# Forum Home Renovation Decking  What have people used as spacers for decking boards?

## BaggyRed

What have people used as a spacer for their decking baords - was looking at going about 3mm-5mm. 
So need to find something nice and consistent - and easy to use

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## Vernonv

Hi,
When I did my deck (about 100sqm in size) I used a method as described by another forum member - unfortunately I can't find the original post. 
Lets assume you have the first row down. Now measure out another 6 rows from the first row ( 6 x board width + 3mm spacing) then then snap a chalk line. Nail the sixth row along the edge of that chalk line. Now place the intervening 5 rows between the 1st and 7th row. 
Starting at one end, space the boards out using thin wedges (I cut them from decking boards). Tap them in tight and get the spacing right between all the boards. Also do the same at the next joist position (joist 2).
Nail off the boards on the first joist. Remove the wedges and put them at the next joist (which will be the third joist in this case) and set the spacing of the boards. 
Nail off the boards on the second joist, remove the spacers ... and continue on like that. 
I found it an excellent way to adjust/fine tune spacing and it's easy to keep the boards parallel to the start and finish points. 
And exactly a direct answer to what you asked, but I hope it helps.

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## BaggyRed

> Hi,
> When I did my deck (about 100sqm in size) I used a method as described by another forum member - unfortunately I can't find the original post. 
> Lets assume you have the first row down. Now measure out another 6 rows from the first row ( 6 x board width + 3mm spacing) then then snap a chalk line. Nail the sixth row along the edge of that chalk line. Now place the intervening 5 rows between the 1st and 7th row. 
> Starting at one end, space the boards out using thin wedges (I cut them from decking boards). Tap them in tight and get the spacing right between all the boards. Also do the same at the next joist position (joist 2).
> Nail off the boards on the first joist. Remove the wedges and put them at the next joist (which will be the third joist in this case) and set the spacing of the boards. 
> Nail off the boards on the second joist, remove the spacers ... and continue on like that. 
> I found it an excellent way to adjust/fine tune spacing and it's easy to keep the boards parallel to the start and finish points. 
> And exactly a direct answer to what you asked, but I hope it helps.

  that's some good advice - about keeping the whole thing in a line - will definitely be doing that. 
so with using the wedges, did you just judge it by eye when assessing the gaps??

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## Vernonv

> so with using the wedges, did you just judge it by eye when assessing the gaps??

  Yep and it's easy to get a nice consistent gap, and the wedges hold the boards tight while you drill and nail them. Just make sure the wedges are thin at the tip and slowly taper to about 8 to 10mm thick (total length maybe 75mm). 
Tap them in with a hammer to widen the gap and wiggle them to reduce the gap. Once I have the gaps I want, I would give each wedge another tap to tighten the whole lot up.

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## TermiMonster

If I want a wide spacing, I use a rule (5mm), for something less, I use the decking nails themselves as spacers.  (Yes, you still need to check you're right now and again, as described above.)
TM

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## glock40sw

3" nails 
or   
fibro sheet offcuts

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## Planned LScape

I just use the titadek nails also. You have to be critical that your 1st board is parellel to the house or wall and then check every few boards that it is still running straight.  
It's also handy where possible to work out your framework to finish on a full board. Example, I usually use 90mm boards for decks or screens and just get a dimension that goes into 93mm, which is a width of a board plus a 3mm thick nail.

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## Ronaldo451

I used some old chisels -  drop the chisel between the fixed and 'going to be fixed' lengths and push against it as you nail in. The handle on the chisel stops it dropping through if it moves as you are getting ready to hammer and is easy to extract afterwards. 
As above though, regularly check for overall straightness of placement.

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## BaggyRed

thanks all! 
for those using nails - are you banging them into the joists to keep them in position - or just the pressure from pushing the boards in firm?

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## raff

I used tile spacers. Cheap, consistant and readily available in 3mm & 5mm. Placed one at every joist and any bowed boards were simply jacked into place and screwed.  
As others have said, no matter what technique you use, check your running square every 5 boards or so, even if you spacers are perfect your boards may have slight variancies in width.

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## Dan574

If using a nail,hammer it half way through a small piece of timber, stops it falling through

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## BaggyRed

> If using a nail,hammer it half way through a small piece of timber, stops it falling through

  That answer above all has made me feel like the biggest twit. 
What a simple yet practical solution!!!!

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## Dan574

I got scared of by the first reply the other day, was going to say all I use is a piece of timber with a nail through it.  
Get the first board square with the house with a big square I made myself or use the triangle method of calculation and away I go, every metre I set a string line parallel with the first board to check for sqaure and measure along each joist from the string line to the last board, if it starts to run I adjust to get it back in square.

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## UteMad

string line the first board you lay dead straight as a start..
packers?
masonite
fibro
3 inch nail
horse shoe packer
aluminium offcut
patented plastic deck spacer
anythin you have around 3-4mm thick the list goes forever 
doesn't matter what you use.. if its your first go laying boards re string every 6th board to check how your going and also measure to the end of your deck or the house which ever way your heading to see if you running parallel to it.. if you do this you can correct things before they get out of hand .. we can even twist a deck 40mm if the two ends are out of parallel without seeing if just buy checking regularly and spreading one end.. take your time check with stringline regularly and dont rely heavily on packers as board width can vary up to 3mm so if you blindly pack off the last board you will get wobbles in the deck 
cheers utemad

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## BaggyRed

Hi all - thanks for the advice 
am using a 3" nail - 3.75mm in width. 
I am running a pathway around my house - about a metre wide - with a significant portion running parallel to the house - the advice I got was to start from the outside getting your boards exact - and then work back to the house  
any thoughts?

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## UteMad

If you do it this way as a first timer make your you map out the boards and work out how many you'll need to reach the house then start so that you will be cutting say 10mm off the house one to fit cause there is nothing worse than getting to the house with a 15-25mm gap that you cant fix a board into .. you are guaranteed to have to rip the last board doing it this way which aint a prob so long as your comfortable doing this..  
cheers utemad

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## BaggyRed

> If you do it this way as a first timer make your you map out the boards and work out how many you'll need to reach the house then start so that you will be cutting say 10mm off the house one to fit cause there is nothing worse than getting to the house with a 15-25mm gap that you cant fix a board into .. you are guaranteed to have to rip the last board doing it this way which aint a prob so long as your comfortable doing this..  
> cheers utemad

  Hi utemad - I know what i'm good at and what i'm not good at. 
Building decks and landscaping I'm not good at (hence i am on here every day asking dumb questions) 
Luckily what i am good at is maths which is why I know i have 12 boards from the house to the edge of the pathway, including the 3.7mm gaps, plus allowing for a slight lip over the edge of the joists   :Smilie:

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## UteMad

I am glad just dont bank on all boards being the same width though cause its timber not plastic.. up to 3mm variances occur.. Merbau run 87mm - 91mm as a rule 
Check your pack for uniformity first  
cheers utemad

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## chuth77

> If using a nail,hammer it half way through a small piece of timber, stops it falling through

  Makes the job so much easier!! Especially when doing 100m2...

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## barney118

Baggy, 
Also check to see if your timber is kiln dried or not, as you might end up with a bigger space than you expect as timber likes to shrink if not already dried. If mot you could butt up to each other and over time they will shrink the 3-5mm you are after.
Like all timbers when cut they also like to curl so stack you timber neatly with plently of packers while waiting to lay. Use a stringline/chalk line to start

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