The new composite decking on my porch buckled after a single hot week

I installed it myself about six months ago, following the spacing guidelines to the letter. We had a solid week of 95-degree weather in July, and the long runs on the south side just pushed together and popped up. Everyone online says these boards don't move much, but mine sure did. Had to pull up a whole section and add another 1/8 inch gap. Has anyone else had to space composite wider than the manual says?

2 comments

2 Comments

caseyfox19d ago

Tbh "following the spacing guidelines to the letter" is my whole DIY life story.

christopher90318d ago

Yeah, that line about following the guidelines to the letter hits home, @caseyfox. The manuals are a good start, but they can't cover every situation. In my experience, the listed spacing is a bare minimum, especially for long, direct-sun runs. A lot depends on the specific brand and the color you pick, since darker boards just soak up more heat. Adding that extra gap was the right move.