![]() ![]() ![]() Having a breaker board configured on your deck provides a secure parameter around your boards, keeping them contained and in one place.īecause butt joints can lead to a destabilisation of your deck, there is a greater risk of your entire deck collapsing. We’ll outline below why we think breaker boards are undeniably the best way to install and configure your deck. You should certainly use breaker boards (rather than butt joints) if your deck is over 5.4 metres in length. Many of the problems you’ll experience with butt joints are alleviated when using a breaker board as an alternate spacing and configuration solution. Why breaker boards are ideal when installing a deck A chain reaction occurs which destabilises the entire deck, all because there are so many different points of contacts between boards using butt joint configuration.The board is pushed in front of the butt joints, creating a domino effect and potentially dislodging boards from its underlying frame.This inevitably causes problems in the long run, as decking boards expand, contract and break apart over time.īut even if boards are held together properly using butt joints, this configuration technique results in two unavoidable problems for composite decks if they expand or contract along their length: Too many times, we’ve seen clips holding deck boards together incorrectly at the butt joints. Because there are often so many different points that the boards intersect across the deck, the clips at the intersection point must be properly secured. Most decks are built using “butt joints”, which is where deck boards intersect one another often in a ‘staggered’ design. Why can’t I just use butt joints on my deck? If your decking boards are shorter than the length of your deck, it is practical to install a breaker board with the deck boards on either side. They are kept secure by screws into the deck and are easy to remove if necessary if you need to go underneath your deck for any particular purpose. This is so that force does not become concentrated on any particular area of your board to ultimately cause it damage.īreaker board look like strips, which have been cut into the decking after it is laid. How breaker boards workīreaker boards quite literally ‘break up’ or separate your boards by distributing the force of their contraction and expansion. This leaves your deck in a healthy condition for longer and reduces the level of maintenance required. This is where breaker boards can provide the most value, as they can slow down the process of expansion and contraction. Expansion especially accelerates when decks are exposed to wet and humid weather. Composite decking boards are manufactured from a combination of wood fibres and recycled plastics, which means they have a greater tendency to expand and contract when weather fluctuates (a process called linear expansion ). This is especially the case for composite decking. Unfortunately, deck boards have a natural tendency to expand as they get older – no matter how correct the spacing is between them. It is time-consuming and expensive to maintain and replace them. This will then inevitably cause them to break apart. Without correct spacing, the decking boards can become mouldy, cup, buckle, and ultimately rot. A gap leaves your deck with sufficient space to drain, dry, contract and expand without the wood undergoing damage. The spacing between boards on your deck is vital. They’re used to keep your deck boards straight and at the same length, control expansion and contraction, while minimising the amount of wastage your deck may generate over time. In decking, a breaker board is a board that runs perpendicular to the surface a of a deck. ![]() We’ll also briefly outline a step-by-step guide you can use to install a breaker board on your deck. In this article, we’ll explain exactly what a breaker board is, how they work and why they are undeniably the best way to install your deck – especially if you’re using high-quality composite decking. We’re strongly of the view that breaker boards are the ideal configuration install your deck – whether that’s on a residential or a commercial property. However, using butt joints is not the best way to achieve a sustainable and healthy deck in the longer term. This is a common, and relatively affordable, way of configuring your deck. Traditionally, most people install decking on their properties using butt joints as a way to hold their boards together, leaving a certain level of space to separate each board. When installing a deck on your property, it’s critical to configure your deck boards so that there is the correct amount of spacing between them. ![]()
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