Do not install T&G decking outside exposed to the weather like you would install an inside floor.

Reread, Again, one more time.

This is the mistake the ol timers made. They jamed up the material together,put a lot of major fall in the frame and thought the water would just run along on top of the boards to the out side. They sometimes caulked the joint thinking this would help. What actually happened was the water got traped in the joint,caused rot to happen quickley,and provided a soggy floor. Everyone just put up with it and the Carpenters kept doing it because thats the way they had always done it and by god nobody is going to tell me its not right my dad taught me this and.......on and on it went. And still seems to go from coments I get over here on the subject.

One More Time The idea is to fasten the T&G decking so it will drain the same way as face fastened material, thru the gap. I order my material from East Teak they run the stuff thru the shaper with an extra 1/8'' in the G and a beval on both sides. Using say 3/4 x 6'' ipe a 1/8'' predrill thu the G not past that into the pt frame,allow a 1/16'' gap or so,use construction adhesive on the joists. Snug up the 7x 2 1/2'' ss torx drive screw, I cut a 1/2'' slot in the T every 3' or so. Done right the screw and the slot do not show.

The amount of distance between the joist and the ground is not as important as the amount of air moving under it. You must provide cross ventalation,air in, air out,on this install as well as any other ipe install. In fact any decking install needs this.

Sometimes I get Cacka like this>> Man that little gap is going to clog up!! I leave a 5 mile gap between boards you just dont understand my area,that little gap is going to cause rot. A ipe or for that matter any South American lumber in our life time will not rot.
B the five mile gap will fill up as well and cause more organic mixture than a 1/16'' gap
C I have T&G ipe jobs out 10 years done exactley the way I posted with 0 problems including my own out back of Butler Manor.

If your guy dosent like this,or wants to question what I do,or just flat out wont do it. I dont really care, in fact this is the last time I am going thru this, in fact you Folks at home dont try this, dont call or E-mail me for more info. This is all your going to get the JonMon is done with this subject.

John Hyatt www.deckmastersllc.com

Thank you, John. It sounds like you are asked these questions a lot, and I apologize for asking them again. I have tried searching this forum for information so as not to repeat questions, but have not had any luck with the search engine.

No problem, I might have gotten a little heavy handed on that one.

Hope the project goes well. J.

Jon Mon,

If the T&G is Ipe, won't that stop the rot? Just wondering how tough that stuff would be in that use.

Ghessssssssssss. J.