Spacing Between Pressure Treated Deck Boards
So much so that a length of decking between two adjacent pieces had to be pried up after removing all screws.
Spacing between pressure treated deck boards. Whether to leave a gap between pressure treated wood deck boards depends on how dry the wood you re using is. Use two nails for each joist to deck board connection. We include a description of tightly butted tongue and groove pressure treated deck boards as well as typical 5 4 thick pressure treated deck boards that should be spaced for drainage. This article explains proper gap size to leave between deck boards for drainage and drying and extra steps to take to protect deck joists from rot.
Proper deck board spacing should have a 1 8 inch gap after the decking has dried out. If you re buying pressure treated lumber at the lumberyard ask if it has been kiln dried after treatment. If the pressure treated wood has been kiln dried after treatment kdat leave a 1 8 gap the thickness of an 8 penny nail between the boards when attaching since the wood will expand slightly over time. Locate screws about 3 4 from the edges of boards.
Deck spacing isn t anything to take lightly. Install decking with 3 pressure treated compatible deck screws instead of nails. The installed boards were under a lot of stress from taking on moisture from the rains. When building an outdoor structure and particularly when considering board spacing make sure to find out how your lumber was treated in order to gauge how it will change over time.
Start installing deck boards at the outside of the deck and work.