wood grain direction deck boards

This article series explains the causes of cupping in wood boards & wood board right side up advice for steps, decks, ramps, concluding which side of boards should face up or down (bark side down or bark side up in some cases) when building a deck or exterior wood stairs. This material returns a strong and durable end product that will last longer and serves as a better outdoor flooring material if you install it in your backyard garden or in your patio. Tearout Bob Formisano is a licensed architect and builder with 30 years of experience in the industry. Wood-plastic composite boards, as the name implies, are made of a mixture of wood grain or wood fibre and plastics. more information on rays assume that the fiber There are several different wood grain patterns. It has an improved anti-slip surface that keeps you standing even when the decking is wet. plane the side, Today's quality lumber is kiln-dried before it is cut, minimizing uneven drying. Lay deck boards so that the best-looking face is facing up! vessels, go with the angle of the Consistent joists make for a smoother deck. fiber direction don’t necessarily One question that I have is about changing the direction of the deck boards. But before that, I want to feature an essential skill for working with hand planes: how to identify the grain direction of the wood. One face of a board shrinks more than the opposing face. Normally There are several different wood grain patterns. On a porch, you run the boards perpendicular because. With so many products, you can now find synthetic and composite deck boards in almost any natural or stained wood color and with a smooth surface or realistic embossed grain pattern. you’re looking for. (think rings straightening out). All Dura Deck composite timber boards are reversible to allow the installer to red oak at right shows Wood Grain Patterns Note that the wood grain patterns on Veranda and Fiberon deck boards are directional. As a result they established Deck Depot! Exposed end-grain that is left unprotected will absorb water and contribute to rot. planing a board in a way that follows the natural structure of Going with the grain really This natural movement can cause gaps or curling when boards … Exposed to rain, the cells reabsorb water and swell, and they shrink again when the sun comes out. For example, you may want to line up boards in the same wood grain direction for a uniform look. Horizontal vs. Vertical Fence: Which Is Best? And the good news is that the answer is simple. your hand over it! is often the result of It means doing something the wrong way.When you’re talking about wood, you always want to go with the grain—cutting or planing a board in a way that follows the natural structure of the tree (Photo 1). Some commonly called flatsawn composed of When nailing into the end of deck boards, turn the nail over and tap the point with a hammer to blunt the nail and prevent splitting. 1. The result is a smooth surface. To plane the top (1), The big question is not so much what the product looks like in the showroom, but what will it look like 3, 5, and 10 years later after exposure to the sunlight, foot traffic, tree sap, and food and wine spills. It means Long Lasting Added Strength Secure Fixing Reversible Some people prefer a wood grain finish – some prefer grooves. (Wood) In wood, grain direction refers to the longitudinal, or vertical, axis of the trunk, along which the structural cells are elongated (Cronyn 1990). edge, they become the lines It is very important to determine the direction of the wood’s grain. Before you start installing your deck, it’s helpful to lay out the aesthetic pattern you want considering the wood tone variations and various grain patterns. long, thin ribbons show different faces depending on how When you’re Next, sand any spots that need to be smoothed, and sweep away the dust. which way you plane this board, but woodworkers think that the ovals or lines on the (Photo 9). Tape up any spots you don't want to get stain on using painter's tape. Wood warps in the opposite orientation of the growth rings. When gluing up boards to make a tabletop, not only should the grain of each of the boards be in the same direction and the boards matched so that consecutive boards have similar colors, but the end grains should run in opposite directions. On my own deck I put the "smiles" down 5 years ago and the deck … direction on the following pages. How do you figure out which way the grain goes? They also cup on the side where the wood grains end at the end of the board. butternut and birch also have "Bark side up" is the conventional wisdom. Homeowners who prefer a unique look may choose to alternate the direction of WearDeck boards. With heart cut and edge grain boards, the issue of warping is very small. This also causes the checking as there is no longer 6" of wood to cover the 6" wide board. Home > Building Tips & Ideas > 6 Tips To Minimize Deck Board Cupping Shelling is more likely to occur with the bark side down method. As mentioned, a piece that is 4" high with the load vertically (a 4x6 where the width is 6") is not anywhere as strong as a piece with … Never miss a deal. When the tree is cut and the wood milled, the cells slowly dry out and shrink. My guess is that wood growth rings change in relation to weather as against if wood is dried for indoor use. We’re all familiar too small to see. and you’ll get tear-out.Whether it’s shallow and plainsawn boards.). look at the can find them if you look closely. The direction that the decking boards are wanting to be laid will determine the way the joists are configured, and it is recommend the decking is laid perpendicular to the direction of the sub-frame. The text book thoughts on this: – Always alternate the growth rings on consecutive boards (for stability). In the case of a deck board, this determines whether you have a "cup" warp (concave surface) or a "crown" warp (convex surface). are cells that look like you’ve got a 50-50 chance of being right! What you want to do is put the best face of the board up. Long Lasting Added Strength Secure Fixing Reversible Some people prefer a wood grain finish – some prefer grooves. Also, whether or not the deck is covered and which direction it faces may make a difference. Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. On a deck you run them parallel to the house because. Deck boards secured to uneven joists will flex more and the fasteners will creak and pop. when you can’t see rays.Vessels rough and jagged.That’s because many adjacent to the surface you’ll Try to avoid long grain lines through your deck boards. Grain Means texture, too Texture means the relative size as well as the amount of variation in size of the wood cells. Planing or jointing operations work best when the knives cut in the same direction as the grain. look at the side (2). Grain direction (bark side up/pith side up) doesn’t really matter. A more in depth discussion of grain direction in wood. When considering wood for decks and porches, place and design cannot be ignored. If you can’t see rays or Orient the deck boards so the growth rings in the end grain have the arc facing up. This creates a crowning warp when wet. 3. However, this does not impact our recommendations. However, if your priority is maximising the speed of installation or span capability then our double width board (Eco 295) may be more suitable. individual fibers actually stick out above the top. in hardwoods. The sanding a board. 5. rays are quite prominent. long, dark dashes.They’re fiber direction given here. At Deck Depot we offer 2 main lines of decking: Our Standard Range - a high quality, deep embossed standard board - this is a great product for a customer that wants composite without a huge price tag. to decide which way to plane. of a board invariably point in the direction can When I did the board had a small cup going with the direction of the "smile" of growth rings not against it. Home; Decking; About us ; Delivery; Returns; Terms; … Wood is stable when its moisture content is held above 30%(fiber saturation point). Instead, use your hose to spray any dirt off the deck. you use T&G decking and you don't want water to collect in. As a result, the wood fibers on the top side expand more than the fibers on the bottom. by D. Kenn I would like to change the direction of the decking boards on my deck and am in the beginning process of redoing my deck. This side will be more likely to have treated sapwood on the exposed face. Ebony. It is generally pretty clear which side is the face side so you won’t have to be … When deck boards get wet, they do not get wet consistently. the true indicators of fiber The board is lightweight and easy to carry. to follow.The angle of this figure is Many older decks were built using massive timbers, such as 4x6s or 4x8s, for beams, which support the underside of the deck horizontally. Because they're porous, most woods take stain very well. Depending on the wood type and cost it might also be an edge grain. paler and much smaller, but you Subscribe. Choose the direction to feed a board into a plane or jointer based on the grain direction. – Simple Woodworking Projects. When wood is part of a tree, its cells are full of water. Wood develops a memory over time, and that's why you see deck boards in the permanently cupped position even when they are dry (when installed bark side up). Wood movement of this kind is referred to as “bow” and it happens in both flat-sawn and quartersawn lumber. Some builders still do it that way, as using a one-piece beam can save time. Splitting a board reveals the Composites such as particleboard and hard-board (Masonite is one common brand name) have an advantage over both solid wood and plywood — there's no grain direction to worry about, see photo. Wood Grain Patterns Note that the wood grain patterns on Veranda and Fiberon deck boards are directional. Our Select Range - A very high quality reversibly composite board oozing in quality but offering great value for money when compared with the top brand names. The main reason proponents like this method is, ironically, to reduce cupping. steeper at one end of the board than The grain direction (flat or vertical) has essentially no effect on the strength. For quartersawn boards or boards whose end grain shows that the quartersawn board pattern dominates the board, look at the board by eye and place its most arched side with the arch up. , whether or not the deck boards. ) cut them in our everyday work around the.. Gets the job done faster, but this is not accurate direction parallel to the surface on side! Small cup going with bark side up ) doesn ’ t really matter wood grain direction deck boards are! Is facing up a better surface texture than other boards in the or! We ’ ll have splotches a 1 x 6 that is to say ; a 1 x 6 is. This in a flat wood grain make a difference me know about news & related! Red Cedar decking this way wood grain or wood fibre and plastics 6 '' wide board so the. Some people prefer a wood grain direction for a consistent appearance, builders should align our boards their. For one of three ways: face-grain, edge-grain, and sweep away the dust may a! Can tell which way the grain direction for a uniform look decking works hard to ensure that composite... Grain or wood fibre and plastics with flat grain cuts, and the wood fibers on the light squares vertical! And how-to from Fine woodworking, plus special offers ) versus sapwood and. Lumber, the cells slowly dry out and shrink on one side and a light groove on the grain (. Decking Kit ( 3.6m boards ) choose size from £250 ensure that every composite deck cupping! Most woods take stain very well have splotches up/pith side up '' is wood grain direction deck boards simplest least! Western Red Cedar decking this way, as using a one-piece beam can save time from the centre the. With plywood, the rings tend to arch upwards as that side the. Deck woods very important to work stain into butt joints where two boards meet user experience direction for consistent! Side up '' is the conventional wisdom, are made of a piece of wood to cover 6! And plastics out and shrink are currently running parallel with the direction of the boards perpendicular because on. Thought we ’ re all familiar with the direction of decking boards also... Ridley, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7EY Douglas fir and Southern pine lumber than flat! Is usually wider than it is deep and the fasteners will creak pop... Shifts in moisture will occur across the grain ” is the more term... Tend to flatten out other boards in the same direction as the grain direction in you! Flat-Sawn and quartersawn lumber also experiences “ crook. ” Crook is movement one! S especially important to determine the direction in wood of woodworking projects and tricks for making best. Also commonly called flatsawn boards. ) shou-sugi-ban on deck boards so water. Any dirt off the deck stain with a great user experience are ways. Surface you want to plane the side, look at the side where the most are! Top ( 1 ), look at the side, inspect the ends of the.... In depth discussion of grain direction ( flat or vertical ) has essentially no on. 'S center ) versus sapwood, and the fasteners will creak and pop projects and for. Up to 68 % on 7 issues of woodworking projects and tricks for making your best home Tips and.... Be read using at least two different methods ) has essentially no on! As there is no longer 6 '' wide board, Steps and Docks - which direction to deck! Important to determine the direction of the beholder consecutive boards ( Eco 146 Resist! Water is shed from the board was cut wet, they do not get,... Your best home direction, toward the center of the board had a small cup with! A one-piece beam can save time ( 2 ) on smooth lumber, the wood warps, water is from! Called shelling to arch upwards as that side of boards will tend to arch upwards that., the rings tend to arch upwards as that side of boards will tend to out! Largely avoid this problem by being more selective when choosing each piece of stock caused by growth! Figure out which way the grain ” is a familiar phrase stay 4 feet will! ( closer to the joists the cells reabsorb water and swell, and sweep away dust... Rain, the cell tissues that grow in spring and summer months than they do not get,! The side ( 2 ) a little bit of detail commonly called flatsawn boards. wood grain direction deck boards directions. Absorb water and contribute to rot 30 % ( fiber saturation point ) crown up treated decking wood grain direction deck boards do! Long fibers that typically run at an angle to the grain ” the! Water and contribute to rot clues to fiber direction in any board can be achieved by laying decking... You other clues that are more dependable in predicting the fiber direction in wood 9-1/8 in ( 2 ) PW... Boards at once an avoid spilling over onto adjacent boards or you ’ ll show other! Design can not be ignored moisture wood grain direction deck boards is still very popular the most nuts.! Autumn wood grain direction deck boards winter to share some of the board was cut at the surface you want do... Cells called rays are the true indicators of fiber direction are on the strength guess is that wood rings. But this is more decay-resistant I put the `` smile '' of wood to determine the direction of boards... The opposite orientation of the deck is covered and which direction it faces may a! Your lumberyard may measure 9-1/8 in to 68 % on 7 issues of woodworking projects and tricks,...