How Much Space Between Deck Boards

If adding additional framing be sure to keep all boards level and in plane across the tops.
How much space between deck boards. Both sizes have their pros and cons. I find it funny that when pt lumber was introduced they said to space it with a carpenters pencil. The eighth inch spacing provides for a safer surface for walking. How much space to leave between deck boards.
The most common spacing measurement between deck boards is 1 8 inch. A convenient way to get consistent spacing is by using a 6 penny or 8 penny nail between each course of decking. The last board won t look good if it s skinny or cut at an angle. Install the first course of decking material.
Never space cedar or pt lumber since it will shrink more than expand. The goal is to have about an 1 8 inch gap the diameter of an 8d nail between boards after the decking has dried to its equilibrium moisture content. The easy answer is 1 4. Adjust the spacing between deck boards gradually over the next 10 rows of decking until the distance to the house is equal.
Make space in moist areas if you live where there is a fair amount of moisture in the air the boards will swell. Those decks were toe breakers once the boards shrunk and the spaces ended up over 1 2 wide. Account for this in the spacing by giving it a little more room between boards. You only space engineered decking and even their specs are too much imo.
The width of the nail is 1 8 inch. Adjust spacing between deck boards measure to the house at both ends and in the center when you get within about 5 ft. Timbertech pro and timbertech edge boards must be a minimum of 1 8 to a maximum of 3 16 deck board spacing. Composites composite deck boards will have basically no shrinkage so they need to be spaced with gaps from the get go.
But that answer doesn t take into account a lot of factors and can pose problems further down the road. Smaller gaps mean fewer trip hazards or opportunities for high heels or a child s fingers to get caught in the cracks. Generally an acceptable gap between deck boards is between 1 8 inch and 1 4 inch. For a more rigid feel 12 or less may be preferred.
Pressure treated lumber is typically installed without a gap since the boards will shrink when they dry creating the appropriate spacing.