Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - is this mushrooming?
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supraman215
08-19-06, 02:10 PM
I'm using Trap ease screws with veranda decking. If it is mushrooming I'm pissed because I'm going to have to predrill and countersink.
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2142.JPG
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2143.JPG
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2144.JPG
Jeff
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2142.JPG
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2143.JPG
http://www.supraman.org/IMG_2144.JPG
Jeff
ndw
08-19-06, 02:16 PM
Yes, it's mushrooming. One of the manufacturers recommends just hammering it down to cover up the screw. Lowes or the Home Depot sell screws that are supposed to prevent mushrooming. They have a real fine thread at the top. May want to try those.
supraman215
08-19-06, 03:55 PM
those are the ones I'm using, Trap Ease.
lefty
08-19-06, 04:35 PM
I've installed about 50 of the large buckets of Trap Ease screws and have never had a problem like you are showing pictures of. But then too, I've never used Veranda decking.
I'm guessing that it's the decking, not the screws, that is creating your problem.
I'm guessing that it's the decking, not the screws, that is creating your problem.
supraman215
08-19-06, 07:38 PM
YEah I guess I'm stuck predrilling and countersinking.
I did price out trex, around here it starts at about 2.50/ln ft. This was 1.80/ln ft. I only plan on being in this house another 2 years but I didn't want PT so it was the most cost effective solution for me.
Jeff
I did price out trex, around here it starts at about 2.50/ln ft. This was 1.80/ln ft. I only plan on being in this house another 2 years but I didn't want PT so it was the most cost effective solution for me.
Jeff
XSleeper
08-22-06, 05:28 PM
I usually use Trex, but I recently covered a deck with EverGrain decking by Tamko (first time I had used that brand) and had the same problem...it mushroomed too. It would work fine if you predrilled, but that's why I ordered Trap Ease screws- so I wouldn't have mushrooming! Fortunately it was a small deck w/staircase... only about 300 screws... so after the first 2 mushroomed, I predrilled them all.
It seems like the Trap Ease screws don't like to go into the harder types of decking that have a higher plastic content without mushrooming. Maybe that's why the EverGrain decking instructions say to predrill the holes to avoid mushrooming. :(
It seems like the Trap Ease screws don't like to go into the harder types of decking that have a higher plastic content without mushrooming. Maybe that's why the EverGrain decking instructions say to predrill the holes to avoid mushrooming. :(
lefty
08-22-06, 07:29 PM
I've used Trap Ease on Ever Grain decking and mushrooming wasn't a problem. Are you trying to countersink the screws? Don't. Trap Ease should be set so that the top of the head is flush with the surface of the decking.
XSleeper
08-22-06, 09:03 PM
yes, I know the heads are supposed to be flush... it was my first time using EverGrain, not my first time using Trap Ease! ;) I just wasn't too impressed with EverGrain overall. It also seemed to scratch very easily. Just sliding another piece off the pile would mar the next piece. I had to be very careful with it. It makes me worried how it will hold up to foot traffic!
lefty
08-23-06, 05:10 PM
XSleeper,
I've done a few Ever Grain decks now. Scratching and marring it is a bit of a problem. but then most composites will scratch and mar pretty easily, and it's really noticable when you're installing it. But after it has been down as decking for a while, it's really not all that noticable.
I just haven't totally adjusted to the LOOK of Ever Grain, as opposed to say Weather Best or Trex. I like the idea that it is compression molded and that they have 15 different molds, so the woodgrain pattern never seems to repeat itself. Trex, Weather best, and virtually all of the other composite mfgrs. use a wheel to emboss the woodgrain, so the pattern is repeated every few feet, depending on the diameter of their wheel.
I knew that you knew to set the Trap Ease flush, but I was concerned that supraman215 might be trying to drive them too deep.
I've done a few Ever Grain decks now. Scratching and marring it is a bit of a problem. but then most composites will scratch and mar pretty easily, and it's really noticable when you're installing it. But after it has been down as decking for a while, it's really not all that noticable.
I just haven't totally adjusted to the LOOK of Ever Grain, as opposed to say Weather Best or Trex. I like the idea that it is compression molded and that they have 15 different molds, so the woodgrain pattern never seems to repeat itself. Trex, Weather best, and virtually all of the other composite mfgrs. use a wheel to emboss the woodgrain, so the pattern is repeated every few feet, depending on the diameter of their wheel.
I knew that you knew to set the Trap Ease flush, but I was concerned that supraman215 might be trying to drive them too deep.
XSleeper
08-23-06, 05:40 PM
I wondered that too, Lefty... in the pictures he posted, they looked a little deep.
I told the customer the same thing about the scuffs- they show up like a sore thumb on the brand new slick surface, but I told her that once the deck weathers out a little bit that I bet the scuffs will disappear and blend in with the rest of the patina.
Sorry about hijacking the thread. :)
I told the customer the same thing about the scuffs- they show up like a sore thumb on the brand new slick surface, but I told her that once the deck weathers out a little bit that I bet the scuffs will disappear and blend in with the rest of the patina.
Sorry about hijacking the thread. :)
supraman215
09-06-06, 12:18 PM
Correct, in the pics posted they were a little too deep. I did want them flush with the surface. However even with that they were mushrooming.
So I actually used 2 different techniques with vairing effectiveness.
1. For the lower section of the deck I countersunk only. This was problematic because the clutch on the drill would kick in at various depths, and without using the chuck I couldn't tell when the depth was right just by the force of the drill, I am also using a sleve on my drill for the screws to help speed up the process. The problem also with the countersinking only was the depth of each screw varied a lot.
2. for the upper section of the deck I only did a predrill hole through the decking. This worked MUCH better, it was a lot more consistent with the clutch on the drill which stopped right when the head was flush with the decking.
Mushrooming didn't occur with either process. Predrill only is my recommendation with this material in the future. 1200 holes is a lot of work. Been through 1050 already, maybe 12" centers was overkill lol.
Jeff
So I actually used 2 different techniques with vairing effectiveness.
1. For the lower section of the deck I countersunk only. This was problematic because the clutch on the drill would kick in at various depths, and without using the chuck I couldn't tell when the depth was right just by the force of the drill, I am also using a sleve on my drill for the screws to help speed up the process. The problem also with the countersinking only was the depth of each screw varied a lot.
2. for the upper section of the deck I only did a predrill hole through the decking. This worked MUCH better, it was a lot more consistent with the clutch on the drill which stopped right when the head was flush with the decking.
Mushrooming didn't occur with either process. Predrill only is my recommendation with this material in the future. 1200 holes is a lot of work. Been through 1050 already, maybe 12" centers was overkill lol.
Jeff