Screwing Deck Boards and spacing

[n3il.h]

I had a quick look on google but couldn't see a answer...

When Screwing down a deck board, Do you just screw each end? or on every joist to?

Also while browsing I was reading a site where people in the US swear by Butting the boards together instead of leaving gaps! thought that was strange as over here people say the opposite.

 

[breezer]

surley if you screw it at ends only it will bow upwards?

Tommy Walsh always leaves a gap when he did them

 

[n3il.h]

Ok but do you screw them on every joist or just a few...I don't want to be looking at my new decking with loads of screws all the way down it

 

[breezer]

I think Tommy Walsh did every intersection, perhaps yopu could do every other one

 

[HandyHands]

A quick google threw up a number of DIY/help sites relating to decking, with loads of info. This one seemed to be particularly helpful - just that it's promoting its own brand http://www.richardburbidge.co.uk/PDF/Decking Fitting.pdf.

 

[pitbull]

I screw them on every batten and leave a gap of about 6mm between the boards.

 

[harryc]

If you look at all the American sites on decking and they do a lot of decking over there they recommend screwing down on all joists to stop the boards bouncing.
The gap between boards seems to be personal preference, its only to let the water drain away.

Harry

 

[WabbitPoo]

Screw to every joist. Joists are almost never true (flat) or never stay that way if they are. Pound to a penny the boards'll start bouncing after a while if you don't.

If you make sure the lines of screws are nice and straight it really doesn't matter that there's several lines of screws. Alternatives are deck fising which are hidden, but have never used them as they are expensive and, IMHO, un-necessary.

 

[Thermo]

the gap between the boards is essential to allow expansion and contraction of the timber during the different seasons in this country. We place the joists at 400mm centres and fix either to every joist or every other one.

 

[n3il.h]

the gap between the boards is essential to allow expansion and contraction of the timber during the different seasons in this country. We place the joists at 400mm centres and fix either to every joist or every other one.

Yeah that was what i was thinking...

 

[Thermo]

Screw to every joist. Joists are almost never true (flat) or never stay that way if they are. Pound to a penny the boards'll start bouncing after a while if you don't.

If you make sure the lines of screws are nice and straight it really doesn't matter that there's several lines of screws. Alternatives are deck fising which are hidden, but have never used them as they are expensive and, IMHO, un-necessary.

and fiddly and ****e!

 

[WabbitPoo]

Yeah, they look it.

 

[megawatt]

Screw to every joist IMO.

Key to gapping is to know whether the boards are wet or dry ... If wet gap smaller if dry gap larger.

If you gap wet boards at 6mm small kids will fall down the gap at the height of summer when the boards have dried out