The Problem With Deck Fasteners on Composite Decks, And How to Fix It

Posted by Brett McCutcheon on Jul 9, 2015 10:30:00 AM
Brett McCutcheon

The Problem With Deck Fasteners on Composite Decks, And How You Can Fix ItPerhaps the phrase “mushrooming effect” makes you think of pizza toppings. Or maybe images of what appears on your lawn after days of rain. It’s possible the words conjur up flashbacks to your experimental hippie days. But if you are a deck builder, you know these words all too well when building composite decks, and can't help but cringe if a customer complains to you about "mushrooming" on your deck.

As defined in decks.com, mushrooming occurs when a standard bugle head screw pulls some composite material above the surface during installation. The resulting raised bump isn’t very attractive. And if you have a customer willing to spend the additional money that a composite deck costs, you know you can’t deliver an end product that isn’t attractive.

When composite deck materials first came on the market and started gaining in popularity, deck builders were sold lines that this mushrooming was not a bad thing. All they needed to do was flatten the mushrooming with a hammer, and their problem would be solved. “Just one more step to complete the deck” they were told.

Well, deck building companies have learned one tried and true rule in their industry: speed of installation is where profit lies. So adding one step was not going to fly, and fastener companies needed to come up with a solution. It became clear: either hide the screws altogether without losing integrity of the build quality, or create a fastener that corrects mushrooming.

BECK did both.

With BeckDeck® , a double threaded deck fastener was designed to eliminate the "mushrooming" that happens when traditional screws are driven into most composite materials. The second thread pulls the displaced material back into the hole with the SCRAIL® creating a more snug fit and a flat, finished surface. Happy customers with attractive deck results… and no additional steps required.

For the customer who wants an even more flawless finish, InvisiDeck® was developed. This deck fastener system creates a completely smooth finish with no visible fasteners. Designed to be used with grooved boards, it can be adapted for use in non-grooved hardwood or composite materials with the use of BECK's groove cutter. The clips and SCRAIL® are installed under the deck's surface and hold tight without being seen. No mushrooming. No extra steps. No wasted time. No hazy flashbacks to Grateful Dead concerts.

Watch the Video:  SCRAIL InvisiDeck Hidden System

Topics: Deck Fasteners

CURRENT PROMOTIONS

10% Discount on Your First SCRAIL® Fastener Order

SCRAIL®, Fast like a Nail, Strong like a Screw, are incredibly versatile collated fasteners that can be driven with a pneumatic nailer at a rate twice as fast as collated screws and eight times faster than bulk screws. You can rely upon SCRAIL® fasteners to hold strong, without callbacks to fix a squeak or a nail pop.

Give SCRAIL® a try, and enjoy 10% off your first order.

  • Use SCRAIL® almost anywhere ordinary screws are used
  • Save time and labor costs 
  • Twice as fast as collated screws, eight times faster than bulk screws
  • Easily adjusted, quickly removed
  • Dramatically increased holding power vs. nails
  • Making projects easier since 1998

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