Canberra Deck, photos up - help need with nails

[UteMad]

I looked at your photo above.. Your boards are they 22mm thick? i.e
140 x 22 Merbau ? If so a 10G screw would be a minimum fixing for the job we'd have used a 14G either gal or stainless bugel screw for this size board and put it in with a 240Volt rattle gun and obviously a different pilot and countersink to suit .. 10G is a tad under done for this size board although others would disagree.. We use the 50mm screws for 80 x 19 merbau ..
You'd have better luck winning lotto than bending one of those boards down with a 50mm screw..No offense intended

I hope your deck is finished and your happily enjoying the fruits of your labour

cheers utemad

[Spider Webb]

Thanks for the info Utemad, yes 140*22 they are. Maybe i should of asked the question about fixings rather than stalk this site before i started like i did, but as you said everyone has their own opinion.
I used the 10g t17 deck screw from Chloe fasteners so i presume they are good quality, i just found i hardly snapped a screw using the bigger pilot. The boards came down ok using the head of the screw (If there was cupping it might of been a different story). I snapped about 6 out of the first 200 i put in using the 3.2. It is a great tool, worked a treat and a good time saver but for me, i would of liked a bigger one. I was using a Hilti b/drill so that might of been my problem also.
Just about finished now, just tidying up side boards and the oiling to go. The wife is happy with the product so far, so all is good!!
This is a great website, i stay on here far too long reading everyone's ideas, tips and problems so if anyone gets some help from this, kudos to you and i.

Sorry for the hijack PRKLCD, Good luck this weekend.
Stew

[UteMad]

Hi Spider webb

Its not a bad forum hey.. If everyone pools a bit of info one day we are all bound to get some helpful tips when the time arises.. Good to see your deck is flying along.. Haven't heard of the screw brand your using but that means nothing as there are so many out there and most prob come from the same place anyway

cheers utemad

[PRKLCD]

Ok guys.

I got the screws today ( see photo below ). I was originally looking at screws at my local Mitre 10 (topfix I think) and the screw heads where a lot smaller than these ones ( both say 10g ) the ones below are from a specialist fastener shop. Maybe the other ones were trim heads?? I am not sure.

I have also attached a photo of the carb-i-tool if anyone is interested.
<O
I will practice with the screws this week and I will start the decking over the weekend ( thanks to utemad for some very helpful tips )
<O
What do people use for mapping out the best place for decking joins? I know that the consensus is for them to be spread all over – I do want to leave the line of slight from the back door relatively free of joins ( is this a good idea?) I just plan on using excel to get an idea on how I will stagger the boards.
<O
Thanks again for all the help – I will make sure I give back to the forums once my deck is done!!

[UteMad]

Ok guys.

I got the screws today ( see photo below ). I was originally looking at screws at my local Mitre 10 (topfix I think) and the screw heads where a lot smaller than these ones ( both say 10g ) the ones below are from a specialist fastener shop. Maybe the other ones were trim heads?? I am not sure.

I have also attached a photo of the carb-i-tool if anyone is interested.
<O
I will practice with the screws this week and I will start the decking over the weekend ( thanks to utemad for some very helpful tips )
<O
What do people use for mapping out the best place for decking joins? I know that the consensus is for them to be spread all over – I do want to leave the line of slight from the back door relatively free of joins ( is this a good idea?) I just plan on using excel to get an idea on how I will stagger the boards.
<O
Thanks again for all the help – I will make sure I give back to the forums once my deck is done!!

Mate you got the right countersink for the job and it will do you proud.. Check on a sample as the screws you have say 10 - 12 G so just check the head is 10G which is easy all you do is countersink a hole and go in too far , the head should be the same dia as the sink...

As far as mapping boards its fine to keep joins away from the door it will just put more elsewhere.. the aim is to not have 2 rows of boards next to each other joining on the same joist this is a no no try for 2 or preferabley 4 joists til you join on the same joist.. Bugger excel your making life too hard.. If your using merbau it will come generally in 5 board bundles ... sort your bundles into matched lengths so you know what you have..

Carry the whole bundle of long boards down and put it on the deck either stick one down each end or put them all flush to one end and say 5 boards apart .. get another bundle of a shorter lerngth and do the same..
figure out whether you have a bundle that will do the remainder of the length to the other end of the deck.. Keep repeating this and you'll have it mapped nice in an hour.. Cut your end joins neat and its done

cheers utemad

[PRKLCD]

Ok the carbi tool is unreal! well worth the money!

Quick question - when butt joining merbau - do you need to leave a spacing or is it flush???

[Waldo]

Leave a spacing, of a couple of mm to allow for seasonal movement.

[PRKLCD]

Leave a spacing, of a couple of mm to allow for seasonal movement.

2mm enough?

[UteMad]

3mm is better allows the boards to move and small rubbish to fall through and not just build up in the cracks plus you can get discrepancy with board width.the gap also lets the subfloor ventilate on decks low to the ground.. if the deck is really low 4mm is good. this gap is for 70 and 90mm boards up it to 5 - 6mm for 6inch

cheers utemad