How-To
Six Tips for Planning a Successful Deck Build
To ensure the success of a home improvement project, the planning stage may loom as the most important. Here are six planning considerations when building a Trex® deck.
August 19, 2022
Joist Spanning and Gapping
The success of your deck build begins with the proper joist spanning and gapping. Ignoring the proper installation guidelines for both can ruin the build before you even get started.
Joists must be spaced on centre at either 12”, 16” or 24” depending upon the size of the deck board and whether it will be used for residential or commercial use. For heavy items such as hot tubs and planters, consult your local building code office for span requirements which vary from locality to locality.
If you want to minimise the appearance of joists through the spaces between boards, cover the joists with Trex® Protect™ tape or paint the top of your joists black.
Proper gapping of the deck boards, which allows for drainage and expansion and contraction of the boards, is critically important. Always follow gapping guidelines for width-to-width and end-to-end measurements. By attaching directly to the joist and into the grooved edge of our board, Trex Hideaway® Universal Hidden Fasteners achieve consistent gapping and leave the top of your deck with no visible screen heads.
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