There are several methods and products for building a beautiful deck without unsightly fastener holes that can split over time. The Eagle Claw Hidden Deck Fastening System uses black decking clips to space and secure boards while concealing fasteners beneath the deck’s surface.
Eagle Claw Hidden Deck Fastening System Details
Decking boards must have a dado on each side to accommodate the decking clips. Pre-grooved boards are available or the carpenter can use a router to create the groove. The first board of the deck can be fastened in a traditional manner. Then decking clips are inserted into the grooves of each successive board while a decking wrench holds the boards and clips securely during the fastening process.
For more information, visit www.eagleclawco.com.
Our Take
If you’re going for a clean, professional look on deck builds for your clients, hidden fastening systems are the way to go. There are several options like the Senco Mantis system and Camo Edge Pro fastening system that we’ve previously covered. Eagle Claw is more akin to the Senco system (and Tiger Claw for that matter) with a clip style of fastening.
Like other options on the market, you’ll need to order pre-grooved deck boards or cut them in yourself to take advantage of the system. It solves the end board issue by countersinking the screws and plugging them.
Once you have the end board screwed down, the installation process is pretty straightforward. Place the appropriate number of clips in the groove of your deck board, and lay the next board down opposite, ensuring that clips find the groove there as well. Use the Eagle Claw deck clamp to pull the boards together and set your screws. Multiple boards can be clamped at once to speed things up a bit.
While this system is no more difficult than most other options and the build of the clips looks solid, I think Senco retains the upper hand. Their Mantis system also lifts the boards slightly off the joist, allowing more airflow around the boards so they don’t trap moisture. Of course, this isn’t as big a concern with composite decking.
At the end of the day, the build quality is what will attract Pros to Eagle Claw from the rest of the pack. By using a combination of stainless steel core inside a glass filled nylon housing, perhaps the Eagle Claw Hidden Deck Fastening System will last longer than painted steel clips.
