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Hey everyone, what are the pros and cons of using hidden fasteners for deck boards on a pressure-treated frame? How well do they hold up over time compared to face screws, especially with seasonal changes? Thank you in advance!
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Hi Tomhanks, hidden fasteners give a cleaner look and make the deck surface smoother, which is great for walking barefoot. They work well if the boards are straight and dry. But with pressure-treated wood, which tends to move more with seasonal changes, hidden fasteners can sometimes loosen or allow the boards to shift. Face screws usually hold better over time, especially with wood that expands and contracts. They're also easier to remove if you ever need to replace a board. So it's really a trade-off between appearance and long-term durability. -
Hey Downaski, thanks for the explanation. Also, does cupping or warping tend to happen more often with hidden fasteners on pressure-treated decks?Comment
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Yeah, cupping and warping can be more noticeable with hidden fasteners, especially on pressure-treated wood. Since the fasteners usually grip the sides of the boards instead of holding them down from the top, there's less force keeping them flat. If the wood starts to dry unevenly or twist with seasonal changes, hidden fasteners don’t always hold it in check as well as face screws do. That’s one of the trade-offs: nicer look, but sometimes a bit more movement.Comment
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Got it, that makes sense. When you say hidden fasteners don’t always hold the boards in check as well, do you mean they’re more likely to pop out or just allow more movement overall?Comment
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It’s more about allowing movement rather than the fasteners popping out. Hidden fasteners usually stay in place, but because they hold the boards from the sides, they don’t resist upward or twisting motion as strongly as face screws. So if the boards start to cup or warp, the fasteners might not stop that from happening as well as top-down screws would.Comment
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