Deck-Board Straightener
There are specific tools to bend deck boards into position, but nothing is as simple as a pipe clamp and flat bar.
There are specific tools to bend deck boards into position, but nothing is as simple as a pipe clamp and flat bar. First, insert the flat bar between screwed-down boards. Turn one end of the pipe clamp 90° and rest it behind the flat bar with the other end on the board that needs straightening. Tighten the clamp as needed to straighten the board. This setup repositions in about a minute so you can “walk” the wonky board into position as you go. To prevent creating indentations in particularly soft wood, insert a shim or thin piece of wood between the clamp and flat bar and the decking.
—Scott Gillespie, Richmond, Calif.
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller. From Fine Homebuilding #314
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