I love Cap’t Pauley’s sketchbook. This time, he’s tackling the intricate mysteries surrounding cleat installation. It’s all about keeping water OUT, you know…

And notice how there is no sealant on the inside. I don’t know how many installations I’ve encountered with sealant on the inside! If the water gets past the first line of defense, you WANT to SEE it. You want it to pass through the deck unobstructed. Otherwise, you’re just trapping water inside the deck.