Composite Decking

[Toppers]

Does anyone know if its possible (or advisable) to put a joint in composite decking, the planks I'm wanting are 3.6m but the deck I want is only 2.4m, it seems shame to lose the offcut but I could use it if it can be joined on the next run.

[NickK]

2.4m is normally standard size. Can you not just get that to avoid cutting altogether?

Edited March 1, 2021 by NickK

[MikeGrahamT21]

50 minutes ago, Toppers said:

Does anyone know if its possible (or advisable) to put a joint in composite decking, the planks I'm wanting are 3.6m but the deck I want is only 2.4m, it seems shame to lose the offcut but I could use it if it can be joined on the next run.

 

I did in mine, and it looks good, and hasn't been affected by weather. Its the Wood Based Plastic stuff.

[Toppers]

7 hours ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

 

I did in mine, and it looks good, and hasn't been affected by weather. Its the Wood Based Plastic stuff.

 

Thanks Mike that's good to hear, I couldn't bare the thought of so much waste.

[MikeGrahamT21]

15 hours ago, Toppers said:

 

Thanks Mike that's good to hear, I couldn't bare the thought of so much waste.

 

Yeah I was the same. In fact I used all the bits I had left to make some bug hotels and ended up throwing barely anything away.

[Dave Jones]

On 01/03/2021 at 09:02, Toppers said:

Does anyone know if its possible (or advisable) to put a joint in composite decking, the planks I'm wanting are 3.6m but the deck I want is only 2.4m, it seems shame to lose the offcut but I could use it if it can be joined on the next run.

 

just stagger them, use the offcut as a starter on the next row. You have to leave an expansion gap were boards butt up and they both need to land on the joist (doubler).

 

 

[daiking]

On 01/03/2021 at 09:53, MikeGrahamT21 said:

 

I did in mine, and it looks good, and hasn't been affected by weather. Its the Wood Based Plastic stuff.

 

On 01/03/2021 at 09:02, Toppers said:

Does anyone know if its possible (or advisable) to put a joint in composite decking, the planks I'm wanting are 3.6m but the deck I want is only 2.4m, it seems shame to lose the offcut but I could use it if it can be joined on the next run.

please post any decent deals/suppliers. It’s not cheap ?

[MikeGrahamT21]

1 hour ago, daiking said:

 

please post any decent deals/suppliers. It’s not cheap ?

I got mine off eBay, £17 a length a couple of years back, lengths were quite long. Can dig the seller out if you can’t find it, just let me know

[daiking]

41 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

I got mine off eBay, £17 a length a couple of years back, lengths were quite long. Can dig the seller out if you can’t find it, just let me know

I’ll have a look. That is cheap if it’s 3.6m long and about 150mm wide. General prices seems to be £50-60per sq m.

[Gus Potter]

On 01/03/2021 at 09:02, Toppers said:

Does anyone know if its possible (or advisable) to put a joint in composite decking, the planks I'm wanting are 3.6m but the deck I want is only 2.4m, it seems shame to lose the offcut but I could use it if it can be joined on the next run.

Off on the wrong track!

 

Thanks Daiking.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Gus Potter
typos and to add

[daiking]

8 minutes ago, Gus Potter said:

Bad idea as a starting point. The clue lies in the word " composite".. meaning that the concrete works in conjunction with the steel profile.. it's not just there to act as a shutter for the concrete pour. You may see some with some composite slabs with mesh included in the concrete but this often relates to the fire protection.

 

Think about it this way. Consider a reinforced concrete beam loaded from the top. The beam bends down.. compression in the top side, tension in the bottom. Concrete works well in compression, the steel rebar in the bottom carries the tension load. A composite slab works the same way. If you look at the wriggly tin it often has ribs, angled gaps. These are intended to transfer the tension (via shear)  in the bottom side of the concrete to the tin which now works in tension and performs the function of the rebar in a reinforced concrete beam.

 

Please do not do this, consider it not safe as a starting point. If you wish then call the manufacture, the SE, take their advise before adopting this approach.

 

 

I think we’re talking about:

 

?

[Gus Potter]

3 minutes ago, daiking said:

I think we’re talking about:

 

?

Yes off on the wrong track. Thanks again Daiking.

 

 

[MikeGrahamT21]

10 hours ago, daiking said:

I’ll have a look. That is cheap if it’s 3.6m long and about 150mm wide. General prices seems to be £50-60per sq m.

Yep indeed it is that size, just had a look, gone up to £18 a length now. I’ve had it two years now and it’s spot on.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-Composite-Decking-Anti-Slip-EBONY-BLACK-COLOUR-/265060989079?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

theyve a few different colours to choose from and all the fittings, should save you a small fortune!

[daiking]

1 hour ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

Yep indeed it is that size, just had a look, gone up to £18 a length now. I’ve had it two years now and it’s spot on.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-Composite-Decking-Anti-Slip-EBONY-BLACK-COLOUR-/265060989079?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

theyve a few different colours to choose from and all the fittings, should save you a small fortune!

Thanks, I’m just starting to look at this properly. Did you do a thread/blog at the time?

 

[MikeGrahamT21]

Not for this bit no, to be honest I just used this stuff to make a couple of steps out of the bifolds on to patio as it was too big of a step down. Can take some photos tho if you want?

[daiking]

20 hours ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

Not for this bit no, to be honest I just used this stuff to make a couple of steps out of the bifolds on to patio as it was too big of a step down. Can take some photos tho if you want?

No need to go to any trouble. I’m just looking at options. One thing I don’t like about the cheap options I’ve looked at is that there is no edge board option. Either you leave the slot on show or use the dodgy trims.

[Gone West]

1 hour ago, daiking said:

One thing I don’t like about the cheap options I’ve looked at is that there is no edge board option. Either you leave the slot on show or use the dodgy trims.

Can't you make an outer frame with mitred corners and then board up to the frame.

[daiking]

28 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

Can't you make an outer frame with mitred corners and then board up to the frame.

That’s what I mean, you still have the slot down the outer long sides. I have seen a step profile which could work in that situation. 

[MikeGrahamT21]

1 hour ago, daiking said:

No need to go to any trouble. I’m just looking at options. One thing I don’t like about the cheap options I’ve looked at is that there is no edge board option. Either you leave the slot on show or use the dodgy trims.

I mitred my boards rather than using trims which worked fine, saved using the trims

[daiking]

5 hours ago, PeterStarck said:

Can't you make an outer frame with mitred corners and then board up to the frame.

 

4 hours ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

I mitred my boards rather than using trims which worked fine, saved using the trims

Or do you both mean mitre down the full long edge of 2 boards and finish the edges that way?

[TonyT]

Mitre any external angles, so the joining strip isn’t required.

 

the deck board that you stand on , either finishes flush with the joist, or overshoots it by the thickness of a deck board, so when the deck board on the face is fixed it’s flush 

[Gone West]

32 minutes ago, daiking said:

 

Or do you both mean mitre down the full long edge of 2 boards and finish the edges that way?

No I didn't mean that, I didn't notice it had that type of long edge. Is that how they're joined together length ways or something.

[MikeGrahamT21]

3 hours ago, daiking said:

 

Or do you both mean mitre down the full long edge of 2 boards and finish the edges that way?

Yeah that’s right, took a bit of time but it looks pretty good

[MikeGrahamT21]

3 hours ago, PeterStarck said:

No I didn't mean that, I didn't notice it had that type of long edge. Is that how they're joined together length ways or something.

The groove is used for the hidden fixings to grab into which runs all the way down both sides of the length

[Toppers]

My decking will be raised off the floor around 250mm, I did ideally want a composite sub-frame as well but these seem to need to be laid directly onto a solid surface, are there any other compatible sub-frames I could use?

 

My other consideration is timber finished on the top edge with a waterproof tape.

 

What size timber would be best for the joists?