Nexwood NW :: Installation

Installation

Cutting

Carbide tipped saw blades provide the best results (18-20 teeth for a 7 1/4" saw blade) through NexwoodŽ Deck Boards, although regular saws can be used with similar effectiveness.

Drilling

It is important to keep the drill straight and leveled when drilling all the way through the profile to ensure that both holes line up vertically. Nails are not recommended to use on Nexwood and may void the warranty.

Sanding

Screws may sometimes bring up some of the interior of the board in their threads, simply use a heavy grain sandpaper sanding lightly in the direction of the grain; you will be left with a nice countersunk look. Sandpaper can also be used to eliminate small nicks and stains on the Nexwood surface-just sand lightly in the direction of the grain.

No Hammer & Nails

Fastening

Since Nexwood® is a unique product, it is recommended to use full thread stainless steel trim head screws for 2x6 & 5/4 REB Deck Boards. Adjust the choke on the drill to a desired setting to avoid driving the screw all the way through the board. Ideally, the screw should sink no more than 1/16" below the surface of the board. For the "no visible screws" look, we recommend a number of concealed fastening systems like Shadoe®Track, Deckmaster® and EB-TY.

For more details please call 1-888-7NEXWOOD

Screws

Pre-drill all holes at 3/4 of diameter of the actual screw. Screws should be placed about 3/4" from either end of the width of the 2x6 board or 5/4 REB (through the outer chambers).

Correct Screw Placement

The following screws are recommended for the 2x6 Nexwood® Deck Board:

Recommended Screws Diagram

The "Shadoe Track" System works well with Nexwood and provides a beautiful, clean appearance for your deck.

Shadoe®Track Hidden Screws

The following screws are recommended for 5/4 Tongue and Groove Nexwood® Board:

Installation Spans

Nexwood's exclusive CoreTech design allows it to span up to 24 inches. This reduces the amount of material required for the deck structure, translating into lower material and labor costs.

We recommend the following measurments be used when spacing:

Gapping

Gapping is required for joining Nexwood decking from end to end. Approximately 1/16" is required for every 20°F difference between the temperature during installation and the highest expected temperature in the area. For aesthetic purposes, it is recommended that the construction of a Nexwood deck begins on an average daytime temperature in your local area.

It is important to note that all composite and plastic based products will experience some degree of expansion and contraction with changes in temperature. Certain measures must be taken when building with these products to ensure a beautiful finished product. Longer boards will experience a greater amount of expansion and contraction than shorter boards, therefore, if possible, it is a good idea to avoid butting boards of 20 feet in length end to end. If this is unavoidable then you will most likely experience gaps of approximately 1/4", unless the deck is made with different levels (elevations) thereby eliminating any end to end joints. Another option is to separate the butt joints by running a 2x6 perpendicular, in between the two ends. This will lessen the overall gap by half. Nexwood experiences very minimal expansion and contraction on its width, therefore width to width gapping is not necessary unless it is for aesthetic or drainage purposes.

The following chart lists the changes in profile length (in inches) due to thermal expansion/contraction:

CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE12' BOARDS16' BOARDS20' BOARDS
+40 DEG. F 3/16" (2x6)
3/16" (5/4x6 REB)
1/8" (TG)
 1/4" (2x6)
1/4" (5/4x6 REB)
3/16" (TG)
 5/16" (2x6)
5/16" (5/4x6 REB)
1/4" (TG)
+20 DEG. F 1/16" (2x6)
1/16" (5/4x6 REB)
1/16" (TG)
 1/8" (2x6)
1/8" (5/4x6 REB)
1/8" (TG)
 3/16" (2x6)
3/16" (5/4x6 REB)
1/8" (TG)
Recommended Start Temperature55° to 65° F55° to 65° F55° to 65° F
-20 DEG. F -1/16" (2x6)
-1/16" (5/4x6 REB)
-1/16" (TG)
 -1/8" (2x6)
-1/8" (5/4x6 REB)
-1/8" (TG)
 -3/16" (2x6)
-3/16" (5/4x6 REB)
-1/8" (TG)
-40 DEG. F -3/16" (2x6)
-3/16" (5/4X6 REB)
-1/8" (TG)
 -1/4" (2x6)
-1/4" (5/4X6 REB)
-3/16" (TG)
 -5/16" (2x6)
-5/16" (5/4x6 REB)
-1/4" (TG)

Drainage

Never build a 5/4 T&G deck low to the groung without ventilation. Air exchange underneath the deck is essential to product performance. Avoid stairs, designs or terrain that impedes airflow beneath the deck. A minimum 12 inch clearance below the bottom of the floor joist is required in the best conditions. More clearance is required when design or terrain impede air exchange below your installation. Three open deck sides are required for airflow to minimize the possibility of uncontrolled expansion/contraction caused by trapped heat/humidity beneath your 5/4 T&G deck boards. Using Nexwood 2 x 6 or 5/4 x 6 radius edge profiles are recommended for low deck installations with a 3/16" gap between each board.

Nexwood® 5/4 T&G Deck Board have to be installed properly in order to ensure that water will run off along the board to reduce water stain. For drainage purposes, it is required to slope the deck at least 1/16" per foot along the board.

Contractor's Handbook

This Contractor's Handbook contains information on how to install and maintain your Nexwood deck. All files listed below are in PDF format.

Download the complete single-document Contractor's Handbook:

Or download each section individually: