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Are the gaps in decking boards (PT or composite) *REALLY* necessary?

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Are the gaps in decking boards (PT or composite) *REALLY* necessary? Thomas G. Marshall 04-25-2008
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Posted by Steve on April 25, 2008, 2:00 pm
"Thomas G. Marshall"
2008 in group alt.building.construction:

> I've spoken to a number of people who have put composite decks in and
> they followed the manufacturers suggestions carefully and ended up
> with boards that just "seem" too far apart. A friend of mine has
> these large gaps around his posts that I'm not particularly fond of.
>
> And two of these people say they've never seen the boards expand nor
> shrink the way the manufacturer warned. I'm not sure of the brands.
>
> But this reminds me of something a construction guy told me once
> about PT (I know, a different issue): "Don't ever listen to the
> advice about keeping the boards a nail width apart....they will dry
> and shrink on their own". The only reason I mention this is because
> I would like to know to what degree such rules of thumb (PT or
> composite) are real, or just passed along advice that never really
> applies.
>
> For example, has anyone seen trouble with compostite decking boards
> placed flush (say, in the summer)?

1. It's a standard look. If I don't do it that way, some clients will
complain.
2. Expansion is a real problem if the wood is already good and dry. If
you're using the stuff from the borg that drips when you put in a screw,
go ahead and butt it together.
3. Puddling might occur if the boards don't shrink. The contractor
doesn't want to be sued because you slipped in a wet spot.
--
Steve B.
New Life Home Improvement

Posted by EXT on April 25, 2008, 2:33 pm
While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked with
water and will shrink in width according to the amount of wetness.

I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in length,
during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot lengths and they can
grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter measurements, and they will
actually "crawl" or move in one direction over a number of years, requiring
some leverage and banging to get them back in place. We do have extremes in
temperatures, winters down to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can
cause these problems.


>
> I've spoken to a number of people who have put composite decks in and they
> followed the manufacturers suggestions carefully and ended up with boards
> that just "seem" too far apart. A friend of mine has these large gaps
> around his posts that I'm not particularly fond of.
>
> And two of these people say they've never seen the boards expand nor
> shrink the way the manufacturer warned. I'm not sure of the brands.
>
> But this reminds me of something a construction guy told me once about PT
> (I know, a different issue): "Don't ever listen to the advice about
> keeping the boards a nail width apart....they will dry and shrink on their
> own". The only reason I mention this is because I would like to know to
> what degree such rules of thumb (PT or composite) are real, or just passed
> along advice that never really applies.
>
> For example, has anyone seen trouble with compostite decking boards placed
> flush (say, in the summer)?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>
>
>


Posted by Thomas G. Marshall on April 26, 2008, 5:41 am
EXT said something like:
> While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked
> with water and will shrink in width according to the amount of
> wetness.
> I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in
> length, during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot
> lengths and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter
> measurements, and they will actually "crawl" or move in one direction
> over a number of years, requiring some leverage and banging to get
> them back in place. We do have extremes in temperatures, winters down
> to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can cause these problems.

Huh....Hold on.....please verify.... The composite grows when cold and not
when hot?




Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on April 26, 2008, 7:44 am

> EXT said something like:
>> While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked
>> with water and will shrink in width according to the amount of
>> wetness.
>> I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in
>> length, during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot
>> lengths and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter
>> measurements, and they will actually "crawl" or move in one direction
>> over a number of years, requiring some leverage and banging to get
>> them back in place. We do have extremes in temperatures, winters down
>> to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can cause these problems.
>
> Huh....Hold on.....please verify.... The composite grows when cold and
> not when hot?
>

Re-read what he said.
>>and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter measurements,



Posted by JIMMIE on April 25, 2008, 4:57 pm
On Apr 25, 10:43=A0am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
> I've spoken to a number of people who have put composite decks in and they=

> followed the manufacturers suggestions carefully and ended up with boards
> that just "seem" too far apart. =A0A friend of mine has these large gaps
> around his posts that I'm not particularly fond of.
>
> And two of these people say they've never seen the boards expand nor shrin=
k
> the way the manufacturer warned. =A0I'm not sure of the brands.
>
> But this reminds me of something a construction guy told me once about PT =
(I
> know, a different issue): "Don't ever listen to the advice about keeping t=
he
> boards a nail width apart....they will dry and shrink on their own". =A0Th=
e
> only reason I mention this is because I would like to know to what degree
> such rules of thumb (PT or composite) are real, or just passed along advic=
e
> that never really applies.
>
> For example, has anyone seen trouble with compostite decking boards placed=

> flush (say, =A0in the summer)?
>
> Thanks!

Composites are spaced for drainage and yes I have seen them spaced too
far apart. I think they actually make guage for spacing them now.

Page 2 of 3       < 1 2 3 > last >>
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