Warning: People keep putting their deck boards too close together

I've seen it three times this summer in my neighborhood. Everyone wants a tight, clean look. So they butt the boards right up against each other. No gap at all. Big mistake. Wood swells when it gets wet. I learned this the hard way on my own deck six years ago. After one rainy season, the whole surface buckled and warped. Had to pull up about 40 boards and redo it. You need at least a quarter-inch gap for drainage and expansion. Just use a nail or a spacer. Anyone else had to fix this after the fact?

3 comments

3 Comments

maryr431d ago

So they basically built a giant wooden sponge? My neighbor did this and now his deck looks like a roller coaster after it rains.

mila_murphy21h ago

Come on, a little swelling gives it character! @hollyscott had a few bad boards, but a whole deck moving with the weather is just nature's design. Honestly, that wavy look is kind of cool and saves you from ever needing a level.

hollyscott1d ago

Ugh, that's the worst feeling. I mean, you put in all that work and then watch it just... pop. I had a small section on my old deck do the same thing, just a few boards, and it was still such a pain to fix. It really does feel like you're building it to fail if you skip that gap.