Johnson Level & Tool 60-275 Deck Mate, Deck Board Spacing Tool, Orange, 1 Level

It is certainly up to the task. I've built two decks so far using this tool and it worked perfectly keeping boards neatly spaced. A few times it got pinned between boards but came out with ease. Its been hit multiple times with a rubber hammer during use and pinched between boards needing a framing hammer to pry out and did not break. I fully recommend this product.

The deck board spacing gauge worked great on spacing my deck boards. They are rugged and they proved to be invaluable in lining up deck boards, particularly on long 16 ft boards which had a curve to them. The bright yellow color was easy to spot and was an added plus. They offer 1/8 th inch or 3/16 th inch spacing, which is in line with what is recommended for laying deck boards. I believe they are superior to the other smaller spacers, including the wedge shaped ones offered by other manufacturers. I highly recommend them.

When the boards are evenly spaced and the screws are lined up like soldiers-on-parade, the overall look of the deck is upgraded to 'impressive and delightful'! I drilled out the holes on the Deck Mate to be big enough to let the screw heads pass through. Simplified things and speeded up the use of the Deck Mate. I suggest everyone using screws to do the same. This is a fantastic product which I highly recommend! If you are using screws or nails through the tops of the deck boards (instead of hidden fasteners) at least make sure the lines of screws or nails are straight and evenly spaced.... the Deck Mate makes it easy to do so.

There’s a shortage of Lumber in CA — so Contractors are raising prices to a historical high. Due to this, I decided to DIY my IPE deck. I wanted to make sure my screws would align perfectly and that the entire deck had the same spacing. My IPE deck came out so gorgeous. This tool was imperative to making the deck look professionally installed. I have all my 1/8 spaces between each board perfect, the screws are all aligned like a real professional. I would recommend this to anyone building a deck, DIYers or pros. Actually wish I would’ve bought 2, would’ve worked faster.

Solid and well made spacers. Easy to use and when you’re building a deck you want something substantial in your hands and rough and tough and these will last. I bought three to build a large deck and was pleased with them.