IPE decking fastener question
brnelson
11 years ago
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zver11
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Ipe decking questions
Comments (5)"2. I was hoping to use the Deckmaster hidden fastening system that screws into the deck boards angled from below? Does anyone have any experience with this? Would prefer not to face screw the boards in place. Do I have to worry about increased cupping using this method?" Do not even think of using these on any project, especially Ipe. Deckmaster is about the worst hidden fastener system on the market. The design is all wrong. (think placement of fasteners) the holes are where they are. Worry about cupping. You can't place 2 screws 3/4" in from the edge of the boards. Then, when you drive the fastener (from below) how is the board held tight to the joist? This is a major PIA. Standard top screwing has many advantages, no disadvantages when you're talking Ipe. If you MUST have the look of invisible fasteners, choose another system. A couple of other little tips: 1. NEVER drill a pilot hole into the joist. No matter how you attach the decking, hidden fasteners or top screws, the joist should not ever be pilot drilled. Pressure treated lumber is very green (wet) and it shrinks significantly. Therefore, a drilled pilot hole becomes larger. As the seasonal wet and dry cycles occur, the decking pulls against the screws. Some will come loose from the pilot holes. The only chance a screw has of staying put, is to go directly into the undisturbed wood fiber. And longer screws are not better, The longer the screw, the more it sticks up when the joist dries out. 1.5" embedment is ideal. 2. Finish is not necessary on Ipe. It will go gray naturally, no matter what finish you put on. The only way to keep the wood it's original color is to finish it 3 times the first year, refinish it twice a year for the next 3 years, and then annually after that....See MoreQuestions on cedar decking, hidden fasteners
Comments (0)Hello All, I'm replacing my deck this summer. And though it's small, about 8' x 16', what I'd like to do has a few fussy parts to it. I'd welcome some feedback on a couple of things. I've read through the forum archives, and can't find much that applies directly to my questions. It's important to say at the outset that I'm in coastal British Columbia, which means a mild climate but a lot of rain. Rot is Enemy #1 here. Any place that water sits is where a deck or fence eventually fails. This location also means that cedar is king - it's local, the price is right, and the look is right. My deck will be cedar. The joists will have plywood sheathing and a torch-on roof membrane, so as to keep the area underneath dry and usable. It will also keep my structure dry. The joists will slope away from the house, and the membrane will drain off to a gutter. On top of the membrane will be sleepers, tapered so that the deck surface is level, and the decking itself will be 2x cedar. So what I'm trying to figure out is: 1/ Do my sleepers need to be pressure-treated material? Will cedar do the job? The membrane will have a positive slope, so this thing won't sit with its feet wet for long. I can also put down some extra small squares of the membrane under the sleepers. 2/ Can I successfully use a clip system like Ipe Clip Extreme with this type of construction? I'd really like to keep the deck surface free of fasteners, both for how it looks and of course to avoid places where water can pool. But I'm concerned about whether the whole thing will be rigid enough, since I wouldn't be screwing the boards down to a rigid structure, but only to sleepers sitting loose on the membrane. With only one connection point per joist, it seems like the whole assembly might move more easily than should. 3/ How does a system like Ipe Clip perform with 2x cedar? Their site says you can use it, but I don't personally know anyone who's done it. Most of the talk in the forum archives here is about tropical hardwood or composites. What I'm considering is getting good 2x4 or 2x6 material and routing the groove myself. Cedar is a heck of a lot softer that Ipe, but it's pretty dimensionally stable, so it seems like a decent candidate for use here. Does anyone have direct experience with this? 4/ And there's one thing I absolutely cannot understand. Why do some recommend using construction adhesive along with one of these clip systems? I don't get it. As I understand these systems, the whole idea is that you fix one edge of the deck board to the joist, and the other edge is free to expand or contract with the changing weather. Putting down glue along the edge that's supposed to be able to move defeats this. Why do it? 5/ Is squeaking a problem with Ipe Clip? I've read about a lot of squeaking problems with the early systems of hidden fasteners. What about today's products? Is squeaking the reason for #4, above? Any thoughts are welcome....See MoreIpe deck hidden fasteners
Comments (1)I got my ipe from eastteak.com. Yes, everything worked fine. If I had a criticism (I really don't) is that the folks there are pretty busy with customers bigger than us DIYers. So, if they forget to return a call or an e-mail, don't fret about it. The hidden fasteners have very mixed reviews here, and the deck pro guys know that some flat out don't work, and are cautious on others. I gave the Tiger Claw a try - my deck, my problems. But you definitely need good ventilation under the deck to try it - probably at least 3' off the ground. Bigger thread on my hidden fasteners....See MoreMy partially completed Ipe deck, I got some questions...
Comments (16)First I'd like to thank everyone for the info on this site. Second this is an update to my Ipe deck project. I finished the back deck, except for the step, and am working on the front deck now (pics of that someday). Check the link below to see my photos. Weedy, how exactly do you post the photos directly in this message? I don't see any obvious way to do it. I guess you have to write some (fairly simple) html? This project is taking me forever, being a weekend warrior, having 3 young kids, and 2 unfinished bathrooms inside the house. So the staining will have to wait until next year. Should be ok, right? So right now I am having some concerns with the quality of the Ipe I got. Seems ok, but who knows, this is the one-and-only Ipe deck I have ever built. Some pieces are real dark, some are real light. Some are really really hard (dark boards), some are softer (light boards). Some are clear, some have a tiger-like grain to them. Some seem a bit rough when you run your hand up one way, then smooth if you rub the other way. 3 or 4 boards have lots and lots of checks, almost the whole 15 foot length of board. Most of the boards have no checks. I have one board that looks like it will destroy your foot if you walk on it. I think I'll have to replace that board, I don't know how I did not notice it, when I put that board down. It looks like the grain is sort of lifted, and could cause nasty splinters in your foot (See pictures 10 and 11). 3 or 4 few boards seem fine, but have knots in them (pics 13 and 15). Will these spots worsen over time? I bought 1725 linear feet of boards. There are probably six 15-footers that I probably should toss in the dumpster. Maybe six others that are usable but not the greatest. Not really sure about the rest, if it is so-so, good, great, top quality or not. Of course I was assured that the Ipe was top quality, all heart wood clear Ipe, blah blah blah. Would anyone expert here want me to mail them some scrap cuts to examine? Or even better, stop by and look at my deck? Just kidding… The railings. I chickened out on the Ipe railings. No way I get the project done this year. So I did the shiny PVC rail, and put an Ipe rail on top of it. I like it, I think the front deck I will do the same. The pics in that gallery are hi-res, so you can view full screen, or better yet download them and zoom in real close to see the detail. Any info appreciated, Jim. Here is a link that might be useful: Ipe deck gallery...See Moremillworkman
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoroquevalente
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoManasquan_Fasteners
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoweedyacres
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoDeckGod
11 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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