Spacing Between Deck Planks

Make your own jig a homemade jig can make spacing a lot easier and more uniform across the deck.

Spacing between deck planks.

When securing the decking it is important to leave adequate spacing between the boards for water to drain. As discussed in best practices guide to residential construction. Before deciding on how much space to leave between deck boards check with your local building code to see if it covers deck board spacing. If the pressure treated wood hasn t been dried and is still wet with preservative butt the deck boards together when attaching since the wood will shrink some when it dries.

In most cases it s best to start with a full board on the outside edge of the deck and work toward the house so the odd board is less visible. For timbertech azek decking it s recommended to have a minimum 1 8 to 1 4 side to side gap between deck boards. The goal is to have about an 1 8 inch. 2x6 is thicker and is stronger but is also more expensive.

Adjust the spacing between deck boards gradually over the next 10 rows of decking until the distance to the house is equal. Wood decking is commonly available in 2x6 and 5 4 x 6 profiles. How to install wood deck boards video. Most composite decking materials like trex composite decking require minimum joist spacing for composite decking at 16 on center spacing for straight decking and 12.

How long to wait before staining a new wood deck video. How to build a wood deck video. There are also plenty of jig options if you prefer to buy one. To prevent this it is recommended that decking boards be placed with a space between the rows ranging from 1 8 to 1 4 inch.

For green material that is fresh and may still have some sap 1 8 inch spacing is the more desirable of the two. Many jurisdictions following the international building code which requires a minimum 1 8 inch spacing between boards. But most decks need and can achieve spacing between the deck boards for drainage. It is a great irony that the bulk of deck building happens when the thermometer passes 90 degrees.

5 4 x 6 is produced specifically for decking and is milled with a radius edge or bull nose. Account for this in the spacing by giving it a little more room between boards. Proper side to side deck board spacing allows for air water and debris to flow around the decking leading to a long lasting low maintenance deck. Spacing on deck boards in a humid area the summer heatwave is in full effect across most of the country and we continue to sell a lot of ipe decking.

Watch this video to find out more. The primary function is to drain water from the deck. Spacers individual spacers are a simple way to create a good size gaps between boards. Generally an acceptable gap between deck boards is between 1 8 inch and 1 4 inch.

The last board won t look good if it s skinny or cut at an angle. Spacing between deck boards provide a few critical functions.