JIMMIE said something like:
On Apr 25, 10:43 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
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!

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.

It really really detracts from the looks I think when the gaps are large.
You start looking at a porch or a deck as an ordered collection of gaps, and
not boards.