Anyone doing decking or cladding? - Query re fastening systems

[TerraceLady]

Hi all --
I'm TerraceLady -- formerly known as TarmacLady yonks ago, but new jobs bring new screen names...I've put some homemade biscuits just there on the table!

I'm now selling fastening systems for hardwood decking and cladding, and the Brew Cabin regulars are always the best to ask when I want real opinions of what's going on in the British and Irish building trades.

So for those of you doing decking or cladding, how are you fastening the hardwood planks to the rest of the structure? What do you like or dislike about them? How would you improve them?

Thanks in advance for your feedback, good or bad -- my website is now www.deckwise.com, if you're interested in looking at my current offering.

[flowjoe]

Welcome home TMac Lady its been a long while, how did you sneak under the wire with a question on decking :rock:

[TerraceLady]

because they're what's signing my checks these days! :p

[Carberry]

Decking screws using an impact driver.
Rest of the framework depends on the spec but really only have 3 options, nails, bolts or brackets.

Not sure how much success you will have trying to replace them, they're cheap and effective. Most people who get decking aren't wanting to pay a lot of money to use good quality timber and hidden fixings.

[TerraceLady]

Carberry, what sort of hidden systems exist? What hardwoods are you using?

These are doing quite well here in the colonies, as it gives an unblemished surface, with no nails/screws protruding to be a hazard to kids/furniture/bare feet.

[Carberry]

Carberry, what sort of hidden systems exist? What hardwoods are you using?

These are doing quite well here in the colonies, as it gives an unblemished surface, with no nails/screws protruding to be a hazard to kids/furniture/bare feet.

I can't see screws and nails sticking out ever being an issue. You would have to have a really crappy drill to leave them sticking out. If your decking is made from a hard wood then you you can afford a decent drill / impact driver as a DIYer, if it's made using a very hard wood then it will be done by a contractor who will be using impact drivers, pre drilled holes or plugs.


That leaves the real issue of whether you want screws to be showing or not. The majority of deckings in this country are made from the ugly crappy grooved timber boards that get covered in algae after 1 year, they're cheap and nasty and customers wouldn't want to pay a premium for hidden fixings. You can hardly see the screws in them anyway because they need to be constantly painted.


Don't know of any particular brands in UK but I only know of 2 systems of hidden fixings, ones where they slide into a groove in the side of the board or ones that are fixed from underneath.

[lutonlagerlout]

welcome back tarmac lady!
must be 5 years since we heard from you
sad to see you have gone over to the dark side :;):
when i have seen the devils work done it is normally jiffy hangers for the joisting and decking screws
cheers LLL

[TerraceLady]

Thanks for the welcome back -- I'm quite impressed anyone remembers me! (would you believe it's been almost 10 years?!) I'm not sure going from selling tarmac to decking is really a turn to dark side, but I hear that if you come to the dark side, they have cookies (at least according to the teeshirt my youngun bought in Liverpool last summer...) With the current trend being timber decking, there are homeowners who just aren't going to opt for brick or stone, gorgeous as they may be. Here in the colonies, we're seeing a lot of landscape and hardscape fellows starting to install wood decking, as the fastening systems make it easier and faster than it used to be, and you can make a good penny at the work.

Fasteners can work their way out of the deck boards as they warp/cup/bend/expand/shrink in the weather cycles - and since the nails/screws don't retract when the wood contracts...well, there's where the bloodied feet and knees come in. Let's be honest - an unblemished space looks nicer (and more likely to impress the neighbours) than one with nail or screw holes...and there's not a builder out there who would argue that sinking hundreds of plugs is any fun at all! :p

So mine go into pre-grooved decking (the installer can also cut smaller slots with a biscuit joiner or router), and there's no wallowing in the mud/dirt underneath the deck nor standing on your head to attach the clips -- it's just a screw drilled at a normal (45°) angle, while you remain upright and at least reasonably clean during installation (no guarantees issued, though, particularly when it's been as hot as your summer as been).

Sorry, I really don't intend to turn this into a shill thread -- I remember how valuable the feedback was from you lot, and am hoping to hear more from more of you!

[lutonlagerlout]

well TL as far as i can recall there have only been 2 female regulars in my time at the brew cabin
your self and ace chadwick
since you both disappeared it has just been HABs

I can see decking working in some climates,but put it this way
I earn a fair wack ripping it out :;):
LLL

[mickg]

if you want feed back on your product then I would advise you to contact Karl Harrison at the decking network, he installs all types of decking plus he runs a decking forum

decking network

decking network forum

hope this helps

[TerraceLady]

Thank you!

[Carberry]

Doesn't sound like a shill thread and I think everyone here is happy to offer feedback on products.

I have used products like you describe before and it has it's advantages over countersunk screws and plug holes, as you say it is much quicker. Can't see any advantage on bog standard decking though that would justify the additional expense

[TerraceLady]

believe it or not -- it comes out about the same price as drilling/countersinking/screwing...but yes, on standard pressure-treated pine, it's a no-go. Soft woods move too much! But this works extremely well for hardwoods...which are more expensive, and thus well worth doing the job right!

[flowjoe]

well TL as far as i can recall there have only been 2 female regulars in my time at the brew cabin

Tony surely you havn`t forgot.....er.....Mercedes i think she was called, had her own language if i remember rightly

[mike g]

Is it possible with your fastening system to lift individual boards after the job has been completed or would they need to be lifted in sequence ?