Decking Board Question

[Brian in sunny FL]

I have a local guy selling 5/4 x 6" x 16' western red cedar decking boards for $16 each which seems like a pretty good deal.  I have some that need replacing and was going to use synthetic but may just use these based on the price and planned on building some large planters so can plane them down and use same material.  Two questions.

They are rounding on one corner, is that the top side or bottom side to hide fasteners.

Can you use hidden fasteners on any board or do they need to be made for it?  Which ones are popular?

[Snipe Hunter]

You really want to face nail or screw wood decking to keep it from cupping.
That is cheap. rounded corners up, Hopefully the mill ran the boards through the shaper/router rounding corners with the crown up.

Ideally 3 fasteners at each joist.

[greenacres2]

I did 2 small decks (12' x 10') 6 or 7 years ago, one pressure treated, the other Ipe. Used Kreg's blind screw jig. Neither deck has any sign of cupping. Did a bigger one (32' x 16') pressure treated mid 2023, used Camo''s blind screws--again no sign of cupping yet. The Camo system was faster & easier than the Kreg system. All 3 replaced 26+ year old decks that i used the 3 screws in the face--and that method worked long-term as well.

I really prefer the blind screwing for shoveling snow--too many times each winter!!

earl

[Snipe Hunter]

I've seen the Camo system in action. Didn't realize you could use it on wood decking. If so, it's worth the bucks.

[greenacres2]

I've seen the Camo system in action. Didn't realize you could use it on wood decking. If so, it's worth the bucks.

Didn't mean to confuse--i used the Camo Marksman & screws on wood--not their clip system.  The clips probably could be used but all the wood would have to be grooved (and probably dry before installing!!).  

earl

[Cabinet Monkey]

I have a local guy selling 5/4 x 6" x 16' western red cedar decking boards for $16 each which seems like a pretty good deal.  I have some that need replacing and was going to use synthetic but may just use these based on the price and planned on building some large planters so can plane them down and use same material.  Two questions.

They are rounding on one corner, is that the top side or bottom side to hide fasteners.

Can you use hidden fasteners on any board or do they need to be made for it?  Which ones are popular?

Pretty good deal 


6” wood for a dollar/ft is a good deal. 

Redwood………you should drop what you’re doing and go buy all of it.  

Better still, give me his number and I’ll take care of it.

[sleepy hollow]

Ditto on the Camo system for wood decking.  I used it 5 years ago for my select 2x6 pine deck. Still looks great and no signs of any issues of any sort.  Such a difference in the look without visible fasteners and still having the real thing underfoot.  I had to buy both size camo jigs because some of my boards were just above the max on the smaller one but below the min on the larger one.  Annoying, but it was well worth the extra $50 or whatever it was at the time.    

Photo is just after staining the new deck boards in late 2019.  Looks exactly the same today.  

I live in VA which has extremely variable weather in terms of heat and humidity.