Decking- no space between each board

thats exactly correct eoghan - only a couple of mm but a gap none the less

I know i'm probably a bit late in replying to this thread.

But I think this is an inportant thing to know for anyone who might get decking ing the future.

I have been installing deck for a number of years. The first deck I installed was a complete disaster... well, not at forst anyway, it was great and I was really proud of the job I did. But, it was about 3 two years or more later when I got a phone call. And on the other end of the phone was the woman I installed the deck for. She told me that her deck was now more like a couple of speed bumps, and could I take a look at it. Almost every board was pushing up against the next. It was not a hard task to fix it. I simply took up the boards, spraid them with water to soften them up and the next day I put them back down again, with gaps between them. I was left with one board over.The deck is now fine, dried out again and usable. But what I am trying to say is, you are better off doing it right the first time round. If the original builder who installed that ladies deck does other like that, I will give him about a year or so before his phone starts ringing too. It will probably cost him more to repair them than he would like to spend.

So what I suggest is that anyone who has had a deck install without any gaps, give the people a call who put it in and ask them to come out and re-do it properly. If they refuse to come out call you solisitor, he will be much cheaper than having to pay to get some body else in to either rip out your old deck and/or re-do hte who deck.

By not standing up for your self at the start will cost you money not your builder or installer.

Hope this helps anyone who got or is getting a deck installed.

Just make sure to ask the right questions...

Eoin Healy

Eoin,
You would hardly like to give us a quick step by detail 100% detailed, pictured, diagramed, photoed breakdown of how to put down a deck

He he... I helped a friend do a deck once... he wanted no gaps... so we FORCED the boards together as tightly as possible... LOL, he has since sold the house.

EDITED TO ADD
At the time I was unsure about it... after all, any decks I'd seen had had gaps... but it was his house and he said he wanted no gaps, so he had none. It was the idea that we were using a long lever to exert as much sideways pressure as possible that is funny now...