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!

sometime in the recent past Thomas G. Marshall posted this:
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".
But if already well dried, they will expand on their own too.
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)?
All materials expand and contract. Without spaces, dirt will still find its
way in and then stay there, water will puddle and possibly freeze. Sometimes
'been doing it that way forever' has a real reason. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks!







--
Wilson N45 W67

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:w6mQj.4$r12.1@trndny03...

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!

Don't know anything about composite.

Treated lumber, like any other lumber, absorbs water. In that process, it
expands. As an example, treated lumber placed immediately next to the next
deck plank sequentially may buckle. This is because the board expands and
may cup either way as well as a result. There is no room for expansion.
Would suspect that composite may have the same property if it absorbs water
as well.
--
Dave

Hypocrisy. Big SUV, filament lights on all night. You think your neighbor
should be changiing to compact fluorescent light bulbs and driving the
hybrid.

While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked with
water and will shrink in width according to the amount of wetness.

I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in length,
during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot lengths and they can
grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter measurements, and they will
actually "crawl" or move in one direction over a number of years, requiring
some leverage and banging to get them back in place. We do have extremes in
temperatures, winters down to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can
cause these problems.


"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:w6mQj.4$r12.1@trndny03...

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!

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.

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:43:40 GMT, "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!






Boards bow, twist, and wane as they dry and seasons changes. A nail
width is about right. Fast drainage is a good thing, but you don't
want so wide of a gap that a women's spike shoe can get caught.

On Apr 25, 6:57 pm, Phisherman wrote:

Boards bow, twist, and wane as they dry and seasons changes. A nail
width is about right. Fast drainage is a good thing, but you don't
want so wide of a gap that a women's spike shoe can get caught.

I think the environment and everyday maintenance needs consideration.

Most decking seems to me to have not enough gap for detritus to fall
between the boards, and if it is caught between the boards it's a
bitch to clean out and/or off the joists.

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear heels
on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as wide as
1/4".
-----

- gpsman

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:w6mQj.4$r12.1@trndny03...

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!

I'd put spacing just to allow the gook to fall through. Make it easier to
power wash, too. Probably help decrease the drying time. Let air circulate
to keep icing down. Make mold and crud harder to grow in there. Lots of
reasons. More than I can think of for butting the boards together.

Steve

Dioclese said something like:
"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in
message news:w6mQj.4$r12.1@trndny03...

....[snip]...

For example, has anyone seen trouble with compostite decking boards
placed flush (say, in the summer)?

Thanks!

Don't know anything about composite.

Treated lumber, like any other lumber, absorbs water. In that
process, it expands. As an example, treated lumber placed
immediately next to the next deck plank sequentially may buckle. This is
because the board expands and may cup either way as well as a
result. There is no room for expansion. Would suspect that composite
may have the same property if it absorbs water as well.

Ok. Hmmmm....my side porch (uncovered, and just a landing for steps leading
into the house, perhaps 5' x 7', is covered with 5/4 PT untreated, and it
was placed tight and never buckled. I'm not saying that this is the rule,
I'm just adding it as empiracle evidence that's made me start to wonder...

EXT said something like:
While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked
with water and will shrink in width according to the amount of
wetness.
I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in
length, during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot
lengths and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter
measurements, and they will actually "crawl" or move in one direction
over a number of years, requiring some leverage and banging to get
them back in place. We do have extremes in temperatures, winters down
to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can cause these problems.

Huh....Hold on.....please verify.... The composite grows when cold and not
when hot?

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.

SteveB said something like:
"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in
message news:w6mQj.4$r12.1@trndny03...

....[snip]...

For example, has anyone seen trouble with compostite decking boards
placed flush (say, in the summer)?

Thanks!

I'd put spacing just to allow the gook to fall through. Make it
easier to power wash, too. Probably help decrease the drying time. Let
air circulate to keep icing down. Make mold and crud harder to
grow in there. Lots of reasons. More than I can think of for
butting the boards together.

Is there a (newer) rule of thumb for composites, or should I trust the
manufacturer. That's what my friends did and they thought it was too far
apart, and I have to agree looking at it.

gpsman said something like:
On Apr 25, 6:57 pm, Phisherman wrote:

Boards bow, twist, and wane as they dry and seasons changes. A nail
width is about right. Fast drainage is a good thing, but you don't
want so wide of a gap that a women's spike shoe can get caught.

I think the environment and everyday maintenance needs consideration.

Most decking seems to me to have not enough gap for detritus to fall
between the boards, and if it is caught between the boards it's a
bitch to clean out and/or off the joists.

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear heels
on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as wide as
1/4".


JSYK, (and you probably do), there exist these plastic covers for joists.
They lay over the top to prevent the rot from trapped water from the stuck
debris.

Thomas G. Marshall said something like:
gpsman said something like:
On Apr 25, 6:57 pm, Phisherman wrote:

Boards bow, twist, and wane as they dry and seasons changes. A nail
width is about right. Fast drainage is a good thing, but you don't
want so wide of a gap that a women's spike shoe can get caught.

I think the environment and everyday maintenance needs consideration.

Most decking seems to me to have not enough gap for detritus to fall
between the boards, and if it is caught between the boards it's a
bitch to clean out and/or off the joists.

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear heels
on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as wide as
1/4".


JSYK, (and you probably do), there exist these plastic covers for
joists. They lay over the top to prevent the rot from trapped water
from the stuck debris.

Excuse me, clarification: They lay over the top of the joist, running the
length of it, and *under* the decking.

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message newsNCQj.80$Bd1.15@trndny09...
EXT said something like:
While I find that new PT wood is in various stages of being soaked
with water and will shrink in width according to the amount of
wetness.
I have found that composite materials do expand, particularly in
length, during summer and shrink in winter. I have some 20 foot
lengths and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter
measurements, and they will actually "crawl" or move in one direction
over a number of years, requiring some leverage and banging to get
them back in place. We do have extremes in temperatures, winters down
to zero, and summers up to 100 degrees which can cause these problems.

Huh....Hold on.....please verify.... The composite grows when cold and
not when hot?


Re-read what he said.
and they can grow about a 1/4 inch in length over the winter measurements,

"Thomas G. Marshall"
Ok. Hmmmm....my side porch (uncovered, and just a landing for steps
leading into the house, perhaps 5' x 7', is covered with 5/4 PT untreated,
and it was placed tight and never buckled. I'm not saying that this is
the rule, I'm just adding it as empiracle evidence that's made me start to
wonder...

PT is wood. Composites are a mix of wood sawdust and plastics. The movement
will be different so you are comparing different physical properties. With
wood, most of the expansion occurs in one dimension, the board width. With
plastics, it will occur equally in all dimensions.

Other factors are the temperature and humidity swings where you reside and
that of others who may take your empirical evidence and apply it to their
situation that may differ greatly.

On Apr 26, 6:16 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
gpsman said something like:

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear heels
on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as wide as
1/4".

JSYK, (and you probably do), there exist these plastic covers for
joists. They lay over the top to prevent the rot from trapped water
from the stuck debris.

Excuse me, clarification: They lay over the top of the joist, running the
length of it, and *under* the decking.

No, I didn't know that, thanks. But I'm going to address it from the
"free" and "I have a blower and I want the smaller crap that currently
gets stuck between the entire length of the decking to fall through
instead" perspectives.

http://i31.tinypic.com/5n8a6b.jpg
http://i32.tinypic.com/54yx4m.jpg
-----

- gpsman

On Apr 25, 9:43*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!

You need some gap , air venting of moist air. there is expansion, and
for you, dirt and rain removal . Also an ease of cleaning.

gpsman wrote:

On Apr 25, 6:57 pm, Phisherman wrote:


Boards bow, twist, and wane as they dry and seasons changes. A nail
width is about right. Fast drainage is a good thing, but you don't
want so wide of a gap that a women's spike shoe can get caught.



I think the environment and everyday maintenance needs consideration.

Most decking seems to me to have not enough gap for detritus to fall
between the boards, and if it is caught between the boards it's a
bitch to clean out and/or off the joists.

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear heels
on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as wide as
1/4".
-----

- gpsman



Don't worry about high heels. My toes get caught when I walk on our
dock. If a small child is
walking barefoot, gaps too wide might break a bone.

gpsman said something like:
On Apr 26, 6:16 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
gpsman said something like:

We have a lot of overheard and nearby trees. When I replace this
decking with composite nobody should/will be permitted to wear
heels on it (hasn't happened in 10 years anyway), I might so as
wide as 1/4".

JSYK, (and you probably do), there exist these plastic covers for
joists. They lay over the top to prevent the rot from trapped water
from the stuck debris.

Excuse me, clarification: They lay over the top of the joist,
running the length of it, and *under* the decking.

No, I didn't know that, thanks. But I'm going to address it from the
"free" and "I have a blower and I want the smaller crap that currently
gets stuck between the entire length of the decking to fall through
instead" perspectives.

http://i31.tinypic.com/5n8a6b.jpg
http://i32.tinypic.com/54yx4m.jpg

...........it will still allow things to fall through, because they run along
the top of the joist, not along the gap in the decking. But they're not
free...