# Cedar deck - spacing problem



## Due51 (Oct 26, 2005)

My deck is probably 15 years old (installed by the previous owner). 
The boards were not properly spaced during installation so there's poor drainage following a rain/snow. Now, because of that, I'm getting rotting around the edges (next to the house) and on some of the steps (had to replace and rebuild both step areas in the last year or two).

I am going to sand down the deck and restain but I'd like to do something about the poor spacing between boards. 

(To preface what I'm about to suggest, I'd like to go on record as saying, I consider myself the worst carpenter on the planet:lol: I'd like to take my circular saw, set the depth accordingly, use some spare 2x4s as guides, and run the saw along the seams (between two boards) and open up that space.

A) How horrible of an idea is that?
B) Is there a smarter way of dealing with this?


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

I was going to suggest to run the saw inbetween the boards. Just make sure you do not hit the joyces.


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## trailwart (Mar 20, 2004)

maybe a rotozip or dremal style tool with a bit for cutting? might be slower than a saw.


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## Waxdart (Sep 1, 2007)

As the second worst carpenter ever I was thinking maybe a router with some guides so you could take an even amount off both boards then you run it down the seam.


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## Mark S (Nov 4, 2009)

Saw cut it,buy a good blade not a $6.00 special. Use a guide and take it slow. If you pinch the blade the saw will want to jump keep that in mind if you think you want to rush it. Using a guide will give you a clean straight cut and make you look like a skilled carpenter


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

John,

how big is the deck? How high above the ground is it? Does it have a railing?

Using a circular saw to cut a wider slot between the boards should work, but if there's a railing you're going to run into a problem at the ends. If it's a small enough deck and doesn't have a railing, you may be better off just replacing the deck boards and spacing them correctly. You say it's about fifteen years old. The boards on there have been around a while and if it's a small enough deck it might be worth spending a couple bucks and replacing just the deck boards and when done it will look like a new deck. The structure is probably in decent shape but the deck boards themselves take a beating from the sun and elements. If the structure is sound, it's well worth just replacing the deck boards themselves. It's not that hard to do or expensive either. If that's something you think you'd like to look into just drop me a line. I'm in Rochester Hills so I could drop by and take a look at it. I could walk you through doing the job and maybe even give you a hand to get you started. Although you say you're no carpenter, I'm sure that you could handle it. Yes going this route would be a little bit of work but in the long run may be better than screwing around trying to sand fifteen year old boards.

Let me know.

John


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## eyesforever (Mar 8, 2004)

Waxdart said:


> As the second worst carpenter ever I was thinking maybe a router with some guides so you could take an even amount off both boards then you run it down the seam.


 Dang it, I was hoping I'd get the #2 spot. Oh, well guess I'll have to settle for #3.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

How wide are the gaps..........Will one pass with the saw get it.

If the boards have radiused edges the cutting method will show.

Did you consider taking the board off and doing the job the correct way ??? While you have them off for respacing you could either turn them over to the "fresh" side or run them through a planer and have a new surface.


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## sweatyspartan (May 24, 2004)

never used cedar to build a deck before (always used wolmanized 1x6 or 2x6) but the issue we've always had is the boards drying out/shifting too much and the gaps being too large even after pushing the boards as close together as possible during installation.

Good luck ripping all those boards...i would think it would be challenging to make it look decent. replacing might make more sense depending on the budget...or just flip them


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## mike the pike (Mar 11, 2008)

swampbuck said:


> While you have them off for respacing you could either turn them over to the "fresh" side or run them through a planer and have a new surface.


 
I like this the best ...but they're all good idea's


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## Celtic Archer (Nov 16, 2009)

I've been a carpenter for 25 years and you have the right idea about saw cutting the deck boards it will take the least amount of time and effort. Do as you thought set the saw depth use an edge guide and you'll be fine. I have had to do this to a couple of decks that had trex decking installed with the wrong spacing and it worked and looked fine afterward.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

I would try the router first if it were me. Some of the cheaper bits have a small guide pin on the bottom edge of the bit. A radius bit should do the trick. Just make sure the guide pin runs on the bottom edge of the boards. If you set the bit too deep, it will tend to wander.
You can always saw cut it later if this doesn't work well enough.


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## Due51 (Oct 26, 2005)

I was able to run the circular down the seams and not cut into the joists. But the gap isnt' wide enough (in my opinion).

But there are bigger problems.

As is the case with any water damage, once you open up Pandora's box, you start to see ALL the warts. The siding on the back of my house that butts up to the deck is rotted (it's hidden below the deck line, so this was a major shock to me). The back of the house faces west and there are a lot of trees so this area gets little to no sun. I pried off about 6 boards and the nails pulled through the wood. The underside of the decking isn't in that great of shape. The ends of each board seem to be rotted. Ugh!

In order to do this correctly, I have to remove ALL the decking, salvage what I can and re-deck correctly. I need to install flashing on the back of the house so I don't end up with the same rotting siding that I have now.

I have come to the conclusion that I absolutely hate wood decks, particularly cedar.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Hey Due,
Is the deck tied into the house? Do the deck boards run with the house or perpendicular? If its the way I'm picturing it (horizontal to siding) maybe you could take the siding off below the deck and mount a header to the house/plate then cut the joices back and sister in new extentions mounting them to the header? From there replace the decking back as far as needed and then stain the whole thing (solid color) to match the rest of it. 

I'd recommend you PM JPollman and ask for an experts opinion on how best to handle this type of project short of a complete rebuild. 

On the cutting between the deck boards to increase the air/water gap your on the right track. You could use a carbide tip chisel type blade, they'll give you a bit wider cut. Or, if your arbor is large/deep enough you could try and double up the blades.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Yeah, give me a shout. I'm close by and I could come out and take a look and assess the damage and what the best course of action would be. 

John


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## Rachel Lee (Jul 20, 2015)

Hi Due51,
you post it a few years ago. I have same problems as yours now. Could you tell me what was your final solution and how much it would cost?
Thanks,
Rachel


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

mike the pike said:


> I like this the best ...but they're all good idea's


I thought that the cupping had to face down on deck boards.......Routers work well if you are lucky enough to find a workable bit for them.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

GIDEON said:


> I thought that the cupping had to face down on deck boards.......Routers work well if you are lucky enough to find a workable bit for them.


The bark edge of the boards need to face up. That is the side of the board that will have the middle of it that goes up when it cups. That drains the water off the board and drain off.

I laugh when I see decking nailed with three nails one being in the middle. That middle nail is not going to do any thing to hold the board down when the board cups. All they do is make it a heck of a job tearing off the decking when you need to.


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

multibeard said:


> The bark edge of the boards need to face up. That is the side of the board that will have the middle of it that goes up when it cups. That drains the water off the board and drain off.
> 
> I laugh when I see decking nailed with three nails one being in the middle. That middle nail is not going to do any thing to hold the board down when the board cups. All they do is make it a heck of a job tearing off the decking when you need to.


With the cedar we have been getting lately it's awful hard to get one nice side out of a board, let alone a nice side with the cup down. Junk, junk, junk. We got a whole bunk a month ago I'd be embarrassed to build pallets out of


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Jimw said:


> With the cedar we have been getting lately it's awful hard to get one nice side out of a board, let alone a nice side with the cup down. Junk, junk, junk. We got a whole bunk a month ago I'd be embarrassed to build pallets out of


Been there done that to many times. I have only used cedar a couple of times but have ran into some really bad stuff some times regardless of what the material was. When 5/4 first came out is a SYP. The first bunk we got had been core drilled full depth to see how well treated it was. Sent most of the bunk back.
I built an 8 X 16 deck on my place a couple of years ago. I bought Lowes best grade pine. I had them open a new bunk as what was in the rack was all throw outs. I ended up with a deck with only 7 knots in the whole thing.


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