5/4 x 6" yellow cedar boards Approx 600ft2 deck. will have a 3/16" gap between boards. I'm looking for suggestions on how to attach them to the joists. I refuse to face nail/screw for the sheer fact that I hate to look at screw heads ect. I'm thinking of predrilling and toenailing down on a 45 between the boards and then using either screws or spiral nails (stainless of course) anyone have any other ideas that i haven't thought of? Pictures? thanks
There are a large variety of deck clips out there which do not show. Google for deck clip and you can read for days. Toenailing will be likely to split the boards.
I think tonailing through the edge of a 5/4" board will give you lots of splits and "daisies". I saw on some home improvement show, a system of galvanized brackets that sit on top of the joists; you screw up through them and into the bottom of the deck boards. Similar to a joist hanger type idea. I can't recall the vendor, but it might have been "Hometime" or "This old house" (with Nahm and Steve if that helps date it).
That said, I pre-drilled and face-screwed mine, and as long as you take care to not have them wander all over the map, they're neither all that objectionable, or even noticable. In any case, consider square drive screws to avoid cam-out and the associated metal burrs and swearing.
There are lots of "hidden fastener" systems on the market today that will allow you to do exactly what you want. DeckMaster and ShadoeTrack both make galvanized or stainless steel "fastening strips" that attach to the joist and provide a flange for attaching the decking material from the underside. Eb-Ty (which we sell) and a few competitors such as IpeClip sell biscuit shaped plastic parts that fit into either biscuit slots or grooves cut into the decking. These products basically form a loose "tongue" that mimics the function of the milled tongue on T&G boards. The advantage of the metal strips is that removal of a single board is not difficult, as long as you have access to the under side. The disadvantage is that all of the fastening is done from the underside, which can be back breaking work if you don't have stand-up access to the underside. The plastic biscuits such as Eb-Ty are easily installed from the deck surface and automatically provide the correct deck board spacing, but have the disadvantage that boards are not easily replaced. In addition, they work best with relatively stable materials such as Ipe or the manufactured deck boards like Trex. Materials like pressure treated pine tend to shrink so much that the biscuit may pull out of the wood. The Tiger-Clips and similar style "hammer installed" metallic fasteners have a spotty reputation at best, and in fact are the reason that DeckMaster was developed, as the inventor built an expensive deck with the clips, then watched in horror as the boards shrank and the clips pulled loose. I have never used the metallic clips, but believe based on the design that I would only consider using them on something that I didn't mind rebuilding.
If you would like more information, feel free to call my Tech Director, Darin Lawrence, or check our web site.
HTH
Jim Ray, President McFeely's Square Drive Screws
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"mcgyver" wrote in message news:bq5Vd.542303$8l.455381@pd7tw1no...
I've heard tell that some guys have sistered 2x2s onto the joists, then screwed upward into the deck boards. Might wanna put some sort of spacer between the 2x2 and the joists, though, to facilitate air circulation. YMMV.
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