10 Pro Tips

1. Why gradients?

Deckings are exposed to the weather and the associated risk of slipping must be minimized. With the right slope, the rainwater is well drained and the longevity of the wood is increased. With a gradient of 2%, you are right in most cases.

2. Why stainless steel A2/A4?

Stainless steel is a must for wooden deckings. The type of wood and the area of application determines which type of stainless steel is most suitable. It is about the specific corrosion resistance to aggressive chemicals and weathering. Chemicals can also be natural tannic acid, which is found in oak, bangkirai or garapa, for example. Wood containing tannins requires at least stainless steel A2. For applications in coastal areas, we recommend the stainless steel version A4. Stainless steel is characterized by a high chromium content. This forms a protective layer on the material surface.

3. Why ventilation?

SPAX Air and Stick Pro reduce waterlogging  between the decking and the substructure.
The structural improvement results in a significant increase in durability of the wooden decking and thus the upgrade of the service class 3.1 to the next higher service class 3.2.

4. And what about the underground?

If possible, avoid building the decking on the weather side of the house or in a shaded or damp area. Special attention is paid to the wooden contact surfaces to the substrate. So that the substructure does not come into direct contact with damp soil or gravel, it can be placed on concrete slabs placed at regular intervals. For better ventilation, at least one SPAX pad should be inserted between the substructure and the concrete slab. Even better is the use of SPAX Lift support feet for easy leveling of the decking area.

5. How are planks fastened?

The SPAX decking screw with T-STAR plus force attack can be screwed flush with the head. The result is a clean appearance and low splitting effect when sinking through the cylinder head. The fixing thread ensures a permanently firm fit of the wooden covering on the substructure. Rattling and creaking noises are significantly reduced.

6. Why pre-drill?

Especially with hard hardwoods and tropical woods should always be pre-drilled. Pre-drilling and countersinking enables a clean and uniform screw pattern.
The pre-drilling rule also applies to thermal woods whose material behaviour is similar to that of hard woods. In order to obtain a clean screw pattern, however, we recommend pre-drilling even with soft woods.

7. Which screw length fits?

The following screw lengths have proven themselves in decking practice:

Plank thickness up to 21 mm = 60 mm screw length (wood on wood)
Plank thickness 22 – 28 mm = 70 mm screw length (wood on wood)

8. How many screws do I need?

With us you will find a decking configurator with the help of which you can determine the number of screws, number of planks and the dimensions of the substructure with just a few clicks.
Everything is determined according to the dimensions of your planned desired decking and the materials selected for it.

9. What parapet height?

The most important thing is always safety. The requirements of the parapet height can vary from municipality to municipality. From a decking height of 60 cm, a parapet is required as part of the building authority approval. The parapet height is always measured from the decking floor. With a parapet height of 1.2 m, you are usually right.

10. Where can I find information?

Under the headings Wood Science and Tips for Users you will find everything explained and presented in a comprehensible and technically correct way. Find out about the most commonly used types of wood in decking construction, for example. Or you can be inspired by our reference projects. The video tutorials on important topics relating to decking construction complement the range of information.