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Naturally, if you’re building from deck plans, you want that new deck to last as long as possible before rot sets in. What you might not realize is that it’s not enough to build with pressure-treated lumber or a rot-resistant species like cedar. You also need to build that new deck so the structure dries as quickly as possible after a rain, regardless of the deck plans you follow. And this is especially important where the ends of deck boards come together. This location is one of the most vulnerable areas of any deck plans, and spaced installation can easily double deck board life. The western red cedar deck boards you see to the left are just 15 years old, but they’re rotten on the ends only because they stayed wet there.
Most builders nail deck boards down tight at the ends, but this is also why top boards are often the first place a rot set in, regardless of the deck plans you follow. Water wicks up the passages where sap flowed in the living tree, and speeds rot a lot. But there is an alternative that’s simple and effective, and my “Sharpie Marker” video tutorial below explains how. It’s one of 11 videos in my video ebook Love Your Deck. Download a copy here.
VIDEO TUTORIAL: DOUBLE DECK BOARD LIFE BY SPACING
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