Gap wizard -
Deck Gap Cleaning Tool - Now PATENTED!
The One & Only....
The One and Only...
Deck Gap Cleaning Tool - Now PATENTED!
- Full view of tool
GAP WIZARD is a deck gap cleaning tool designed to clean debris from multiple gaps between deck boards simultaneously. This can mean a significant time savings versus traditional single blade tools. GAP WIZARD will work on most decks because it is fully adjustable for both height and width of the most common deck board sizes ranging from 1"x4" up to 2"x6".
This lightweight tool is made primarily of hard aluminum, and it weighs in at under 2 pounds. To adjust the blades to fit your deck simply loosen the thumb screws, slide the blades into position in the gaps between boards, and tighten the thumb screws.
GAP WIZARD blade tips are rounded which enhances tool safety and better protects deck boards and joists.
GAP WIZARD is currently not currently available for retail purchase.
If you are interested in licensing and producing GAP WIZARD to sell please complete contact form below.
- A little background
Hello fellow deck owners and deck restorers! I’m Greg Shank, Founder of Gap Wizard LLC, and creator of the Gap Wizard deck gap cleaning tool.
My innovative and patented tool is designed to clear debris from multiple gaps between deck boards simultaneously. Clearing such debris is an important part of deck maintenance and restoration both for longer deck life, as well as avoiding damage to attached structures like your home.
You may wonder what inspired me to invent Gap Wizard. It all started when I was working on replacing the old rotting boards of one of my decks. The gaps between boards had become clogged with debris, which resulted in pooling of rain water on the deck. This caused a relatively rapid rotting of the boards. Also, over several years, some of the water that had pooled up on the deck had seeped into the adjoining wall of my house.
That moisture caused dry rot, and attracted carpenter ants that love moist and soft wood. The ant’s nest grew to infest the greater part of an entire 7 x 12 foot section of wall below the deck. That turned out to be a time consuming and costly repair. Please view my video titled "Inspiration for the Gap Wizard deck gap cleaning tool" (see below or put this phrase your favorite search engine) to see actual pictures of the rotting deck boards and exposed ant nest and dry rot in the wall.
This dry rot and ant problem could have been avoided if I had kept the gaps between deck boards clear enough to allow proper drainage and avoid the pooling of water on the deck surface.
However, when I searched for a tool for the task all I found were single-blade tools. I purchased one and tried using it on my other deck, but it was very time consuming. It was also an incredibly tedious process. Additionally, the sharp tip of the tool sometimes caught on the deck joists causing damage.
I knew in my gut there had to be a better way. So I started putting pencil to paper, and eventually fingers to keyboard with a graphics design program. I bought a 3D printer to help bring my vision to life, and also reached out to a local metal works shop to manufacture my blade design. And here you have it! The end result of all my efforts. The one and only, patented Gap Wizard!
National Hardware Show
Booth in the Inventor's Spotlight area, May 2016
"Around the corner of the consistently crowded inventors area, Greg Shank was holding his Deck Gap Wizard, showing off the adjustable teeth to clean debris from between boards in decks. A reporter suggested the analogy of a comb. 'Others have suggested it's more like a floss,' he countered.
Like other inventors here, Shank came up with the idea for the product when he was confronted by a challenge in his own home improvement experience. And he intends to find more solutions to 'gaps in the market'."
Quote Source--> Article in the Hardware and Building Supply Dealer magazine:
https://www.hbsdealer.com/news/inventors-command-spotlight/
For more info on the National Hardware Show visit their site: www.nationalhardwareshow.com
