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After my deck cracked, I swear by bigger gaps between boards
Amarillo's sun makes wood swell and shrink like crazy. Everyone says to keep it tight, but a little space saves a lot of headache.
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caleb276mo ago
Trust the guy who learned the hard way with his own warped deck. Wood moves more than people realize, especially under that hot sun. A quarter inch gap now prevents a cracked board later.
5
barbarab566mo ago
People never believe how much wood can shift until they see it happen. I watched my own deck planks push each other out of line over one hot season. That quarter inch gap sounds tiny, but it's the difference between a nice deck and a DIY disaster.
8
owens.anthony5mo ago
It depends a lot on the wood type and your local weather. Pressure-treated pine can shrink a lot as it dries, so starting tight can leave big gaps later. Hardwoods or composite boards move differently. Your neighbor might have gotten lucky with a dry batch of wood that already shrunk before install.
1
spencer4006mo ago
Seriously? I built my deck tight five years ago and it's still flat as a table. Does every single board really need that much room to breathe? My neighbor did the same thing and his looks fine too. Maybe people are overthinking a few cracks?
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