Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is that done?

Thanks
Suzanne

On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The
previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years
ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which
were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw
into the base. How on earth is that done?

Using plugs?
https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/...e-got-options/

On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is that done?

Thanks
Suzanne


It's usually done with self-countersinking screws. The heads of these
bore a hole into the fairly soft planks when screwed in fairly hard.

I've never seen the plugs that Fred linked to, nor seen a deck installed
with those, but maybe that's what you have. Or the holes just filled up
with dirt over the 12 years?

No, we've been here since they were put in and there were no holes to fill up with dirt. Hubby thinks they went in from the top and the fibres closed over them really well. Will have a good stare at the ones the 18 year has been tasked with removing along with the old planks to see if they have the nibs like wood deck screws Fred linked to.

Son and hubby have removed one and a half planks in two hours. A lot of the wood is rotten but looks like a lot is not! Any tips for quick removal as there is a lot more to do? We want to save the base so are afraid of letting the hulklike son just rip them up.

On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is that done?

You want a plug cutter, you do. Get a good one, about £15-£20, not some
£9.99 crappy set of four. Don't use it on gritty boards or it will
become k-nackered.

On 04/06/2021 15:35, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Son and hubby have removed one and a half planks in two hours. A lot of the wood is rotten but looks like a lot is not! Any tips for quick removal as there is a lot more to do? We want to save the base so are afraid of letting the hulklike son just rip them up.


Once you've got a board or two up, you can either hammer a bolster in
sideways and cut the deck screws, or get a bit of 2x4, and lever them up
using another piece of timber across the joists, the screws in that case
will pull straight through the deck boards.

Suzanne Clarke wrote:

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The
previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years
ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which
were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw
into the base. How on earth is that done?
It's a bit like "secret nailing" but done with screws diagonally through
the tongue/groove

https://www.mapleplastics.co.uk/camo-hidden-deck-fasteners

Or there are some clip fasteners that don't actually screw into the
boards, but clip into the groove.

On 04/06/2021 15:35, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank
and then screw into the base.Â* How on earth is that done?

You want a plug cutter, you do. Get a good one, about £15-£20, not some
£9.99 crappy set of four. Don't use it on gritty boards or it will
become k-nackered.

Yup that will give a fairly close match if you cut the plugs from
similar wood and take the time to match the grain.

You might be able to get away with some ready made tapered plugs, and a
10mm lip'n'spur bit to part drill the start of the hole.

--
Cheers,

John.

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On Friday, 4 June 2021 at 15:35:24 UTC+1, wrote:
No, we've been here since they were put in and there were no holes to fill up with dirt. Hubby thinks they went in from the top and the fibres closed over them really well.

I'd be inclined to agree. Many decking screws - such as Spax Wirox decking screws and similar designs - have relatively small heads as they rely more on an upper reverse-thread to hold the board down. If they were sunk a bit deep it wouldn't surprise me if the surrounding timber pushed to one side returns to cover the heads after a few weather cycles.

Well you just drill part way through with a larger drill which has a stop on
it so it only goes part way through. Well that is what I did and filled up
the little head holes with some kind of resin the same colour as the wood.
It can be a swine to get at the bloody heads later on though. Grin.
Brian

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"Suzanne Clarke" wrote in message
...
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous
deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have
started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible before,
start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is
that done?

Thanks
Suzanne

This is all why I never want decking here. I'm sure it looks nice but as I
say the one I do have experience of, despite treated wood did rot in about
15 years. I don't think whoever does these jobs thinks ahead to actually
removing the planks. Does anyone make plastic decking?
Brian

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"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
On 04/06/2021 15:35, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Son and hubby have removed one and a half planks in two hours. A lot of
the wood is rotten but looks like a lot is not! Any tips for quick
removal as there is a lot more to do? We want to save the base so are
afraid of letting the hulklike son just rip them up.


Once you've got a board or two up, you can either hammer a bolster in
sideways and cut the deck screws, or get a bit of 2x4, and lever them up
using another piece of timber across the joists, the screws in that case
will pull straight through the deck boards.

Brian Gaff wrote:

Does anyone make plastic decking?

Yes, there's plenty of composite decking.

On 04/06/2021 18:04, John Rumm wrote:
On 04/06/2021 15:35, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the
plank and then screw into the base.Â* How on earth is that done?

You want a plug cutter, you do. Get a good one, about £15-£20, not
some £9.99 crappy set of four. Don't use it on gritty boards or it
will become k-nackered.

Yup that will give a fairly close match if you cut the plugs from
similar wood and take the time to match the grain.

You might be able to get away with some ready made tapered plugs, and a
10mm lip'n'spur bit to part drill the start of the hole.


Can't see any average jobbing builder bothering to hide deck
screws with plugs though

On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is that done?

Thanks
Suzanne

cheek nail them ...

On 05/06/2021 12:02, Andrew wrote:
On 04/06/2021 18:04, John Rumm wrote:
On 04/06/2021 15:35, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the
plank and then screw into the base.Â* How on earth is that done?

You want a plug cutter, you do. Get a good one, about £15-£20, not
some £9.99 crappy set of four. Don't use it on gritty boards or it
will become k-nackered.

Yup that will give a fairly close match if you cut the plugs from
similar wood and take the time to match the grain.

You might be able to get away with some ready made tapered plugs, and
a 10mm lip'n'spur bit to part drill the start of the hole.


Can't see any average jobbing builder bothering to hide deck
screws with plugs though

....and this is why we DIY :-)

--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
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\================================================= ================/

On 04/06/2021 15:35, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
No, we've been here since they were put in and there were no holes to fill up with dirt. Hubby thinks they went in from the top and the fibres closed over them really well. Will have a good stare at the ones the 18 year has been tasked with removing along with the old planks to see if they have the nibs like wood deck screws Fred linked to.

Son and hubby have removed one and a half planks in two hours. A lot of the wood is rotten but looks like a lot is not! Any tips for quick removal as there is a lot more to do? We want to save the base so are afraid of letting the hulklike son just rip them up.

Maybe your old one was put in by pinning with headless nails from an air
nailer. These are virtually invisible from the top on old boards. You
would be able to find them with a rare earth magnet.

On 05/06/2021 13:48, John Rumm wrote:
On 05/06/2021 12:02, Andrew wrote:
On 04/06/2021 18:04, John Rumm wrote:
On 04/06/2021 15:35, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the
plank and then screw into the base.Â* How on earth is that done?

You want a plug cutter, you do. Get a good one, about £15-£20, not
some £9.99 crappy set of four. Don't use it on gritty boards or it
will become k-nackered.

Yup that will give a fairly close match if you cut the plugs from
similar wood and take the time to match the grain.

You might be able to get away with some ready made tapered plugs, and
a 10mm lip'n'spur bit to part drill the start of the hole.


Can't see any average jobbing builder bothering to hide deck
screws with plugs though

Indeed, wouldn't it something like double the cost? Especially if you
were talking about ribbed board, you would have to "pattern match" the ribs.


...and this is why we DIY :-)

To my mind the modern coloured decking screws are not really obtrusive,
especially as an impact driver is so controllable that you can set them
flush.

Different for mahogany decks on a posh yacht, maybe.

On 05/06/2021 15:48, newshound wrote: Especially if you were talking
about ribbed board
I have heard that the boards should be *laid the other way up*....

"Decking timber usually has ridges that run along the length of the
board. Also called €œgrooves€� or €œreeds€�. These ridges on the board may
face up to provide functionality and aesthetics. Or they may be
installed facing down, the orientation recommended by manufacturers as
the correct way to install them."

(source: gripclad.co.uk)


I thing they look nicer that way, too.

On 05/06/2021 16:24, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 05/06/2021 15:48, newshound wrote: Especially if you were talking
about ribbed board
I have heard that the boards should be *laid the other way up*....

"Decking timber usually has ridges that run along the length of the
board. Also called €œgrooves€� or €œreeds€�. These ridges on the board may
face up to provide functionality and aesthetics. Or they may be
installed facing down, the orientation recommended by manufacturers as
the correct way to install them."

(source: gripclad.co.uk)


I thing they look nicer that way, too.

Most decking board I have seen has "square" grooves on one side and ribs
on the other. I know you see it used both ways up. I don't recall seeing
any that was flat on one side.

On 05/06/2021 16:31, newshound wrote:
On 05/06/2021 16:24, Chris Bacon wrote:
On 05/06/2021 15:48, newshound wrote: Especially if you were talking
about ribbed board
I have heard that the boards should be *laid the other way up*....

Most decking board I have seen has "square" grooves on one side and ribs
on the other. I know you see it used both ways up. I don't recall seeing
any that was flat on one side.

https://www.buildbase.co.uk/search?w=deck+boards (etc, etc). I haven't
seen stuff reeded both sides, but it does exist as in the link. Wouldn't
have it myself, I think it looks horrible.

On 04/06/2021 14:27, Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How on earth is that done?

Thanks
Suzanne

Have the holes been plugged
https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodwor.../joinery/plugs
or simply driven into the board using an impact driver?

Suzanne Clarke wrote:
Hi

We are replacing some decking and have the boards delivered. The previous
deck was installed by the builder's chippie about 12 years ago. We have
started taking the old boards off. The screws, which were invisible
before, start half way into the plank and then screw into the base. How
on earth is that done?

Thanks
Suzanne


In my experience decking planks are pretty €œsoft€� and if a screw is well
driven in below the surface, the wood fibres will spring back to almost
totally conceal the screw head.

Tim

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