Fastest Way to cut slots in Composite Decking

[fixtureman]

Yes I laid the board down and cut the slots

[barryvabeach]

Thanks to all for the help ,  I really appreciate it.  Now I am on to replacing the rotted joists, and other prep work before I install the decking.

[Cooler]

Cutting your own grooves is for "small jobs only". 

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project...ed-decking

Even some types of premium wood decking come grooved from the mill or wholesaler, or they can be grooved at the lumberyard for a nominal fee. If you’re feeling ambitious or have just a small job, you also can slot the deck boards yourself with a router, a biscuit joiner, or a tablesaw.

[Cooler]

Cutting your own grooves is for "small jobs only". 

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project...ed-decking

Even some types of premium wood decking come grooved from the mill or wholesaler, or they can be grooved at the lumberyard for a nominal fee. If you’re feeling ambitious or have just a small job, you also can slot the deck boards yourself with a router, a biscuit joiner, or a tablesaw.


I guess if I were doing this and I had a small table saw and a couple of helpers, that I would setup a tall fence and cut the slots on the saw.  I would think this would be done outdoors in nice weather.  Otherwise the 12 to 20 foot lengths become unmanageable.

[crokett™]

A handheld router with a slot cutter would be relatively easy. Just build or buy an edge guide. I would not try to feed 10' boards through a router table by myself.

[lift mechanic]

I have used the Kreg deck jig for the last 2 Trex decks I have installed. Easy to use just see a small hole just below the top edge of the decking. I am going to do a friends deck neat summer and will do the same system.

[fixtureman]

A handheld router with a slot cutter would be relatively easy.   Just build or buy an edge guide.  I would not try to feed 10' boards through a router table by myself.

It's not like you need a slot the length of the board just where it is fastened to the joist. A cheap Harbor freight is fine for that

[crokett™]

It's not like you need a slot the length of the board just where it is fastened to the joist.  A cheap Harbor freight is fine for that

Oh yeah. good point.   So there's 2 methods... I would probably slot the entire board with a router, because I would batch a bunch (or all) of them, then it didn't matter where it landed on the joists.  However, something like a biscuit joiner has the advantage of being easier to use, but you'd have to know where you were cutting the slots.  I don't know if it's faster to run a router down the length of the board, or to repeat several plunges with a biscuit joiner.

[barryvabeach]

Thanks for the suggestions.   My approach was a little different because I was removing, and reinstalling boards.

I pried the boards off the deck and then stacked them nearby.  Since I had to replace part of the framing, I had a number of pieces of 2 x 8 stock.   I stacked the PT stock in a stadium seating configuration on some sawhorses.  One board nearest me, then two behind that, then three behind that.   Then I put one of the deck boards onto of each stack so I could work on three deck boards at a time.

I would first remove the existing fasteners that were in each board with a hammer ( they were driven through one side of each board at the joist - like a flooring nail )-  then when all fasteners were out, I came back with a biscuit joiner and routed slots-  at each location where there was a hole from having a fastener removed, then flipped the board around and did the other side.  For the 12 foot boards it went pretty quick, around 5 minutes per set of 3, for cleaning the board so the joiner would sit flush, and cutting all the slots.

I then reinstalled them using the Camos Edge system clips -  I can speak highly enough of that system, very well thought out.

[John Mihich]

Biscuit jointer - that's what it was made for - cutting slots.