Wood rot is a common problem with hardwood decks that have been installed with screws that have been vertically installed right into the decking. If you’ve been reading this blog, you will have noticed a trend; The face-screwing method leads to many common and persistent deck problems.

One major problem that occurs frequently is wood rot. People falsely assume that just because a nail or screw fit into a hole, that nothing could also enter that hole. Unfortunately, water is an element that damages wood and is a major reason why mold and mildew are also common problems for wood and composite decks.

When it rains on your deck, water tends to accumulate around and seep into screw and nail holes. As the water literally sits in the hole, microorganisms work their magic and rot starts to occur. As you can see from the above picture, wood rot can be quite unattractive. Rotting deck boards also become a hazard because they weaken the overall strength of the decking.

How can you prevent wood rot?

Be sure to add Deck Fasteners to the list of “Must-have Decking Supplies.” The Ipe Clip Company has a variety of hidden deck fasteners specially designed to ensure your deck remains sturdy, durable and healthy enough to last for decades.

If you already have a deck, the simplest thing you can do is perform the recommended amount of maintenance prescribed by your decking supplier. Also, using a hardwood finish and deck oil like Ipe Oil™ will help protect each deck board from wood rot.

Over time, many decks made of inferior woods or other materials will crack and/or split.

Funny thing is, even if your deck installation goes smoothly, just the natural expansion and contraction of the hardwood can lead to this frustrating outcome. Don’t forget, the elements can also affect decking because softer, and weaker woods and composite materials tend to soak up water. When the water dries up, the wood tends to naturally split around the screw or nail.

How to prevent decking from cracking and splitting?

Well, if you already have a deck, routine maintenance with a hardwood deck oil like Ipe Oil™ should help protect the deck boards from warping or cracking.

If you’re just getting ready to build a deck, then the best thing to do is use hidden deck fasteners. If you are also using pre-grooved decking, then this combination will definitely aid in ensuring that each deck board is stable. Building a rigid and solid deck surface will make your initial investment a greater rate of return.

Don’t forget! Pre-drilling of hardwood decking is HIGHLY recommended . Also, installing deck fasteners at a 45 degree angle will further increase the holding power of the board to the joist.

Mushrooming is one such deck problem that happens when composite decking is first installed.

How does mushrooming occur?

Screwing vertically into a composite deck board can sometimes bring up some of the plastic material. They look like mounds. Even though the industry term for this effect is “mushrooming,” I find that it’s there is a better way to picture what this could look like. Imagine insects burrowing out of your composite deck boards and I can bet you’ll quickly understand why it’s one of the more unsightly and unattractive drawbacks to installing composite decking.

Clearly, repairing composite deck boards that are mushrooming can be quite time consuming.

So, how do you repair composite decking that has mushroomed?

Research shows that there really isn’t a one-sized fits all solution. Most composite decking companies claim that the material can be chiseled or sanded off. While that may work for a while, it’s important to remember that composite materials will still expand and contract throughout the years. In fact, most people who solved this issue often found that the mushroom effect came back.

How to prevent mushrooming on your composite deck?

Using the ExtremeKD™ deck fasteners from the Ipe Clip® Company will great reduce this nasty and annoying defect from occurring. These hidden deck fasteners are specially made for composite decking and will greatly reduce the problems that many homeowners have when they used face screws to install.

Here's what an extracted nail can do to a deck surface.

If you built a deck using nails and want to be proactive about deck maintenance, then here’s some helpful advice that will help solve this nasty deck problem.

If you notice that your deck has nails that are popping out:

1. Remove the nail
2. Make sure that the hole is cleaned out
3. Replace the nail with a stainless steel deck screw.
4. Sand the area if necessary to remove any material that splintered off

Proper deck maintenance is essential not just because you want a clean looking deck surface. It’s also an issue of liability. Deck owners who don’t repair nail pops and allow an accident to (inevitably) occur, are often sued. Sure Hazard Insurance may cover some of the damages, but you just know that those home owners end up with sky-high premiums afterward.

So, how do you PREVENT nail pops? Simple, build a deck using Ipe Clip deck fasteners and deck screws. Also, when you install our decking fasteners at the recommended 45° angle, you will increase holding power and not even have nail pops as an issue.

NOTE: Are you going to build a deck using ipe, or some other hardwood decking? Do yourself a HUGE favor and pre-drill your holes before you install the deck fastener with the screw. You’re installation will go alot smoother and you will end up with a much stronger and rigid deck.