FAQ

There are three reasons for using hardWood Clip™ fasteners: beauty, safety and practicality. In terms of beauty, the lack of visible screws, even spacing between boards, lack of board deterioration and warping gives wood decks a high-end look with built-in safety features. The design of the fasteners, materials used and installation method ensure that these features withstand the test of time, regardless of climate. hardWood Clip™ is also the only fastening system with a stainless steel insert moulded inside, which further enhances its mechanical resistance. In practical terms, hardWood Clip™ fasteners and SPAX® screws are quick and easy to install. They can save 30% to 40% (of non-structural) deck construction time and don't require any specific tools.

The hardWood Clip™ hidden fastening system has been on the market for more than 10 years. It was developed and tested by wood professionals and deck installers in the United States and Europe. Extensive testing with the majority of deck wood varieties and species (ipe, cumaru, bankirai, padouk, garapa, acacia, heat-treated wood, etc.) in actual settings and in every type of climate with a broad range of temperatures have proven its efficiency and quality over time when installed and used as recommended. Tens of millions of fasteners have already be sold and installed around the world.

hardWood Clip™ fasteners can also be installed with boards that have no grooves or that are pre-grooved along the full length of the boards. If your boards have no grooves, simply cut the grooves on site when installing the boards on each joist using a groove cutter (Lamello® type) and following the instructions supplied with the system. Pre-grooving is often the method of choice, because it saves time.

Wood deck board spacing depends on the moisture content of the wood and the humidity of the environment where it will be installed. If wood boards have been air-dried (AD) and installed in a dry climate (they will contract after installation), then we recommend using the Extreme™ or Standard hardWood Clip™ hidden fasteners, which will space the boards 2.4 mm apart with the integrated spacer tab. For automatic spacing, simply push each board to be installed against the base of the fasteners already screwed into the previous board. However, if wood boards have been kiln-dried (KD) and installed in a humid climate (they will swell and expand after installation), then we recommend using the ExtremeKD™ hardWood Clip™ hidden fasteners, which will automatically space boards 6.4 mm apart with the integrated spacer tab.

The hardWood Clip™ hidden fastening system comes with SPAX® self-tapping screws made of A2 stainless steel and adapted for use with the hardest of woods.
There is no need for pre-drilling, because the CUT point separates wood fibres while ground serrations on the shank advance the screw with no wood splintering, even when very close to the edge of boards. The MULTI head has ridges which mill and brake at the same time. They prevent it from twisting, especially when they reach the stainless steel inserts in the hardwood Clip™ fasteners.
When combined with SPAX® screws, hardWood Clip™ hidden fasteners are an outstanding, high-quality, easy-to-use product guaranteed not to damage wood and fasteners.

The first wood board must be installed with screws that will attach it directly to the joist. Plugs delivered with the system hide the screw heads.

We recommend installing a hardWood Clip™ fastener to each deck joist, approximately every 45 to 50 cm. If the deck is built with 100-mm wide boards, you will need approximately 30 fasteners per m2. However, if the deck is built with 140-mm wide boards, you will need approximately 21 fasteners per m2. The length of boards used will also affect the number of fasteners needed. The shorter the boards, the more fasteners you need, because we recommend installing two fasteners where boards abut (one on the side where one board ends and the other where the two abutting boards meet). Use the calculator to obtain the approximate number of fasteners required based on the wood deck surface, board width and spacing between joists.

Boards attached with hardWood Clip™ fasteners can easily be replaced, if necessary.

All hardWood Clip™ fasteners are 100% UV-resistant.

The hardWood Clip™ system provides guaranteed air circulation between wood deck boards at all times. The spacers integrated into fasteners prevent boards from touching each other when they swell so air can circulate under the deck. Maintaining air circulation is essential to the stability and longevity of the deck. To prevent wood warping or mould, water that drains off the deck boards needs to evaporate quickly.

hardWood Clip™ Standard and Extreme™ fasteners are primarily used with air-dried (AD) wood and in dry climates (ambient humidity lower than wood moisture content when installed).

hardWood Clip™ hidden fasteners are installed from above, just like in a traditional installation with visible screws. The system can be used regardless of the space available under the structure.

hardWood Clip™ ExtremeKD™ fasteners are made of polyethylene, which has mechanical properties that make it highly resistant yet flexible, which is essential for adapting to changes in boards when they expand. To avoid crushing the fastener spacer when positioning boards against it and thereby eliminating its benefits, we recommend using hard spacers to ensure that spacing is even and to protect the shape of the fastener base during installing.

Composites manufacturers praise the durability and reliability of their products in comparison to wood. Sometimes they’re right. Although wood is versatile, it’s not always the best choice for every application. Nevertheless, some caution may be in order regarding claims made about alternative products. Unlike wood, these products are relatively new and there is not enough relevant data available to anticipate how they will stand up over time.