[djre4orm]

Hello, recent home owner & starting to do a lot of DIY projects, so new to this forum.

I have been building a deck on the back of my townhome, had a contractor complete the frame, now just adding the finishing touches. Getting ready to put Trex boards with their non-metal hidden fasteners. I am debating if I should start at the house and work my way out or at the end joist and work my way in. Researching online I have seen both ways, so maybe a preference thing? The deck is an L shape around the house with a fireplace bumpout, so I might have to rip or jigsaw cut some of the boards... depending on where the fall in line.

Any experience or suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[joecaption]

Got some pictures?
Would love to see how they did it to see if it was done right, no since decking over bad framing.
Two important things, there has to be an over hang over the rim joist, and the decking should never be installed tight to the siding.
If your going to be covering the ugly rim joist with composite fashia make sure to add more over hang.
If I'm going to have to rip a board I'd want it to be close to the house where no one's going to be stepping on it and is the least noticeable.

 

[jlhaslip]

^^^ What he said.

 

[kwikfishron]

Hello, recent home owner & starting to do a lot of DIY projects, so new to this forum.

I have been building a deck on the back of my townhome, had a contractor complete the frame, now just adding the finishing touches. Getting ready to put Trex boards with their non-metal hidden fasteners. I am debating if I should start at the house and work my way out or at the end joist and work my way in. Researching online I have seen both ways, so maybe a preference thing? The deck is an L shape around the house with a fireplace bumpout, so I might have to rip or jigsaw cut some of the boards... depending on where the fall in line.

Any experience or suggestions?

Thanks!

If the rim is already on then start from the outside so if you have to rip a board it will be against the house and less noticable.

When I frame decks I let the joist run wild and and start decking from the house out. When I get close to the end I'll lay out the last few pieces of decking and then cut the joist and add the rim so I end up with a full board both against the house and over the rim.

 

[djre4orm]

Here are some photos. Great point about finishing the end joist with the decking. My piecemeal approach didn't really allow me to go that direction.

The lengths are also unconventional, 11'4" to the fireplace place & 13'5" to the bump out. It was framed as large as possible to allow for more dry space. You can see the start of the drainage system.

There won't be an overhang because the boards are grooved for the fasteners, you can see the recommendation to cover the edge with the fascia board. They diagram it out from the house out & screwing the last board in. While that could work. I think the potential for having to rip a board is still there. I would probably have to remove 3 posts to gain angle access for that last screw(s). However starting from the outside would allow me to use the start clips there.

 

[ChuckF.]

I don't like their method of attaching fascia. It will create a place where water will pool. I would overhang the deck board as Joe recommended, whether on the end of the board or the long side. Then put spacer strips 1/4-3/4" vertically, and screw or nail the fascia through them. Don't put the fascia tight against the deck boards, space it away the same distance as the deck boards are apart. Ditto where you have to notch the deck boards around posts.