Step Four: Once the framing is complete, the decking can be attached.
Here the material is clear cedar 2x4. Today you would have a hard time finding
such beautiful lumber, and the cost would be prohibitive. I have used treated
lumber for decks, but around here that means it will be Hemlock, and that is not
a great material for outdoor use. It tends to split easily and will warp if not
very securely attached. You might look into some of the newer manufactured products
that use recycled plastics.
When attaching your decking, you will need to leave a space between each of the
boards. I keep a handful of 20d galvanized commons in my tool belt for the purpose.
Attach a board, then tack one of the 20d nails into every other joist. The next deck board
is then pushed
up against the spacer nails and attached.
As you work, stop every few boards and go to the end of the deck so that you can
sight down the decking to see if you are keeping things straight or forcing them out
of line. You can also measure from your starting board out to the last board you attached
to see if things measure the same at several points. With a bit of finesse, you can
make corrections as needed.
