How to fit composite decking trim?

When installing composite decking trim. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. When dealing with decking materials, thermal expansion always needs attention.

In most climates, temperature changes are sufficient to cause deck expansion from summer to winter. When heating and cooling, the composite floor often expands and shrinks over the length of the whole board. Proper spacing will avoid bending.

Some composite wood decking is designed to be fitted with concealed fasteners. These clamp systems are usually screwed to the deck frame through each joist. And tightly installed in a cavity extending along the side of the plate.

We recommend the use of anti-thread screws in composite deck boards to eliminate protrusions. Protrusions occur when standard horn head screws pull some composite decking boards over the surface during installation. The resulting convex concave-convex is not very beautiful. You can also use a hammer to level the surface.

Control deck joints

It is best to avoid joints on the composite wood surface as far as possible. With the weathering of decking materials, butt joints tend to separate and warp.

Depending on the size and shape of your deck designs. This may be easy to accomplish without any effort. Or you may need to make some adjustments. Diagonally laid decks can usually reduce or eliminate the number of butt joints on a modern deck more than 20 feet wide.

In some cases, you may decide that it is easier to create a continuous seam on the deck surface using divider plates. This technique is used to control joints and make them appear to be part of the deck design

Pay attention to side blocking to support the boundary

The site deck in this picture is composite decking 16 ft and has an additional 6-inch photo frame. In this case, we stagger the butt joints every 4 feet. We added double 2×10 joists to support the joints. Another method is to use a divider and create 2 decorative areas

Level the double joists

Ensure that both joists are leveled to the same height and secured. And with 4 screws every 12 inches to support the composite butt joint.

Recessed trim with concealed fasteners.

Leveling joists is important to keep butt joints at the same height. When using the concealed fasting system, be sure to use 2 clips on the double joist. Ensure that there is at least 1 / 8 “clearance between butt joints.

Align joints on double joists.

installing composite decking with a concealed fastening system. Start with the house and tighten the first composite decking board. Next, screw the hidden fastener clips into the grooves at the top of each joist. Then slide the groove of the next plate into the clip and tighten it with a rubber mallet.

A clean deck boundary.

In this case, we had to cut the last two boards into the same width to fill the 7-inch opening to prevent the last planking strip from being too narrow.

Decorate around the inner railway column.

Cut the composite decorative material around the track column. Make sure at least 1 / 8 “clearance is left for thermal expansion. In this case, we will cover the clearance with a guide rail sleeve and base trim