What Are Trex Clips and What You Should Use Them For
Trex and other synthetic decking materials are becoming increasingly popular. These materials require little to no upkeep and can be made in many different colors and lengths. This makes Trex decking materials one of the best additions to any housing project or backyard improvement job.
Decking clips are important because they connect the deck to the substructure. This connection is what makes it possible for a bunch of people to stand on your deck and enjoy it without the risk of it collapsing. Trex and other synthetic decking materials require that you have all the right fasteners on hand well before you start building.
What Are Trex Clips?
Trex clips are a type of hidden fastener that is made specifically for Trex decking materials. Hidden fasteners provide a seamless, smooth, and safe way to bind together boards and support structures in your decking project. While you can use other kinds of fasteners on Trex materials, you will often find that the finished look is not as good and that the deck might need maintenance at increased intervals due to the mismatch.
Trex clips fit right into the grooves of Trex deck boards, which allows you to attach the boards to joists and supports under the deck. Structural support is critical in any deck, and your Trex clips are a key part of building a deck that will last.
While Trex boards fit together more tightly than natural wood boards because they are manmade, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to fasten the middle points of the boards to the substructure. Your deck needs to be stabilized just like a natural wood deck, and Trex clips make it easy to create a deck that has the necessary foundation to hold up to lots of years of use.
Sealing the boards together properly also prevents issues with moisture and other unsightly gaps in your deck which can lead to long-term problems. Trex clips make this entire process a piece of cake, which is a great benefit when you are working to put together a deck that you know will hold up to years and years of use.
What Are Trex Clips Used For?
Trex clips are typically used by sliding them onto the joists of your deck and then tapping them into the decking boards to hold them in place. These clips can also be used to picture frame composite decking, create overhangs, and to secure steps.
Trex clips are engineered to work with Trex materials, which are harder to screw into. If you use other standard kinds of decking fasteners, you might end up with unsightly nail pops, rusting fasteners, and trouble with the stability of the finished deck.
The whole point of spending the extra money to invest in Trex decking, is that this material doesn’t need much upkeep. Being able to free yourself from the need to sand, stain, seal, and replace nails and other fasteners each year is the whole reason that people invest in Trex. You need to use the right fasteners with your Trex decking material so that you don’t have to handle constant upkeep on your deck.
How do Trex Clips Work?
Trex clips work by offering a seamless, clip-style fastener that is easy to install and simple to tuck away out of sight. You will place these clips in between the boards of your Trex decking, and the support of the clip will keep the screw itself from moving around, being hard to sink or sticking out above the decking.
There are also Trex clips that are made for decks with steel substructures. These clips need to be a little bigger and they are shaped differently to meet the needs of this substructure for this kind of deck. Being able to sink screws properly is critical with Trex materials because it can be hard to get fasteners to attach to Trex decking without wobbling as they are screwed down. This makes for a better connection with the support of your deck and better longevity for your deck.
You will want to pair your Trex clips with color-match composite decking screws that are made to match the color of your Trex product. This is the right kind of screw fastener for so many reasons. You will get a superior experience from screwing this kind of fastener into Trex decking because they are made specifically to work with synthetic wood planks.
These screws are also protected from rust by the color-match coating, which seals out moisture. This means that you will not have nail pops and other unsafe and unsightly issues with your finished deck. Butt joint clips ensure that the decking boards come together nicely, and your color-matched screws and Trex clips will allow you to get your deck set up to be stable and secure for years to come.
Trex Clips Are An Essential Part of a Trex Deck Build
It is never a good idea to try and install a Trex deck without the necessary Trex-specific fasteners and finishing connectors. These kinds of products are made specifically to work with Trex decking boards, offering you the final finished look that you have been wanting and ensuring that you don’t have to provide lots of upkeep to your new deck.
Fasteners that are made specifically for Trex decking also ensure that you have an easy time sinking screws and placing boards. The process of laying a deck without these Trex-specific fasteners is much more arduous and you will struggle with issues that you could have avoided with the right fasteners on hand. There is no reason to spend the money to invest in Trex decking materials, only to make the process of installing and caring for your Trex deck harder by cutting corners on the accessories that are needed for the build.
Trex clips are a big part of any successful Trex deck build and you will be glad that you chose them for your Trex decking job.
