Whenever I have to lay deck boards that have at least a 1/8-in. gap between them, I use a pipe clamp and a block to muscle the crowned pieces into place. The key to this system, as shown in the drawing, is the steel stair-tread angle-bracket mounted on the block. With the projecting leg of the angle slipped into the space between a pair of secured deck boards, the block becomes a handy purchase for one end of a pipe clamp. Tighten the clamp to pull the crowned plank into place. Stair angles (such as the Simpson TA 10) are available from suppliers that carry metal framing hardware, such as joist hangers and post bases.
Gregory Tolman, Mammoth Lakes, CA
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