Use any handy hammer to drive iron nails to your wood planks. You can also use a drill to create holes and drive screws. If the wood has been kiln dried after treatment, also called KDAT, most of the moisture has already been removed in a controlled environment, so very little shrinkage will occur after installation. Depending on your wood material, you will need iron nails with at least 0.375 to 0.25-inch diameter.

There are many factors to consider in calculating how far apart you should space your boards, including: The conventional layout is the most common type of spacing used by builders because it provides more support than narrow spacing while still looking good. However, if you have an old house or just aren’t into traditional styles then standard spacing might not be right for you. Note that if your boards are dry, use a nail with a ¼ inch to ⅜ inch diameter to allow ventilation and the debris to pass through. If the panels are wet, use fasteners with less than ⅜ inch in diameter because the wood will shrink as it dries. Regular pressure treated wood tends to be somewhat wet when it’s new. That means, as it weathers in the sun and the heat, it will dry out some and shrink slightly. In this case, some space between the boards is a good idea because the wood can actually expand slightly over time. The folks at YellaWood, recommend using an eight penny nail between rows to create adequate consistent spacing. Further Information