Brazilian Hardwood Decking

Tatajuba Hardwood Decking

2011-05-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Tatatjuba Decking

Tatajuba decking lumber is another one of over 100 hardwood species that thrives in South America. All of the species that survive in the wet climate of the long rainy seasons in South America are durable and highly resistant to rot and insects. If the hardwood comes from South America, it is extremely durable.

Tatajuba is golden colored before being exposed to sun and weather. It quickly turns a deep russet brown in less than 10 days after installation. Some boards display a beautiful ribbon-like pattern and the color between boards is very consistent. Costing considerably less than ipe, tatajuba is a very popular decking lumber. Some find tatajuba more desirable than ipe because of the consistent color from board to board. Ipe boards vary greatly from light brown to black to tobacco. Tatajuba boards are also very stable making installation easy.

Tatajuba rates 2200 on the janka scale. Ipe is at 3600, Tigerwood at 2160 and Oak at 1230. See a comparison of other woods in the janka scale listed under the “Documents” tab at BWDepot.com. This janka suggests that it may last 40 years while other woods like ipe, cumaru and purple heart may last as much as 100 years.

The boards below are Tatajuba before they turn color and after they turn.

Purple Heart Hardwood Decking (Roxinho)

2011-05-29T12:04:00.000-04:00

Purple Heart decking lumber is another one of over 100 hardwood species that thrives in South America. All of the species that survive in the wet climate of the long rainy seasons in South America are durable and highly resistant to rot and insects. If the hardwood comes from South America, it is extremely durable.

Purple Heart is billiard table PURPLE before being exposed to sun and weather. It quickly turns a reddish brown in less than 10 days after installation. The grain is pronounced and there is a gentle color variation from board to board. Costing considerably less than ipe, Purple Heart is a very popular decking lumber. Some find Purple Heart more desirable than ipe because of the consistent color from board to board. Ipe boards vary greatly from light brown to black to tobacco. Purple Heart boards are also very stable making installation easy.

Purple Heart rates 3450 on the janka scale. Ipe is at 3600, Tigerwood at 2160 and Oak at 1230. See a comparison of other woods in the janka scale listed under the “Documents” tab at BWDepot.com. This janka suggests that it will last as long as the most durable woods in the world like ipe and cumaru, which are rated to last up to 100 years.

Even though kiln dried, Purple Heart has a unique characteristic unlike most other hardwood decking. The boards display light lines of sap at the grain lines, which dry up within the first 2 weeks after installation. This sap makes the grain lines more pronounced. Though sticky, the sap does not stick to your feet. Oiling the boards with good deck oil like Messmers helps reduce this affect.

The boards below are Purple Heart before they turn color and after they turn.

Earth Responsible Green Building Practices

2010-07-15T11:21:00.000-04:00

We all need to utilize our planet’s resources responsibly. For building materials, this means focusing on using materials that meet earth responsible criteria:

Made from natural materials without chemicals or oil,
Biodegradable
Renewable and sustainable or it is reclaimed

The use of chemicals in building materials creates, at some point, the need to dispose of the chemical waste. By utilizing materials void of chemicals we not only avoid exposing our families but also the eventual leaching and cleanup of these dangerous elements from our environment. Using products made from oil increases the need to buy more foreign oil and oil based products which are not biodegradable and clog our landfills. Additionally, the use of oil based products increases the demand for ethanol, a low cost gasoline substitute. This demand increases the farming of soybeans, the primary ingredient used for most ethanol production. The expansion of soybean farming in Brazil is the second largest contributor to rain forest destruction following the destruction caused from low cost beef ranching.

Using biodegradable building materials is important because we don’t want the refuse from our projects to forever clog landfills. The material should be recyclable, reusable and / or easily disposed of so that it will decay naturally without causing any impact on the environment.

Renewable materials are those that are replanted and replaced so that the continual growth of new trees is sustained. When trees are logged, more are planted to supply trees for future building. Oil is not renewable or sustainable. There is a finite amount of oil on this planet. Reclaimed material is that which is being used a 2^nd time or otherwise saved from being discarded as trash. Heart of pine flooring is removed from old structures, planed and installed in newer buildings. Sunken logs are salvaged from the bottoms of rivers and milled into useable timbers. Because of its durability, hardwood decking can be removed, refinished and installed again on a new deck.

There are excellent cost effective choices for decking material that demonstrate these basic green building guidelines. Pressure treated lumber is pumped with chemicals to increase its resistance to rot and bugs and composite decking is made from oil. However, redwood, cedar and imported hardwood decking all meet green building criteria. Of these 3 choices, imported hardwood decking is more durable therefore the most cost effective over the life of the deck and most people agree that it is also the most beautiful decking in the world. Hardwood lumber like ipe’, cumaru, garapa and jatoba from South America is naturally bug and rot resistant needing no chemical additives. It’s biodegradable, it can be dismantled and used again for another deck (reusable) and the payment for the replanting of new trees is required before logging permits are granted to harvest the lumber (sustainable).

The regeneration of many ipe’ alternatives like jatoba, garapa, massaranduba, angelim and tigerwood require decades to replenish themselves rather than a century. This is the main reason that Brazilian Wood Depot supplies these other species. They are all beautiful, stable and make great decking.

Being earth responsible and building a “green” deck doesn’t cost any extra money. Hardwood decking looks better and lasts longer than any other options and it also costs less. Every day more people are becoming aware of the value of hardwood decking.

Cleaning and Refinishing Hardwood Decking

2010-07-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

Ipe’, cumaru, jatoba, massaranduba, garapa and tigerwood hardwood decking is the most beautiful decking in the world. To maintain the color and pronounced grain patterns, you must finish the deck periodically with a good oil-based deck finish made especially for hardwoods. Finishes that are not specifically developed for hardwoods do not penetrate the wood enough for proper protection.

When ipe’ and these other decking choices are not finished, the pigment will wash out, the color will fade and the boards will gray over time. All wood grays but the lively color of these woods can be restored. You can use a cleaner mixed with water to brush the gray out of the decking. Then, apply the finish. The restoration is fantastic and the wood looks new again.

Most of these cleaners have oxalic acid as their active ingredient. This will not harm metals, your hands, plants or concrete. Wet the decking down with the cleaner, keep it wet for 30 minutes and then push the gray away with a brush. Rinse off the cleaner and gray residue. Leave this dry over night and apply the finish. Flood Company, Penofin, Messmers and other companies all offer good cleaners that perform well. Only Flood offers the concentrated cleaner in a liquid, which mixes more easily with water than all of the other powder concentrates.

Here are before and after pictures of a deck that had grayed and faded.

Cleaning your hardwood deck does not require the use of a pressure washer. As a matter of fact it is recommended you do not use a pressure washer on hardwoods as they leave streaking and often tend to raise the grain giving a rough undesirable surface. They can also damage surrounding structures. Light sanding can be done as necessary using caution to avoid removal of the color of coated screws that are not properly countersunk and also to avoid removal of the eased edges on the boards. You do not want sharp corners on your deck boards.

Cleaning your deck lightly before reapplications of deck finish is a good idea if there is residue, stains or dirt on your deck. Sometimes, furniture or other metal objects left on your deck will create black stains. These are easily removed with muriatic acid. Dilute the acid with water by 50% and dab it on the stain with a rag. Watch it disappear and rinse it with water. It’s that easy. Muriatic acid will not discolor or otherwise harm your deck.

Hardwood decking made from Ipe’, jatoba, cumaru, massaranduba, garapa and tigerwood is the only type of decking that can be restored after graying. Simply follow the cleaning steps above to remove the gray then refinish the deck after it dries thoroughly.

There are few things in life that are truly “maintenance free” retaining all of the original “like new” properties. Hardwood decking will retain its durability if it grays but the beautiful color adds much to the wood’s allure. It’s wonderful that the beauty of your hardwood deck can be restored if the periodic finishing is omitted.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

Finishing Touch Hardwood Deck Designs

2010-07-08T12:56:00.001-04:00

If you think that you want full length boards to avoid seams between the ends of your boards, you may want to consider some other options. Maybe it’s the rot on the ends of the boards you noticed when you took apart your old pressure treated (PT) deck that you’re trying to avoid on your new deck design. Premium hardwood ipe’, cumaru, garapa, jatoba, massaranduba and tigerwood decking is very hard and will NOT rot. Sealing the ends of the boards with wax emulsion during construction prevents end checking (cracking) too. So, seams between the ends of boards will not result in the rot that occurs on PT decks.

Getting past the concern about boards rotting on the ends allows for some interesting deck design and money saving opportunities. You can save money designing your deck allowing seams because fewer long boards 12’ and longer are milled and imported than shorter boards. By mixing your lengths with as little as one third of your lengths less than 12’, you can save up to 20% on the cost of your boards. I know that got your attention.

Borders and angled layouts are popular design features but other layouts can provide interesting deck designs leaving no seams without paying extra for long boards. This first design using different species of decking nicely breaks up a long deck that might otherwise look like a bowling alley. The 2^nd design also uses different species and shorter boards in the middle. The section in the middle can be moved to the border to accent a doorway too.

You can also make your decking look like plank flooring by easing the ends of your deck boards. This is done by quickly rounding over the top edge of the ends to match the already eased edges as you install them. This actually accents the end joints and makes them match the edges. Here are two photos of beautiful jobs done by Atlanta contractor using eased ends.

While cumaru rosa, tigerwood, massaranduba and garapa are very consistent in color from board to board, ipe’ and jatoba boards have more variety. If you install full length boards with a lot of variety, you may cause a “striped” effect. This is easily broken up using eased edges with board joints. This is especially noticeable on smaller or T&G decks. A damaged edge on a board leads to the loss of the entire board on decks designed with full length boards while decks with planned seams can easily use them by cutting out the damaged section. The ends of the boards in the photo below have been eased to match the edges of the divider board. They go together much better than if the square end butted up to the eased edge.

Use seams to enhance the beauty of your deck, create interesting deck designs, utilize hardwoods more responsibly and SAVE MONEY when building your hardwood deck. All of the comments and suggestions here focus on the use of ipe’, cumaru, jatoba, massaranduba, garapa and tigerwood decking and don’t apply to composite and PT decking.

This compilation of feedback from contractors and professional experience was provided by Brazilian Wood Depot.

Best Finish For Ipe’ and Other Hardwood Decking and Siding

2010-06-28T15:01:00.001-04:00

Of the decking choices available in the U.S., hardwood decking is gaining popularity more than any other. The durability, beauty and price make Ipe’ (the most well known), cumaru, jatoba, tigerwood, massaranduba and garapa hardwoods the best choices. The varied characteristics between the species provide color and grain patterns for all tastes and budgets.

Finishing the deck correctly is a key factor to maintaining the hardwoods’ beauty. There are popular finishes designed for hardwoods in oil-based and water-based formulas. We’ve tested all of the products on the market that we’ve heard of. We’ve found that while the water-based formulas hold color longer during the first year after application, the premium oil-based formulas give the wood the best luster and perform better over years of continued applications on ipe, cumaru, tigerwood and all of the hardwood species.

Water-based finishes, Flood Company’s UV Hardwood being the best, seal the boards nicely and penetrate well but never bring out the luster of these beautiful hardwoods like oil-based finishes.Follow-up applications do not penetrate as well and leave an opaque color to the wood, which covers that grain’s beauty. Some contractors have noted that oil-based follow-up applications to the original water-based application bring out the luster nicely for ipe’, garapa, massaranduba and other hardwoods. The finish manufacturers do not support mixing products as noted on their web sites and technical support.

The oil-based finishes made specifically for hardwoods performed better over the long term than water-based finishes. Cabot Australian Timber Oil, Penofin Hardwood Deck Oil, Ipe Oil and Messmers UV Plus For Hardwoods are among the top brands that we tested. We found thatMessmers outperforms the others for penetration, luster, long life and ease of application. We tested these products on Ipe’, jatoba, garapa, massaranduba, jatoba, tigerwood, angelim, tatajuba and sucupira with comparable results. Oil is best applied when the sun is low, the wood is dry, above 50 degrees and being sure to back brush or otherwise leave no puddles. Follow-up applications should always be applied after the wood has begun to weather or fade. This could be as soon as 6 months in hot full sun situations or 12 months on boards having less sun exposure.Successive applications will be applied with continually longer periods between applications. The oil and UV protection accumulates in the hardwood without covering up the hardwoods’ natural beauty. If the wood is left to gray, a good hardwood cleaner can be used to lift the gray out without the need to pressure wash or sand your deck. A new application of deck oil brings back its natural beauty.

Notice this selection of boards that we tested in a HOT full sun environment. After 5 months, the oil-based finishes began to fade while the water-based finish held more of its color. When the oil was applied, the oil-based finishes came alive and back to its original luster in the 2^nd photo.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

Install Fascia, Trim, Border and Wrap Deck Boards To Prevent Cupping or Warping

2009-11-29T04:51:00.001-05:00

These accent deck boards that are installed flat on decking structures provide for moisture to be trapped under the deck boards. This trapped mositure will cause the deck boards to cup as the face of the deck boards dry - the edges turn up. Several joists together provide this type of flat surface under border boards and wrapping the visible perimeter joists do too. To prevent this, you can kerf (groove) the bottoms of the deck boards with a skill or table saw before installing the boards. The cuts should be made from end to end on bottom or back of each board 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart and a depth that is 1/2 the thickness of the board. This will prevent cupping. In addition to kerfing the boards, you can wax the bottoms or glue the boards to the structure with subfloor adhesive. This also prevents moisture from affecting the boards.
Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

Aluminum Hidden Deck Clip Installation

2008-08-24T07:21:00.001-04:00

Face Screwed deck installation is preferred over nails because they simply hold better. In addition, you can choose stainless steel screws, which will not stain your beautiful decking. Stainless steel nails are only (easily) available in finish nails because SS nails are too soft to use for most applications.

Hidden Fastener Deck Clips are often chosen by customers who don't want to see the heads of the screws in the face of their deck boards. To use these, the boards must be kerfed (grooved) on the sides so that the clips can be inserted into the boards.

The Ipe Clip Extreme is an effective product made of stainless steel covered with plastic to blend in with the wood color. This ipe clip is installed by driving a screw through the hole in the clip at a 45 degree angle and through the board thereby holding the board from moving as the board shrinks slightly. Most installers find it easier to pre-drill a hole in the board so that they can drive the screw more easily. This pre-drilling to install the ipe clip is an extra step that some prefer to avoid.

Aluminum Deck Clips are preferred by some installers because pre-drilling is not necessary. These deck clips are durable and hold well but the boards may shift as they shrink because the screws are not driven down through the board. The screws are driven straight down through the clips between the boards.

Using All Weather Sub Floor Adhesive solves this problem. The installation procedure for these aluminum deck clips is shown here.

Run a bead of adhesive down the top of the joists where you are beginning your deck installation. Apply enough to accommodate your first two or three boards.

Install your deck clips along the entire edge of the first board with a clip on each joist. The screw must be run down until the top of the screw is level with the clip. Do not tighten it down because this will tilt the free edge of the clip down thereby preventing you from slipping the 2^nd board into place.

Once you've installed clips on every joist along the edge of the first board, slip the leading edge of the 2^nd board into the clips snuggly.

Now, install the clips into the 2^nd edge of the 2^nd board on every joist making sure that you only drive the screw down until it is level with the clip. Do not screw it down too tightly.

Once this 2^nd clip is installed on the 2^nd board, go back to the nearest clip between the two boards and tighten it down firmly. Now, the clip will press the boards down on the glue and sufficiently seat them permanently.

Repeat this procedure to complete your deck.

A different installation technique must used for the first board edge (often against the house), the last edge (away from the house), the steps and risers because there is no joist to screw into or you cannot access the edge of the board.

Plugs that match your deck species are a very good option but the installation is tedious and they don't leave any option to replace boards later if that need arises.

Hidden Brackets that screw to the the joists and to the under side of deck boards are a good option. They install easily and can be used on these few areas where the deck clips simply don't apply well.

There you go . . . hidden deck fasteners.

More information is available about best choice fasteners at BWDepot.com.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot.

Forest Preservation

2008-08-06T06:16:00.000-04:00

Rules Of Forest Preservation for Brazil and other lumber producing countries are designed to preserve their natural resources and the environment. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This is a vitally respected agreement boasting 173 member nations at this time. It was drafted in 1973 and provides the framework to be respected by each Party (member country), which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level. The Brazilian government has had these laws in place for decades to ensure the regeneration of lumber that is harvested there from their forests. This CITES Treaty is the agreement protecting our flora and fauna worldwide and NOT any other private entity claiming to do so . . . at a profit.

The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) organizes loggers, mills, shippers and distributors to certify that certain lumber is harvested responsibly. This is a self-regulated organization without a specific fee structure. FSC certified shipments of lumber are sold at a premium to recover the cost of certification.

Tree Harvest Certifications (issued by Ibama � the Federal authority) must accompany ALL timber and lumber from standing timber in Brazil all the way to the importer's warehouse in the United States. This includes origin and species certifications as well as fumigation, density and grade specifications. To acquire these certifications, the loggers and mills must first present certifications provided by the Brazilian government which allow them to harvest particular trees. These harvest certifications must be carried by the loggers and the tree transport truckers at all times. Being caught without them will cause their logs and trucks to be confiscated and they will be jailed as poachers.

Rain Forest Preservation - The largest cause of loss of forest lands in the Rain Forest Basin is burning to create farmland and pasture land. To maintain the Rain Forests for future generations it is important to bring value to the standing forest. The responsible use of the select cut techniques (required in Brazil today) on a broad range of species will help preserve the Amazon for future generations by allowing local people to make a living in the rain forest rather than destroying it for the raising of cattle and soybeans. People do not destroy that which sustains them. By introducing the use of more species for a purpose, the use of these trees is spread over a variety of species. This prevents the over use of any one species. Brazilian Wood Depot offers a wider variety of species for decking than any distributor in the United States. The availability of more choices spreads demand among those choices.
Few people grasp the immense size of the Amazon rain forest. It is roughly the size of the continental United States. Today about 15% of the total Amazon rain forest is deforested. When Europeans arrived in South America, about 15 % of the rain forest was deforested.
In 1990, a number of tropical forestry experts met to discuss the causes of tropical deforestation and what could be done to slow deforestation. They arrived at a number of conclusions, some of which are summarized below (Smithsonian Institution/International Hardwood Products Association, 1990):

• Tropical rain forests will be preserved only if they are accorded economic value.
• Blanket bans and embargoes on tropical hardwood will tend to depress the value of these hardwoods and the forests that contain them. Such constraints generally diminish the economic incentives to conserve and manage these forests in the face of alternative land uses that lead to their destruction.
• In areas where prices received for timber do not fully cover the cost of forest management; there is a lack of incentive and commitment to forest management.
• Funds obtained from products of the tropical forests must be re-channeled into managing and regenerating those forests.
• The international tropical timber industry should encourage the continued establishment of conservation areas solely dedicated to forest preservation

Many of these ideals are addressed in the CITES Treaty mentioned earlier in this article. The destruction of tropical rain forests is due to growing population, growing infrastructure, and the economic activities associated with certain occupations. Unless people who work in cattle ranching, farming, charcoal production, and gold or oil exploration can find an alternative source of income that preserves that income's resources, their income will drop due to loss of resources and their country's subsequent economic development will suffer.

More information and links to great articles referenced at RealWood.Org.

Green logging and milling principles recognized at RealWoodDepot.com.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

Deck Board Thickness And Strength

2008-08-05T14:50:00.004-04:00

The Ideal Deck Board Thickness depends on the hardness and bending strength of the material. Pressure treated (PT) pine and cypress, composite and redwood are readily available in 5/4 x 6” boards because this is the thickness needed for building strong decks with joists that are 16” apart – on center (O.C), an industry standard. Cedar is available in 5/4 x 6 and also 2 x 6 boards. Cedar is quite a bit softer than the others mentioned. So some folks want a thicker board. None of these boards are purchased in 1 x 6 dimensions as deck boards because they simply would not be firm enough to build a deck the doesn’t flex.

Brazilian Deck Boards, on the other hand, are most often sold in 1 x 6 dimensions. Brazilian deck boards are six to ten times harder than cedar and three to four times harder the PT and composite material. So, it is understandable that Brazilian ipe decking boards are much firmer than any other commonly available deck material even when they are 75% as thick as most other deck boards. Folks first comparing the attributes of Brazilian ipe decking boards to other materials available often price 5/4 x 6 lumber but this is not a good performance comparison. 1 x 6 Brazilian ipe decking boards are firmer, last longer and build a stronger deck than every other commonly used deck material. A lumber importer that is commonly asked about this comparison made this video, which clearly depicts the strength comparison between Brazilian ipe decking 5/4 and 4/4 thick boards. His conclusion from this study is that the difference in deflection between a 1 x 6 deck board and a 5/4 x 6 board is only 1 mm or 1/24^th”. This is a 300 pound man standing on only ONE board. Because of the size of his footprint, this man would normally be standing on at least two boards. This minor deflection emphasizes the fact that 1 x 6 dimensions for Brazilian ipe decking boards is ample.

Joist Spans can be adjusted to add more strength and reduce flex on a deck. Adding a few extra joists to make the joist spans 12” rather than 16” adds quite a bit of strength and firmness to a deck – MUCH more than using 5/4 x 6 boards. Adding more joists also costs a lot less money than paying for thicker Brazilian ipe decking boards. Adding joists to make smaller joist spans does NOT make all decks firmer. Composite decking material manufactured with plastic and no wood fillers sags between the joists over time no matter how close the joist spans are. The sag is reduced but they still sag. Reducing joist spans for PT and cedar decks will improve the firmness of the deck but will not increase the life of the decking, which is the weaker attribute.

More comparisons at CompositeDecking.ME

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

Best Decking Fasteners

2008-07-30T12:44:00.004-04:00

Galvanized Nails are the most common choice for fastening pressure treated pine and cypress decking. These nails must have a coating guaranteed not to rot from the corrosive chemicals pumped into these boards meant to help fight rot and insects. As the Pressure treating industry changes chemicals to improve results, standards change to fight the changing corrosive properties that are introduced to the boards. This process has proven to be a game of “wait and see” if the nail coatings withstand the chemicals and prevent the nails from rotting.

Stainless Steel Screws are favored over nails because they do not rot or stain the wood and the threaded mechanics of screws offer much better holding power than nails. Galvanized nails are cheaper but stainless steel screws are worth the investment for a long lasting deck. Stainless Steel screws are not as hard as coated steel screws. Therefore, holes for these screws must be pre-drilled when installing superior hardwood decking products like Ipe (cumaru, tigerwood, Brazilian cherry and other) Brazilian decking choices and even composite decking. Smart-Bit by Starborn Industries is a drill bit that drills the perfect hole and counter-sink in one motion. Headcote SS screws have powder coat painted heads that virtually disappear when used on ipe, cumaru, tigerwood, Brazilian cherry and several other Brazilian decking species. GRK makes a SS trim head screw that also counter sinks nicely out of view because the BB sized head is so tiny. Ipe decking is so hard that even this small head can not be pulled through the boards.

Coated Steel Screws have the superior holding power over nails, cost less than stainless steel screws AND can actually be installed without the need to pre-drill holes. Many prefer to create a pilot hole when installing very hard ipe and cumaru Brazilian decking, which makes it easier to start the screw but the strength of these screws is still a handy attribute. GRK makes the same trim head screw in a coated steel screw, which counter sinks nicely out of view. These screws are still coated steel, which leaves the possibility of rust stains in the future.

Hidden Deck Fasteners like Ipe Clip and Deck Clip are also very popular because your deck can be constructed without any screws on the face of the boards. The screws are visible as you look down between the cracks in the boards but hidden deck fasteners are far LESS visible than face screwed boards. The Ipe Clip Extreme is a plastic coated stainless steel clip that slips into slots cut into the sides of deck boards. The stainless steel is an optimum material (over solid plastic clips) for hidden deck fasteners and the plastic coating covers the potential shine of stainless steel between the boards. The Deck Clip, made of aluminum and painted black is another favorite when installing premium ipe Brazilian decking. The thick aluminum is strong to last a lifetime and the black color (also on the screw heads) helps the clips disappear between boards. Ipe Clip Extreme screws are driven at a 45 degree angle and screw through one of the deck boards after going through the clip. The Deck Clip is driven straight down and does not penetrate either deck board that it holds. Therefore, the Ipe Clip Extreme will hold boards in place as they expand and contract and maintain uniform distance between boards after installation. The Deck Clip offers the advantage that you don’t need to run the screws through the deck boards, which negates the need to pre-drill. This is a time saving advantage. The aluminum clip should not be used in areas near salt water but hold up just fine for inland applications. Hidden deck fasteners made of 100% plastic do not hold up to weather and wear as well as these stainless steel and aluminum clips AND some of the plastic clips engineered for plastic on plastic contact squeak. This is a never-ending annoyance.

Hidden Fasteners Under Deck are also popular. Deckmaster makes a hidden deck fastening system that is mounted beneath the deck boards. Even when using one of the clip systems listed above, the Deckmaster fasteners can be used in areas where the clips can not – like steps, risers, start and end boards. They are available in powder coated steel for inland use and stainless steel for coastal areas. The only drawbacks to these fasteners are that the deck needs to be a workable distance from the ground and they require two people to install. One worker must hold the boards down as the other screws from the bottom. I suppose your St. Bernard could help if you could train him to stand on the right board. These fasteners are a great alternative to using plugs – they’re faster and adjustable. Once you’ve plugged premium decking like Brazilian ipe, you’ll never find them again.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot

The Causes of Cupping Can Be Avoided

2008-07-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Cause of Deck board Cupping is uneven moisture content from one side of the deck board to the other. If while looking at the end view of a decking board, the board is bent into a slight “U” shape, you are observing “cupping”. This uneven moisture is most often the result of poor ventilation or otherwise trapped moisture below the deck. This can happen while using PT decking, cedar decking or even ipe Brazilian wood decking.

Prevent Cupping for an above ground deck, observe these few simple steps:
• Be sure that the soil under the deck slopes away from the house and does not leave any contours that may puddle;
• Cover the soil with a vapor barrier which will prevent moisture from accumulating;
• Don’t allow any joists to contact soil (or lay flat on concrete if deck is built over an existing concrete patio). This will prevent moisture from wicking into boards, which will cause the decking boards to cup;
• Don’t allow any debris to accumulate under the deck which will hold moisture;
• Be sure that there is ventilation and sufficient clearance for air to flow from side to side under the deck – this is the most common cause of cupping;
• Standard S4S (not T&G) decking boards need to be installed with gaps between them. The gaps between PT boards will increase dramatically as the boards dry out while the gaps between Brazilian wood ipe decking boards will increase very slightly;
• Avoid fastening deck boards to any flat support that is more than half the width of the decking boards. If this is necessary, kerf and wax or finish the bottoms of these decking boards lengthways before installation.

Prevent Cupping when installing any type of ceiling under deck designed to create a dry living space underneath the deck. These caveats above should be observed and here are a few additional tips:
• Of course, this “dry below” system should slope AWAY from the house;
• It needs to be made of a material that will not hold moisture like aluminum or plastic;
• The below ceiling should be suspended below and not in direct contact with deck joists or otherwise designed so that the deck joists are not in contact with standing water. This will prevent the joists from wicking up moisture. Dry-B-Lo offers a system that is engineered to achieve this moisture control;
• Ample ventilation and air flow from front to back AND side to side under the decking boards is crucial and sometimes difficult to engineer given the small amount of clearance available;
• Small vents along the house in the deck boards or the ceiling can aid ventilation;
• Waxing the bottoms of the deck boards before installation is fast, easy and will help prevent moisture accumulation in Brazilian wood ipe, PT, cedar or ANY type of Realwood decking.

Cupping versus Warping - Cupping is not caused by inadequate drying while manufacturing the decking boards. Cupping is caused by moisture trapped below decking boards. Inadequate drying of decking boards will cause warping. Warping and twisting of boards occurs as the boards’ internal moisture content acclimates to their new climate. The solution to this dilemma is to replace the boards.

Other Factors That Affect Cupping - Cupping is not unique to any particular wood species however varying densities of different woods and board thicknesses are factors. Thicker deck boards are more susceptible to cupping than thinner boards – this is why kerfing the bottoms of boards is effective. Denser decking boards like Brazilian wood ipe decking do not absorb moisture as easily as other boards and therefore don’t cup as easily. This is also the reason why soft woods like pine display large rot-causing cracks when they weather while hard Brazilian decking (like ipe, cumaru, jatoba, tigerwood and others) only displays small check marks. These check marks do not affect the structural integrity of these very hard woods.

Remedies For Cupping - Sometimes cupping can be remedied by removing the cause – getting rid of the moisture. However, it is most often necessary to remove the decking boards, stack them flat using spacers providing adequate ventilation devoid of moisture and let them dry out. While they’re drying, you can be fixing the cause of the moisture while providing the correct conditions for the joists or other moisture holding supports to dry out too.

Courtesy Brazilian Wood Depot – Go Natural !