r/Decks • u/JJJerry13 • 11h ago

Advice for new deck board installation timing with winter approaching?

Newly acquired house, 2nd story deck, ~500 sq ft. The decking surface was in rough shape, and I wanted to get going repairing.

I've torn off the railing and decking. The frame / joists are in great shape. I purchased all new deck boards, and here's my conundrum:

I assume the boards are going to show up pretty wet (delivery tomorrow), so common advice is that I should install them w/o gaps. The issue is that I'm in a snowy winter climate area, and I'm concerned that they won't dry / shrink before the snow flies that they'll get ruined over the winter.

Seasoned deck builders - any advice? If I get them installed, will they shrink enough to get enough gap to drain in the next 6 weeks? Should I leave the deck stripped until spring, and dry the boards in the garage over the winter? I do have access to a moisture meter, so if they feel dry-ish, I can quantify - but PT boards from HD are usually pretty saturated in my experience.

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u/AlaskaGreenTDI 11h ago

Winter often brings low humidity. They will shrink FAST.

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u/ChadPartyOfOne 11h ago

No matter what, smash any PT wood flooring as tight together as you can. It WILL shrink, and much more than you would expect.

If you're worried about snow load, keep it shoveled and salted. Pet friendly salt only, it's not as harsh on deck flooring.