[Tommy V]

Good evening,
Looking for opinions on the different hidden fastening systems. Have not used any yet, but am excited to try one. Some are used in conjunction with a biscut jointer, then one screw is used at each joist location angled at 45 degrees. So in all practicality, on a 5 1/2" deck board, only each edge is fastened. Has anyone had any problem with cupping, or excessive movement of deck boards? Im going to be installing IPE over PT joists, (that are extremely wet), would applying a bead of construction adheasive under deck boards be benificial, and stick to such wet joists?
I'm just of the old school and it pains me not to face screw these down, as I will be losing some structural strength also. But the attraction of invisible fastening is very tempting.
Any advice from you seasoned deck pro's would be greatly appreciated!
Also any brand preferences?

Thanks, Tommy

[Murphy]

I haven't been in business that long but I would hesitate to use hidden fasteners on anything but composite decking. We haven't used them on PT ever. But I'm sure some one out there does all the time and has the perfect system or fastener for that purpose. Murph

[vtgaetano]

IMO, I would use screws and plug the IPE, looks beautiful. Only experience I had with the blind fastener was with Simpson brand and it was more of a pain in the azz and took forever, and that was with PT.

[Mike Finley]

Have you computed the quanity of hidden fasteners you are looking at? I've had deck projects where the hidden fasteners costs were upwards of $1200.00.

Have you computed the labor involved in buiscuiting Ipe?

You will be better off screwing and plugging Ipe.

Cupping of Ipe should only be an issue if your deck is low to the ground and there is no ventilation.

[RobertCDF]

Deckmaster is a good product, not too hard to work with. It is easier if you can get underneath to screw it off. I have never worked with IPE personally so I dont know much about working with it.

[Tommy V]

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Have you computed the quanity of hidden fasteners you are looking at? I've had deck projects where the hidden fasteners costs were upwards of $1200.00.

Have you computed the labor involved in buiscuiting Ipe?

You will be better off screwing and plugging Ipe.

Cupping of Ipe should only be an issue if your deck is low to the ground and there is no ventilation.

yes Mike I have computed the quanity and cost of hidden fasteners, Gulp, $800.00 And yes the labor, but am still looking for opinions about the integrity of the fasteners,and the fastening system.
Thanks Mike,
Tommy

[RobertCDF]

I used the deckmaster about 1.5 years ago on timbertech composite. Never had a call back on this project at all. I mostly use correct deck composite material for almost all my decks. They have a HFS that is similar to the EB-TY (in fact the same people manufacture it) I have never had a call back using these HFS as well. I am sure that you will be fine if you used the EB-TY. I also glue down my composite decking I use PL premium polyurathane glue. I use it on PT wood all the time semi wet/wet.

[ApgarNJ]

I second the Deckmaster product. did a 700 sq foot mahogany deck with lighted posts and a nice mahogany railing, huge corner steps. we did the whole thing with deckmaster. came out looking great, no cupping. we stained all 4 sides of the cambara decking 2 times before install, we screwed it using the screws that come with the deckmaster system. i didn't charge enough, but it was part of a much bigger job, with addition and renovation, so i was just glad to be able to work with it, to try it out. the deck was 3' off the ground, so it wasn't too bad to get underneath. it made the job look so much better. no countersinking from up top. or screws breaking off. it wasn't cheap to buy the material, but the look of that deck when we were done was worth it all.
i researched a couple other brands that were out at the time and came out with deckmaster as the faster ones to put down. no biscuiting or anything like that. maybe there are better ones now, i'm not sure.
not planning any big decks anytime soon, most jobs i've been on lately, it's all custom stone patios with drylaid walls.

[Stone Mountain]

We've done 3 jobs with "Tiger Claws" . My customers were happy and my carpenters didn't complain about extra work. Win, win.

[bob the builder]

Originally Posted by Stone Mountain

We've done 3 jobs with "Tiger Claws" . My customers were happy and my carpenters didn't complain about extra work. Win, win.

I haven't tryed tigerclaw on IPE, but would still suggest to pass on that thought. I wouldn't think the claw would hammer into hardwood...

Bob

[Woodcrafter74]

Originally Posted by Stone Mountain

We've done 3 jobs with "Tiger Claws" . My customers were happy and my carpenters didn't complain about extra work. Win, win.

Stone,
What type of decking? I'm planning on using Tiger Claw on some Procell.

[bob the builder]

Originally Posted by Stone Mountain

We've done 3 jobs with "Tiger Claws" . My customers were happy and my carpenters didn't complain about extra work. Win, win.

I didn't realize that Tigerclaw makes fasteners for hardwoods now,opps...

Bob

[Stone Mountain]

Originally Posted by bob the builder

I didn't realize that Tigerclaw makes fasteners for hardwoods now,opps...

Bob

I missed the fact that it's IPE. Up here we can buy Ipe pre grooved on the sides from the mill to allow hidden biscuits. We've done 2 IPE decks like that. they work very well. Not cheap though.

[Stone Mountain]

Originally Posted by Woodcrafter74

Stone,
What type of decking? I'm planning on using Tiger Claw on some Procell.

We've used them on prssure treated, Cedar, and trex. Procell isn't sold up here

[dougchips]

I tried tiger claw on timbertech and had to end up predrilling for the "spikes". The end project looks great, however the labor was a killer.

After reading about some issues with fasteners with wet pt and the fact that you can buy kd pt I went on a search......every lumber yard in my area thinks that I am a nut....never heard of kd pt. kd pt fact or fiction?

[Stone Mountain]

Originally Posted by dougchips

I tried tiger claw on timbertech and had to end up predrilling for the "spikes". The end project looks great, however the labor was a killer.

After reading about some issues with fasteners with wet pt and the fact that you can buy kd pt I went on a search......every lumber yard in my area thinks that I am a nut....never heard of kd pt. kd pt fact or fiction?

you can buy KD pressure treated here. Not available at every shop, but you can get it.

[Bob Kovacs]

Hey Stone- you've got a major spelling error on your website. Everywhere the word "center" appears, it's misspelled as "centre". You might wanna look into that

Bob

[George Z]

Originally Posted by Bob Kovacs

Hey Stone- you've got a major spelling error on your website. Everywhere the word "center" appears, it's misspelled as "centre". You might wanna look into that

Bob

Canadian spelling, it is correct


http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/

[RobertCDF]

They are kind of bassackwards up there.

[dougchips]

Stone Mountain, how much more expensive is it?