How Far Should Deck Boards Be From Siding

You should try to end the decking with a full width board if possible.

How far should deck boards be from siding.

Divide this distance by the width of the decking boards plus 1 8. Tools and tips for proper deck board spacing. You extract the face nails from any piece and pull it down and out. There should be at least a 4 inch step down to the deck itself.

Many jurisdictions following the international building code which requires a minimum 1 8 inch spacing between boards. Now i realize that i need to leave a 2 minimum gap between decking and hardiplank siding which means 2 of gray siding to deck gap general discussion contractor talk. However if it s open to the elements read on. When they do removing and repairing siding is easy.

Plan accordingly based on how dry your decking is. Adjust spacing between deck boards measure to the house at both ends and in the center when you get within about 5 ft. When you are about 6 10 feet from the end of the deck check the remaining distances from the edge. Adjust the spacing between deck boards gradually over the next 10 rows of decking until the distance to the house is equal.

Generally an acceptable gap between deck boards is between 1 8 inch and 1 4 inch. Gaps are not necessary at the butt joints where the end of two boards come together when installing hardwoods. Predrilling is typically necessary when fastening any type of hardwood decking. The course overlaps are generally between 1 2 inch and 2 inches.

Both sizes have their pros and cons. Carefully determine the height for the ledger which will also be the height for all the joist framing. If you have poor ventilation wider is always better. The first board you install should be about 1 8 3 5mm away from the siding to account for drainage expansion and contraction.

Face nails may or may not clear the siding beneath. The top of the ledger board should be lower than the desired top of the finished deck by one decking board s thickness plus the thickness of the flashing usually 1 8 inch. Unless a deck is covered it shouldn t be at the same level as the door to your home. I have flashed my deck ledger board with that 2 sided copper vinyl stuff.

The last board won t look good if it s skinny or cut at an angle. You can slightly spread or shrink the gaps for a perfect fit. If the deck is enclosed or has a roof that doesn t allow water to get inside you need not worry. Wet wood if your wood is damp during installation place the boards closer together since they ll shrink once they dry.

Cumaru deck board gapping allow a minimum of 1 8 gap between board widths on 4 wide decking and 3 16 gap between board widths on 6 wide decking for drainage airflow and expansion.