Decking it out 4" aims for a comehack against 6"

f\HANCES are the vast majority of decking you sell is 6 \-rinches wide. Most deck builders seem content with the relative ease of installation and comparative cost of 6" boards.

Yet there are several reasons to consider lx4 or 514x4 over lx6 or 514x6, particularly when using fine woods.

"Wood deck boards shrink and expand as they lose and take on moisture, and 6" boards are 5OVo wider than 4" boards-5-l12" vs. 3-ll2'," pointed out Steve Getsiv, Oregon-Canadian Forest Products, North Plains, Or. "In close-to-ground applications, the deck boards will absorb moisture off the ground, and they will dry out from the top. This creates cupping, and 4" boards will always perform better than 6" boards in this application."

He explained that with 4" deck boards fastened with two screws per joist, the screws are spaced approximately 1ll2" closer together than with 6" boards. The movement when 4" deck boards expand and shrink will put less sideto-side stress on the deck boards, and therefore 4" decking is less likely to break fasteners. "While it is true that more fasteners are required to install 4" boards than 6" boards," Getsiv said, "4" boards have the advantage of superior long-term performance. "

He also claimed 4"-wide deck boards are easier to install in terms of alignment. "They are more flexible and it is easier to achieve the ideal spacing between boards," Getsiv noted. "More importantly, because they move less, 4" boards are less likely to close up during wet weather, and they are less likely to show large gaps during dry weather."

One would think that dealers would gladly stock more 4", anxious to increase the amount of decking and fasteners sold per project while ensuring their customers get a longer lasting deck. Yet Getsiv's recommendation may not be something the average deck builder-fixated on short-term costs-wants to hear. In a survey of 18 deck contractors across the country, 15 use 6"-wide boards exclusively or almost exclusively.

Most choose 6" due to cost and availabilitv. "We have installed both [6" and 4"]," said contractor l.l. Shirely, Anthony & Co. Construction, Youngsville, N.C. "We usually use 6" as it's most cost effective and most supply houses stock this material."

Similarly, Ken Matthiesen, I Build Decks, St. George, Ks., builds decks exclusively with 6"-wide boards, due to appearance, the need for fewer boards, strength, and the fact that most composites come only in 6".

Don Weaver, Deck City, Richmond, Va., said, "We primarily use 6"-wide decking boards because of availability-composite decking doesn't come in 4" widths-as well as labor savings, since a deck can be installed quicker using the 6" boards."

For Edward Wittlinger, Deck Tech, Bedford, Oh., it comes down to simple math. "You get more for the money [with 6"]," he said. "How much is a 16' 2x4 and a 16' 2x6? One is going to give you 3.5" of coverage while the other 5.5. If you put this though a test and build a deck on paper (say l2xl6) and do a material list, you will see that the 2x4 decking would cost the builder a lot more."

"Personally," said David Langley, Space-By-Design, Carlsbad, Ca., "I like 6" because it is quicker to install. 4" is often bowed or twisted, making it tough to lay. Too many gaps make it difficult to keep clean, and it tends to look too busy. My customers tend to go along with me."

Doug Morgan, Dixie Decks, Brandon, Ms., has "no real preference," but uses 5/4x6 decking "most of the time because it is readily available."

"I never offer to use anything but 6"-wide decking," shared Charlie Neal, Prairie Rose Custom Decks, Coppell, Tx. "I have only built two or three decks with 2x4 deck boards. One, because I was just starting and didn't know any better, and the others because I was adding on to existing decks which already had 2x4 deck boards. I see no advantage for 2x4 deck boards. It takes more time and more screws, and with treated pine the 2x4s warp just as badly, maybe more than 2x6s. My potential customers never seem to request 2x4 deck boards on their own."

Rick Parish, Decks Appeal, Plano, Tx., uses 6" boards for appearance reasons. "We never get asked for 4" deck- ing and all we really sell is 6"," he said. "The reason is that 4" decking looks really busy with all the lines, and the screws are just so close together. With 4" decking, screws are no more than2" apart"

Looks are also a big factor for Shawn Miller, Class Designs Inc., Centennial, Co. "My belief has always been fewer boards make for a cleaner look-fewer seams and gaps," he said. "We are currently working with one of the composite companies to have them produce an 8" decking board for the same reason. On the production side, the fewer boards to lay, the quicker you can complete the flooring. So, not only does a wider board look nicer, it is quicker to install and uses fewer screws. Our customers have always been very happy with the results and in our market 6" boards are now the norm."

Steve A. Mcl-emore, Outdoor Renovations, Inc., Dallas, Tx., agreed: "Most of our customers-95Vo-opt for 6" wide decking boards in lieu of 4" simply because it is considerably less expensive. On a l4-ft. wide deck it takes approximately 507o more 4" deck boards to cover the area than 6". The end result is that not only is the labor cost more, but the material cost is more even though a 4" board costs less than a 6" board."

"I prefer a wider deck board as long as it won't cup or warp," said Jason Russell, Dr. Decks, Tacoma, Wa. "Composites mostly only offer a 6" wide board anyways and that is 90Vo of the decks we build. 6" wide boards are quicker to install and protect the joist a little bit better. Sometimes a 4" board looks nicer for architectural purposes and can sometimes cost less per square foot for material. Most of my customers have asked for a wider board, but not many lor a nanower one."

Some deck builders do use 4" in limited applications. Although Outdoor Environments, Overland Park, Ks., has never had a request to place 2x4 decking, Dick DeVuyst said, "We have used 2x4 in small accent areas to change the look of the deck or to outline a small area of the deck. While 2x6 decking is the norm, 2x4 decking would be more labor intensive due to the number of deck boards handled, and the increased number of screws or nails needed. If the decking is placed at 45' angles, then cutting each one would take more time also."

Some contractors are building more and more decks with 4", depending on the material.

"It's all a matter of the design of the deck and the customer's wishes," noted Bill Gilbert, Gilbert Exteriors, Milford, Ct. "I have found that if it's a small deck construction some prefer 4". I usually recommend 514x6 for better footing and overall apperance regardless of the size of the deck. I prefer to go with my customers' wishes, though. Makes the project go smoother. They get what they want, I get the job, and we're both happy in the long run. If I leave an unhappy customer I'll never get a recomendation from them. That's important for any business you're involved in."

"Most [customers] express no preference and accept the 6" decking board," said George Drummond, Casa Decks, Virginia Beach, Va. "However, when we work in some of the 'period' neighborhoods, we try to match style and period. That leads us to a 4" board. We have had request for 1x4 T&G, but unless we are under a covered porch and have a slight drainage slope, we will have Grade | 2x4s milled with a beveled edge to provide the T&G look. With the 514x4, we automatically bring joist spacing to 12" and that is actually not narrow enough for support with diagonal decking. Cost is slightly higher-labor and fasteners, but 4" decking looks better on a smaller deck."

MOST COMPOSITE deck boards, includinq TimberTech's 2x6 plank, come only in 6-inch widths.

He continued, "Because our deck market is really price sensitive, the tendency is to go with decking that is normally stocked. But, when trying to complement a period house, customers preference is normally 4" if that option is presented by the builder."

Now, there wasn't always a preponderence of 6" widths. "Twenty years ago you'd be hard pressed to find a 6" deck board," recalled Randy Varga, Decking Northwest, Lake Oswego, Or. "Then about 12 years ago, 2x6 started taking hold. Then when the composites began arriving about six or so years ago, that's really all there was (6"). In the wood industry, the 2x6 lumber cups, because the top dries faster than the bottom. They always want to put the bark side up, but nowadays we can't get any of that [for decking]; it all goes for cedar siding. We get the top third of the tree. So they started putting kerfs in the back of the boards to release tension, so it cups less."

The recent surge in imported hardwood decking has rejuvenated the 4" widths. "There are so many exotic hardwoods, I can't even pronouce all the names," Varga said. "They are usually lx4 or 5/4x4 because the [species] tend to cup more. All hardwoods I install are lx4 or 514x4. If the customer insists on 6" boards. I tell them. 'I can walk or you can sign a waiver.' I can't stand behind something I've experienced problems with. If I go to a clear cedar deck, I go to a 4" board."

Some other contractors are also building more and more decks with 4", depending on the material. "It depends on the type of wood or material used for the decking," agreed Mike St. Antoine, Cedar Decks Construction, Kirkland, Wa. "If a customer wants a composite, their main choice is 6". If they want cedar, and 857o do, they go with the 514x4 decking (4"). 2x6 cedar is so costly, that the 5/4x4 wins out987o of the time."

So, dealers take note. In the future,4" could present an increasingly popular option for deck builders more concerned about long-term performance than short-term costs. "Most customers don't have a preference, but I would say 4" would be less likely to cup than the 6"," said Tommy Hollis, Lone Star Decks, Dallas, Tx. "Only composite decking is guaranteed not to cup, so wood products I use are 4" if available."