[bcemail]

I'm laying down new deck boards and had everything planned out for 16' boards. All the boards are 16'1". I know PT lumber shrinks but I wasn't expecting it to shrink that much along its length. Is this common? How do you install them to accommodate an inch gap that will open?!
I can dry them a bit but I thought they took months to dry and shrink and I can't wait that long. thanks?


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[joed]

Boards don't shrink in length when they dry. They shrink in width.

 

[de-nagorg]

Install them with the extra length on the same side, usually the outside away from the building, then either cut them all off at once, this gives you a better line of even boards than cutting one at a time and installing.

Then get a can of PT coating for cuts, and retreat the ends.

Or leave them long and say that you meant to do it that way.

ED

 

[ront02769]

when you buy PT you have to keep in mind that it will likely ALL be long.....at least in my area of the country. So just follow your plan and cut stuff to correct length. Ron

 

[NickTheGreat]

Cut them off?

 

[bcemail]

Ok sounds like I'll probably cut an inch off. First time using decking and did not expect them to be too long! Thought I had measured the deck foundation wrong. Confused the heck out of me until I measured the boards. One end can overhang and be cut but the other set of boards bump up against the house so looks like I'll be talking an inch off em all. Had added an extra joist and blocking for a middle seam which is now an inch off. Best laid plans...
Thanks all!


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[jrp458]

Have a very steady hand or use a circular saw guide and cut them all at once like mentioned above. You could also go over them with a flush trim router bit if you wanted to make them extra neat.

 

[joecaption]

If you have not installed them yet those boards should never be tight to the siding.

 

[jlhaslip]

Also, the ends butting against the house need to be squared. Factory end cuts are not precision cut to 90 degrees. Cut just enough off to square the end and trim the long ends off after they are installed as discussed above.

 

[de-nagorg]

You should use flashing between the ledger and the end at the building, with the flashing tuck up under the bottom siding, so that any rain, snowmelt or other water never gets to the ledger.

This is the main cause of deck failure. Rotted ledger and it releases from the house.


ED

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm laying down new deck boards and had everything planned out for 16' boards. All the boards are 16'1".

If they came from Canada, I suspect that they may actually be 4900 mm in length! (This is 16 Feet - plus 0.9134 Inches)

 

[bcemail]

Thanks for the tips. I already took care of the ledger. Was just going to replace the boards until I pulled them and saw no water proofing behind the old ledger, only old aluminum siding. There was no rot, just dumb luck maybe. So I added flashing, new ledger,j channel, etc.

I plan on leaving a bit of a gap by the edges along the house. Was thinking 1/4". They will tuck under the vinyl siding so won't be tight there.

I'll check if the ends are square. I may use the miter saw to get nice edges. And I'll check if they're Canadian. They just said SYP on them. Southern Canadian?!



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[Canarywood1]

SYP = Southern yellow pine

 

[ront02769]

Mark them. Lay your speed square on the board so that the long side goes from bottom left to top right. Run the edge of your circular saw along the edge of the speed square and get perfect 90 degree cut every time...without having to jockey 16' boards around a chop saw. Ron

 

[bcemail]

When installing the boards, they will tuck under the bottom of our vinyl siding since it was installed after the deck. Should I leave a gap between the house and the boards? Those walls are protected by eaves but wasn't sure if I needed to leave a space in case water gets in there. Usually a pretty dry area
Thanks!


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[de-nagorg]

When you cut the ends to square them, remember to re-treat them with the proper coating, sold at the lumber yard just for this.

Then a gap of a quarter inch is fine between the house wall flashing and the deck board.

This gives a space for expansion and contraction in the different seasons.

ED