Using PVC for Decking Material

kept cellular PVC ducky may well represent the best of all worlds when it comes to outdoor deck material the PVC core is strong and lightweight while the outer PVC cap is extremely durable not only that but the newest cellular PVC decks like this vintage collection from ASIC are amazingly realistic with embossed grain and color variations that truly mimic real wood so to show you how easily this decking installs I built this small mock-up right here and I'm gonna take you through the installation step-by-step the deck that I'm going to build has a frame around the outside because of that the framing underneath needs some additional joists to provide proper support to the perimeter planks so I'll begin by cutting these ports to length next I bore pilot holes near the ends drop the boards into position and secure them with three and a half inch deck screws using a tone ailing technique this could also be done with a nail gun or by hand nailing next I measure the deck set my miter saw to make a 45-degree cut cut miters on both ends of the first frame piece and then set the plank in place now I want the frame to have a one inch overhang it'll actually be less after I install the joist trim boards later on rather than measure I've cut a winch gage from some scrap lumber to check the overhang in several places once the board is in the correct position I clamp it rather than permanently fastening it then move on to the remaining three frame sides the clamps allow me to make minor adjustments to ensure that the miters are properly aligned and snug fitting I'll be using the cortex hidden fastening system to attach the frame pieces the system consists of a special self countersinking screw a setting tool and color matched plugs that conceal the screw hole these screws are self tapping and require no pre drilling the setting tool drives the screw head a prescribed distance below the surface and automatically disengages when the screw is at the proper depth this cap cellular PVC decking firm ayzik is designed to span joists that are no more than 16 inches apart I measure the space inside the frame transfer that measurement to a temporary fence I've set up on my portable miter saw clamp a stop block had placed select my first decking plank slide it up against the stop block and make the cut the stop block allows me to make accurate repetitive cuts without having to remeasure each time this concealed lock clip is part of the second fastening system I'm using on this deck the clip engages a groove on the side of the plank and is positioned over the center of the joist now one thing I'm noticing is that I can't Center the clip at the end of the plank because that board is sharing a joist with the frame I just put down the solution is to attach or sister a second joist to the side of the existing one now I can Center the clip properly I set the first plank in place dropping in shims to create the correct spacing I'll only have to do this on the first board since I can't use the concealed lock clips at the leading edge of the first board I'll use the cortex screws instead the concealed lock clips are secured to the joist with self-starting finish head screws that are driven in at a 45 degree angle the second plank and all those that follow is set into position by tilting it slightly so that the groove in the side can engage the tab on the clip once phyton the joists the board is tapped into position using a scrap two foot section of decking and a mallet the clip not only secures the decking to the joists it also creates a consistent spacing between each strip of decade these groove planks from this ayzik vintage collection are available in 12 16 and 20 foot lengths so in many cases joining plates may not be necessary when it is required though the joint must be on top of a joist in order to accommodate the hidden clips I'm using a second choice needs to be sister to the existing one so that a clip can be installed on the end of each plank this last plank is too wide to fit the remaining space so using a standard wood blade I rip it to the correct width engage the clips on the adjacent board and tap it into place the final edge I secure using the cortex screws now it's time to insert the plugs that will conceal the recess screw heads the plugs are color matched to the deck II and even have a bit of grain embossed on the top I align the plug grain with the decking grain and tap the plug in to place the screws become virtually invisible the final step is to conceal the wood rim joist with this half-inch ASIC trim board I measure the length of the joist and cut the trim to fit since the trim boards need to be the same width as the joists I rip them to the correct size the trim boards are attached with color-matched Finnish head screws that require no pre drilling now a success this capped cellular PVC decking has been engineered to withstand the everyday things that happen on a deck so I decided to put it to the test first trying to mark it with patio furniture then attempting to stain it with spilled oil and even ketchup everything cleaned up without leaving a trace and even though the deck is remarkably water repellent it's not slippery even with water standing on the surface well this is one deck that seems to have it all realistic good looks rugged durability and freedom from the usual deck upkeep and maintenance

Channel: Ron Hazelton

Views: 87,286

Rating: 4.8055553 out of 5

Keywords: PVC decking, PVC decks, decking, outdoor deck, ron hazelton, do it yourself, DIY, home improvement

Id: jrXrsJkTBgY

Length: 6min 51sec (411 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 25 2016