Information on decking materials, patio surfacing, porch rails, screens, and ceilings, and more
Deck, Patio, Porch: Featured Article
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Q: There are big gaps between the posts and railings on my deck. Please help! By the way, before I was born, my older sisters, who'd been watching This Old House since they were babies, wanted to name me Norm Abram Genet.
—Emily Genet, O'Fallon, MO.
When installing new pressure-treated decking, butt the ends of the boards tightly together as you fasten them down. The boards will shrink as they dry out, resulting in the appropriate-size gap of 1/4 to 3/8 inches between the boards.
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