To install with the floorboards tight will cause buckling if the wood was even moderately dry.
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Rick Sabatino
Sabatino Consulting, Inc |
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State: PA & NJ
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Oswego, NY
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Deck floor board spacing
[#5] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 6:58:27 PM | | |
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I've never laid down a cedar deck but, have always installed treated decking as tight as I could get it. After two days of the sun beating down, it always opens to at least 1/8 to 1/4".
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I'm Gary Blum and I approve this message
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Needham, Massachusetts
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Deck floor board spacing
[#6] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 7:01:48 PM | | |
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Yeah, not to mention that when the slider threshold is level with the deck, it becomes the point of entry of much water in snow country.
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Jimmy
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Chicago, IL
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Deck floor board spacing
[#7] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 8:24:52 PM | | |
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Treated, I pack it as tight as it can be packed. In a year, there's a space that's just about right.
Cedar, I use a case hardened finish nail, which also happens to be about the diameter of the previously mentioned pencil lead, maybe a tad thinner. That's just about right in a year.
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Kurt in Chicago
"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012
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Newberg, OR
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Deck floor board spacing
[#8] Posted: 09/08/2009 - 9:15:54 PM | | |
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I've noticed that on decks where surface boards are pushed tightly together, there are more problems with premature rot and fungal growth.
It's hard to figure out how much of a gap to leave. I would prefer to install any surface boards when they have a high moisture content, and then leave a decent gap from there. That way, the deck boards can "breathe" and drain better during the wet season.
If I saw a wet deck where boards were tightly butted together, I'd write it up.
Oh yeah, I write up decks all the time that are flush with exterior door thresholds-- bad idea.
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Brandon
Portland Home Inspector |
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