Laying Deck Boards Start and Finsh question

GadgetDaddy · 17 Jun 2010

Hiya Everyone,

Probably will be starting to lay my boards tomorrow onto my frame my question is do I start at one side and work my was across or do I lay one at one side and one at the end and fit the remaining boards in-between?

May seem like a daft question but Im concerned that I start laying them then at the end I only need a partial board a quarter/third across which means cutting all the way down a 4 metre board

Any advice gratefully received

Cheers

Thermo · 17 Jun 2010

start one end and yes you will need to cut one board, unless you gauge it out right

WabbitPoo · 17 Jun 2010

Depending on how many boards you have to lay, you should be able to take up the slack of a partial board width by spacing out the boards a little. Given that you would normally space them out 5mm apart, a few at 6 or 7 here or there can soon eliminate the need for that long cut you mention. Trick is to lay the boards out first and see what gap u have left at the end, then adjust spacing accordingly.

GadgetDaddy · 17 Jun 2010

thanks lads,
now what about cutting the square edges out of the boards for the newels, whats the best tool/method as I can see a problem if I cut two straight lines into the board how would I cut the bottom bit out to effectively remove that piece of board from the rest, hope you understand what I mean
cheers

ColJack · 17 Jun 2010

presumably you're talking about the curvature of a circular saw blade and the fact that there will be a little bit left uncut underneath when the top of the cut reaches the line?

a simple handsaw to finish off should do..

GadgetDaddy · 17 Jun 2010

sorry mate I didnt make myself clear I meant cutting a square out of the board so it can slide around the newel

See my crude picture below

ColJack · 17 Jun 2010

ah, then it's a jigsaw you want..

following the drawing below, do the straight cuts first, then the curved cuts taking out the yellow area, then the green area, then finaly the straight cut at the back taking out the blue area.. View media item 23592

Thermo · 17 Jun 2010

i use a handsaw to d the cuts both sides and a sharp chisel to do teh final knock out of the square

GadgetDaddy · 17 Jun 2010

thanks once more lads for the advice

GadgetDaddy · 20 Jun 2010

Hiya lads Im back

,

Ive fekked up

Spent the last few days bustin' ma balls, getting to the final stages and cutting the boards to fit the frame and the circular saw I was using cut right into the frame so Ive ruined about 3 boards and will have to lift and replace them however I can use them as front trim, but thats my problem I cannot cut for toffee either with a circular or jigsaw especially the bit Ive fecked up its a 45 degree corner thats to be used for entrance exit, what can I do?!?! even using a handsaw I make a bit of a mess the circ saw makes the cleanest cut but its a fekking crazy tool puts the chits up me using it

The only thing I could think of as a plan d was to cut closeish then buy an electric plane to get a nice finish unless yo can tell me different
Anyhow heres some pics of my fek up for your amusement

ColJack · 21 Jun 2010

you didn't nail a straight edge down then?

GadgetDaddy · 21 Jun 2010

no i just "went for it" wether it was a jigsaw / circ saw or hand saw I just tried to keep the blade against the joist, this is what Im after tips/tricks/tools to do the job

Thermo · 21 Jun 2010

you can cut straight you just have got a line to follow.

youll need to replace the boards. mark the line you want and leave a little nearer the edge to avoid the frame. put the saw blade on the line and mark where the edge of the plate of the saw comes at each end. then as col jack says, put a straight piece of timber on teh second line and screw it down. this will give you a guide for the edge of the circular saw to run against.

GadgetDaddy · 21 Jun 2010

thanks lads for the tips I will try and them into practice today at some point

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Laying Deck Boards Start and Finsh question

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