Azek deck and railings. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Rich · 09-23-2009, 06:48 AM

Azek deck and railings we just completed.

deckman22 · 09-23-2009, 07:09 AM

Nice looking job.

My carpenters eye says the corner post on the upper deck is bowed, look like that to anyone else?

BreyerConstruct · 09-23-2009, 11:05 AM

Nice clean look!
~Matt

WarnerConstInc. · 09-23-2009, 01:43 PM

Looks bowed but, it is probably the camera.

Very nice and clean.

Winchester · 09-23-2009, 02:01 PM

Bowed from the camera. Look at the chimney on the other side.

Looks good, nice and clean.

bert0168 · 09-23-2009, 04:38 PM

Rich, I'm in the process of framing a deck that going to get Azek Brownstone with the hidden fasteners.

I see you used some kind of hidden system, I am going to be using the ProClips specifically for Azek made by TigerClaw. http://www.deckfastener.com/products_tcp.asp

How was it putting those fasteners in? The mfr says they get beat in with a block (provided), but my experience with drive in hidden clips is limited to wood (PITA) or the clips where the board already has a groove (Endurance decking).

I was thinking I may need to either biscuit slots or route a groove.

How did you do it and how did it go?

Damn nice job BTW

Clemens · 09-23-2009, 05:03 PM

The post doesn't look straight because of the distortion of the wide angle Rich used. You can easily correct it in most editing software programs.
This is a very neat job. I would come back on a slighty cloudy day, dress it up a little and makes some beautyshots for your portfolio.
Great job,
Clemens

Clemens · 09-23-2009, 05:07 PM

while I'm here, we just finished a deck with an all fiberglass pergola and installed double channeled plexiglass on top.

Rich · 09-23-2009, 08:58 PM

Bert, We started out using the tiger claw specifically designed for Azek.
Ten boards in, it was obvious a change had to be made. Poor design. You need to beat the daylight out of the board to get them in and when you finally get them set to your desired spacing, you will see that your board has an undesirable pitch to it. Maybe with a lot of patience and practice these will work, but I will never use them again.'

We switched to the Cortex http://www.fastenmaster.com/product....ID=2&prodID=14

This is the way to go. No predrilling just screw and plug. The box comes with the plugs and bits. Virtually invisible.

Tiger Claw

Cortex:

bert0168 · 09-23-2009, 09:06 PM

That's what I was thinking after seeing the clips. The damn things don't even have points on them

.

I haven't seen the fastenmaster plugs but the ones made by AzeK looked like crap. I will say that from the photos I can't see any plugs.

Do they really disappear that well?

John Hyatt · 09-23-2009, 09:31 PM

Ya know Guys,the idea you can just pound those manmade plugs in with out glue is a little strange to me. Of course there is no way to glue them in far as wiping the glue off or sanding them.

I would like to see,first hand, a job done with them a couple years down the road.

On the flip side when they first came out,. I did a test with several tapered Ipe plugs just pounded in right next to a few glued in and sanded. Dammmmmmmmmm if they dont both look the same after a year or so!!!
Its a funny friggen World

J.

SDC · 09-24-2009, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Bert, We started out using the tiger claw specifically designed for Azek.
Ten boards in, it was obvious a change had to be made. Poor design. You need to beat the daylight out of the board to get them in and when you finally get them set to your desired spacing, you will see that your board has an undesirable pitch to it. Maybe with a lot of patience and practice these will work, but I will never use them again.'

We switched to the Cortex http://www.fastenmaster.com/product....ID=2&prodID=14

This is the way to go. No predrilling just screw and plug. The box comes with the plugs and bits. Virtually invisible.

Tiger Claw

Cortex:

I am starting an AZEK deck in the next few weeks, I sold them on the hidden fastener system as well. I have seen them at trade shows and in the show rooms, they looked good. Glad to know they work as promised in the real world

Deck looks great

Greg Di · 09-24-2009, 09:28 AM

I just ran TC-3s on a Azek deck this week and it was simple. Granted, I we were using the new Tiger Jaw to install the boards which eliminates the need for a sledgehammer. It's certainly not fast compared to a grooved board, but it worked well. Very consistent board setting and spacing.

PDB may run my review. Not sure yet.

bert0168 · 09-24-2009, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Di

I just ran TC-3s on a Azek deck this week and it was simple. Granted, I we were using the new Tiger Jaw to install the boards which eliminates the need for a sledgehammer. It's certainly not fast compared to a grooved board, but it worked well. Very consistent board setting and spacing.

PDB may run my review. Not sure yet.

I see it listed on their website but mind telling us what this thing costs. I assume you got yours free for the review.

I am dreading the conventional installation process weather I slot the boards or not.

Greg Di · 09-24-2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bert0168

I see it listed on their website but mind telling us what this thing costs. I assume you got yours free for the review.

I am dreading the conventional installation process weather I slot the boards or not.

They are not in full production yet, but I recollect the rep telling me they were maybe $100 or so (I could be wrong)...it's not really complex, but man, does it work better than a sledge!

The first one I used was literally THE original prototype. The second version is the production version that they refined and dumbed down a bit (rightfully so) but even that one had a inkjet homemade label on it and actually a DYMO label (the old school ones) that said patent pending.

If you've ever done the sledgehammer routine, you know it bounces the boards alot. The jaw is nice and gentle but has a ton of squeeze power that's effortless to apply. You just slide it down the board and pump it next to every clip.

bert0168 · 09-24-2009, 07:24 PM

I gotta find one of those before I lay this decking.

Greg Di · 09-24-2009, 07:43 PM

Call up Tiger Claw and tell them you want one. They WILL get you one...trust me.

bert0168 · 09-24-2009, 07:49 PM

Yea, now that I think about it, in 2004, one of my decks won their $1000 contest if you used their clips. It's on their website.

I would think they should let me test one

carpentershane · 09-24-2009, 08:39 PM

I have used the TC-3 recently on a trex deck and was not duly impressed. I wound up tapping the deck boards in order to get the clip imprint and predrilling all of the holes... Some of the boards still wanted to ride up on the clip. It took awhile and was a pain in the a$$ but the deck turned out nice. I would not consider using them again with the sledgehammer method... I will give the new tool the Greg mentioned a try on the next hidden fastener job that I take.
I have installed Azek decking with the Cortex fasteners and it worked really sweet... if you make sure the grain lines up with the boards the plugs are virtually invisible.

buildenterprise · 09-24-2009, 08:48 PM

I've used Eb-Ty biscuits with Azek deck, works great. Running a biscuit groove at each joist location goes pretty quick once you have the jig set up. We also glue the board to the joist, it's rock solid once it's done.