Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This invention relates to bui1ding constructions. More particularly, the invention
relates to a unique decking board and fastening clip system for use in constructing a floor
~ or other structure, and to a construction assembly and method.
r,~,' A variety of specialized flooring materials have been developed for interior and
5 exterior use.
Wood flooring materials for exterior use, e.g., in decks and the like, have
undergone very little change since their introduction. Up until fairly recently, wood
~' flooring for exterior use was typically found on covered porches, and was not used in
constructions fully exposed to weather conditions. These floors were very close in
structure and appearance to interior flooring, and generally included tongue and groove
construction and other features used indoors. The same boards might even be used both
indoors and outdoors, for example, with a painted surface on the boards used outdoors
to aid in resisting weather.
Construction materials and methods for exterior decks and porches changed
! 15 dramatically with the advent of chemically-treated lumber, which enabled exterior
structures to be fully exposed to the weather. The chemically-treated lumber used in
these structures made them weather-resistant, and provided much greater flexibility in
architectural style than previously used for exterior construction.
However, very little change has been made in the basic design of the wood
building materials used in such exterior constructions. For instance, flooring or decking
used in exterior decks comes in limited configurations, typically 2X4 and/or 2X6 or 2X8
lumber, and so-called S/4 decking boards. All of these flooring materials are essentially
rectangular in cross-sectional configuration. Additionally, the S/4 decking boards have
slightly rounded top edges.
Because of their symmetrical configuration, these boards are capable of being
installed with either face upward. However, when the boards are sawed from a log, the
relationship of the board to the growth rings of the tree from which the log was cut is
such that the growth rings are convex toward the other face. The convex side is
generally referred to as the bark side. If the board is installed with the concave side up,
it is likely that pieces of the board will separate and form splinters as the board dries and
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is exposed to weather. Further, if the board is installed with the bark side up, which is
the preferred practice, the board tends to warp upwardly at its side edge~ as it dries,
thereby cupping on its upper surface and forming pockets for collecting water. Both of
these phenomena lead to increased deterioration of the board.
' 5 Because of the symmetrical design of conventional decking boards, they are
commonly installed in a more or less random manner, with some boards having their
bark side up and others having the bark side down. After a short period of time, when
;' the board have dried and been exposed to weather, they cup or warp in the direction of
the bark side. When the boards are not all installed with the bark side up, the resulting
; 10 surface is very irregular or uneven, forms many pockets for collecting water, and tends
to splinter badly in some places.
Moreover, many boards, when sawed from a log, are cut from an area of the log
close to its outer surface. As a result, these boards wil1 typica11y have strips of bark or
3 other imperfections along their outer edges and may by unsuitable for use, resulting in
great waste.
Further, conventional building construction techniques, especially in the
construction of a deck or floor surface, rely upon the use of nails or screws and the like
passed downward1y through the exposed face surface of the decking or flooring boards
and into an underlying support or frame for securing the boards to the frame. This
method is not only time consuming, but a1so results in a flooring surface that is
blemished by the exposure of many fasteners extended through the top surface of the
floor. Moreover, in exterior deck constructions, these exposed fasteners providenumerous small traps for collecting and holding water, and define channe1s for flow of
water into and through the board, thus acce1erating deterioration of the decking. Further,
the nai1s used to fasten exterior decking boards tend to work 100se over time, becoming
' raised above the deck surface and creating a safety hazard. ~
According1y, there is need for a board for use in constructing decks, docks, ~-walkways and the like, which is constructed to insure that a11 boards are installed with
the bark side up, which minimizes the effects of cupping, which minimizes the presence
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of bark or other imperfections along the edges, and which uses a simple and inexpensive
clip for securing the boards to an underlying frame.
By one broad aspect of this invention, a decking board is provided for use in
constructing a deck floor, the decking board having a top surface, a bottom surface and
opposite side edges, the top surface being convex and having a radius of curvature so that
it wi11 shed water and at the same time will present a comfortable surface to walk and
stand on, and the bottom surface having a central portion that is recessed so that a
plurality of the boards may be stacked one on top of the other and so that the convex top
surface of one board will be accommodated in the recessed bottom surface of a
superadjacent board, the boards contacting one another at least at side edge portions to
lend stability to a stack of the boards, and defining air circulating spaces to facilitate
drying of a plurality of stacked boards.
By one variant thereof, both the top and bottom surfaces of the board are curvedor rounded, with the concave curved surface on the bottom of a board being shaped
complementally to the convex curved surface on the top of the board.
By another variation of this variant, the concave configuration of the bottom
surface of the board extends over less than the entire width of the board, leaving a
relatively narrow, flat surface along each side edge of the bottom surface of the board.
By another variant thereof, the radius of curvature of the top surface of the board
is approximately five times as great as the width of the board.
By still another variant thereof, the bottom surface has a plurality of elongategrooves formed therein to define stress-relief channels and to assist in preventing cupping
or warping of the board.
By a further variant thereof, the board comprises a pressure-treated decking
board.
By another broad aspect of this invention, a decking board is provided for use in
constructing a deck floor, the decking board having a top surface, a bottom surface and
opposite side edges, the top surface being convex and being manufactured with a radius
of curvature that is approximately five times as great as the width of the board so that
it will shed water and at the same time will present a comfortable surface upon which
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to walk and stand, and the bottom surface having at least one longitudinally extending
recess formed therein to relieve stress and assist in preventing cupping or warping of the
board while also defining a space through which air can circulate when a plurality of the
boards are stacked on top of one another to facilitate drying of the boards.
5By still another broad aspect of this invention, a wood decking board is provided
for use in constructing a flooring surface for exterior use, the decking board having a
convex top surface, a bottom surface, opposite side edges, and curved growth rings, the
top surface being smoot~ly and symrnetrically curved from a longitudinal center line
thereof downwardly to each side edge, the top surface having a radius of curvature that
10is approximately five times as great as the width of the board, thereby defining a
smoothly shaped and shallow convex top surface which sheds water and at the same time
when a plurality of the boards are placed in side-by-side relationship to one another to
form a flooring surface they result in a substantially flat surface that does not produce
a cactile sensation of an irregular surface, thereby providing a flooring surface that is
15comfortable to walk on and which is capable of satisfactorily supporting furniture and the
like, and the convex top surface is formed in the board so that the growth rings are
oriented in the same general direction as the curvature of the top surface, thereby
insuring that the board will always be installed with the growth rings properly oriented
to minimize the effect of cupping.
By another aspect of this invention, a construction system is provided for securing
a decking board to an underlying support, comprising: an assembly clip having a body
with means to receive fasteners therethrough for securing the clip to a surface of the
underlying support, the clip having at least one laterally-extending flange thereon in
spaced relationship to the surface of the support; and the decking board having a
longitudinally extending groove in a surface thereof in a position to receive the flange
~ i on the clip when the board is placed against the underlying support surface, whereby the
: flange engaged in the groove holds the board to the underlying support without requiring
the use of separate fasteners extended through the board.
By one variant thereof, the clip body is adapted to lie flat against the supportsurface and has opposite ends extending away from the support surface, each end
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terminating in a laterally-extending flange, the ends and flanges defining a pair of spaced-
apart, hook-like projections; and the decking board has a pair of spaced-apart, parallel
grooves in a bottom surface thereof, the grooves being adapted to receive the hook-like
projections when the board is placed over the clip and onto the underlying support
5 surface, the flanges of the hook-like projections biting into the side of the respective
grooves to prevent withdrawal of the projection from the groove and thereby holding the
board to the clip and support surface.
In other words, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a
unique deck board has a convex surface on the bark side. This convex surface insures
10 that all boards are installed with the bark side up, and the curvature is such that the
board will shed water but does not produce an uneven tactile sensation during use
whereby it is comfortable to walk and stand on, and supports furniture and the like in a
secure way. Moreover, the board is milled from conventional dimension lumber, and
in the process the wane is removed from the sides of the board, thereby eliminating most
15 strips of bark or other imperfections which may exist, and greatly reducing, if not
eliminating, the number of boards which are unsuitable for use.
The boards of embodiments of the invention may have at least one channel formed
along its bottom side, providing stress relief and tending to reduce cupping, while at the
same time providing a means for cooperation with a fastening clip system that enables
20 the boards to be installed without the need for passing fasteners downwardly through the
upper surface of the boards.
In one embodiment of the invention, the board includes a concave configuration
in its bottom surface to facilitate stacking of the boards one on top of the other during
storage and handling. This concave configuration may be shaped complementally to the
25 top surface to facilitate stacking of the boards on top of one another, or it may simply
comprise a recessed area in the bottom surface.
A construction clip assembly may be used to secure the decking board to a
support surface.
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The construction assemb1y of embodiments of the invention is simple and
economica1 to use, and especially facilitates the construction of a flooring surface such
as a deck floor or the like.
A deck floor constructed in accordance with the embodiments of the invention is
5 free of unsightly fasteners extended through its exposed face surface, and is enabled to
expand and contract upon gain or loss of moisture without excessive stress being induced
therein, thereby prolonging its life.
In the accompanying drawings -
Fig. l is a top perspective view, with portions broken away, of a pair of boardslO embodying the- invention shown in stacked relationship on top of one another;Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of a decking board incorporating the features
of the invention;
Fig. 3 is an end view of a plurality of decking boards according to the invention,
shown installed in side-by-side relationship on a frame; ~ .
Fig. 4 is a somewhat schematic transverse sectional view of a log, showing the ~;
relationship to the growth rings and the outer surface of the log of several boards to be ~-
cut from it;
Fig. S is an end view similar to Figure 2 of an embodiment of the invention in ~`
which stress relief channels are formed in the underside of the board;
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a portion of a deck constructed
in accordance with that form of the invention using an assembly clip, and wherein the
stress relief channels in the underside of the board also serve as means for attachment
of the fastening clips to the board; and
Fig. 7 is an e~d view of a pair of boards in accordance with the form of the
invention shown in Figure S, depicting the relationship of the boards when they are
stacked on top of one another.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, a board in accordance with the
invention is shown generally at 10 in Figures 1-3. In Figure 1, two such boards are
shown in stacked relationship one on top of the other. The board specifically shown and
described herein has generally the size and shape of a so-called S/4 decking board, with
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rounded top side edges 11 and 12 each having a radius of curvature r of about one-
quarter of an inch. The board 10 differs slightly in width w and thickness t from a
standard decking board, however, in that it has a width of only S inches and a thickness
of 13/8 inches.
More importantly, the board of the invention has a slightly rounded upper surface
13 that slopes gradually off to either side of the center of the board defining a convex
surface that promotes the running off of water. This surface may have a radius of
curvature R" for example, of 24 inches. Thus, on a board having a width of five
inches, the radius of curvature Rl, is twenty-four inches.
Further, in one construction the board also has a complementally shaped concave
bottom surface 14 with a radius of curvature R2 of 24 inches, placed to leave two
relatively flat side panels c and d along opposite edges of the board. The curved top
surface has a total fall or drop a from the center to each edge of 1/8 of an inch, and the
curved bottom surface similarly has a total recess b from the plane of the two side panels
lS to the deepest part at the center of the board of 1/8 of an inch.
, When stacked on top of one another, as shown in Figure 1, the boards essentially
nest within one another, with the two side panels on a top board resting on the curved
outer edge portions of a subadjacent board to produce an arrangement that enables
multiple boards to be stacked with essentially the same stability as conventional, flat
boards. In this connection, it should be noted that the curved surfaces may be
dimensional so that the entire adjacent curved surfaces of two stacked boards are in full
contact with one another, or they may be dimensioned so that just the side panels of a
top board engage on the top curved surface of a bottom board.
In use, the boards are installed in close-fitting, side-by-side relationship to one
another on a frame, by using fasteners F extended through the boards and into the frame.
Other types of fastening methods may be used if desired. As depicted in Figure 3, a
small clearance space S is provided beneath the boards when they are installed, which
provides a slight cushioning effect to the flooring surface made with the boards.
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Figure 4 shows the relationship of the outermost boards B cut from a log L.
Since these outermost boards are very near the bark or softer outer surface of the log,
they frequent1y have defects extending along their side edges which can result in these
boards being scrapped. Boards lOa and lOb made in accordance with the invention,5 however, have these outer longitudinal edges rounded off, which many times results in
removal of the softer material or defects commonly found in conventional boards, thus
reducing the amount of scrap in these boards and utilizing more of the material in the
log.
In Figure 5, a modification is shown at 10'. In this form of the invention, a pair
of stress relief cuts or channels 15 and 16 are made along the underside 14' of the board
to minimize cupping or warping of the board.
A unique assembly method is depicted generally at 20 in Figures 6 and 7. In thisform of the invention, specially shaped attaching clips 21 cooperate with specially shaped
decking boards 22 to secure the decking boards on an underlying support structure, e.g
floor joists 23.
The attaching clips 21 each have a flat body 24 with upstanding hook-like
projections 2S and 26 on opposite ends thereof, including downturned flanges 27 and 28.
The body 24 has one or more openings 29 formed therethrough for receiving fasteners,
e.g., such as nails or screws, (not shown), to secure the clip 21 on a flat surface. In the
embodiment illustrated, the clip is secured on the upper edge of a floor joist.
Alternatively, the clip 21 could be secured on any flat surface, e.g., a pre-existing deck.
The latter structure could be used, for example, to resurface an older deck without
requiring the old decking material to be removed.
The decking boards 22 each have a slightly rounded convex top surface 30,
opposite side edges 31 and 32, and a specially configured bottom surface 33. More
particularly, and as seen best in Figure 7, the bottom surface of each board has a pair
of parallel, longitudina11y-extending grooves 34 and 35 spaced inwardly from the side
edges thereof. Each groove has a depth slightly greater than the height of the hook-like
projections on the clip, and a width slightly less than the width of the projection and
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flange, whereby the projection can penetrate fu11y into the groove and the downturned
flange will engage or bite into the side of the groove, resisting removal of the projection
from the groove.
Further, and as seen best in Figure 7, the longitudinal center portion 36 between
S the grooves on the bottom surface of each board is undercut or recessed. This recess
serves both to receive the body of the clip, if that method is used, and to enable stable
stacking of the boards.
It will be noted that by turning the hooks 25 and 26 outwardly relative to the body
24 of the clip, the hooks 25 and 26 wil1 be directed toward the thicker side edge portions
10 of the board, thereby providing greater strength to the cormection. However, it should
be understood that the hooks 25 and 26 could be directed inwardly relative to the body
24 for engaging the inner sides of the grooves, if desired.
Further, the clips 21 have a substantial width so that they can be used in spanning
relationship to the joint between two abutted ends of a pair of adjacent boards 22a and
15 22b, with the hooks engaging in the grooves of each board to secure the ends of the
boards relative to one another.
Still further, the clips may be pivoted or rotated on the supporting surface so that
the boards may be extended diagonally rather than orthogonally to the support.
It should be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described and
20 illustrated herein may be secured on top of relatively narrow support members, e.g.,
floor joists, or against any other flat surface, e.g., an existing deck or a wall surface or
the like.
When the clips are used outdoors, e.g., on an exterior deck they may be made
of galvanized metal or other suitable material, e.g., plastic. Other materials may be used
25 in their construction, depending upon the desired use.
Further the boards illustrated and described herein are especially adapted for use
as exterior decking boards and may be suitably chemically treated for weather resistance.
Additionally, the boards preferably have a unique cross-sectional configuration to
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facilitate shedding of water and to aid in treating and drying the boards during and after
manufacture.
In one example, the boards have a width of five inches, a thickness of one and
three-eighths inches and a radius of curvature of the convex top surface of twenty four
inches.
It should be understood, however, that the boards need not have any particular
shape in order to incorporate the assembly clip disclosed herein, and may consist of
otherwise conventional rectangular boards, e.g., 2X4 or 2X6 dimension lumber.
It will be noted that the grooves formed in the bottom surface of the boards not
10 only serve to provide stress relief but also function to facilitate the drying process of the
boards by providing a greater surface area and defining space for circulation of air when
the boards are stacked. The grooves in the forms of aspects of the invention described
herein provide that function but are intended primarily as a means of attaching the boards
to the clip.
In a specific example of the form of invention shown in Figure 6, the boards have
a width, thickness and radius of curvature on the top surface as discussed above. In
addition, the slots 34 and 35 are spaced inwardly from the respective side edges by a
distance of one and one-quarter inches, are one-quarter inch wide, and two inches apart
at their inner sides or edges. Further, they are five-eighths of an inch deep, as measured
from the bottom of the side edge portions of the board, and the center section of the
board bottom surface is recessed one-eighth of an inch. The top and bottom corners of
the board have a one-quarter inch radius of curvature, and the edges formed by the slots
. 24 and 25 have a one-eighth inch radius of curvature.
The body 24 of clip 21 has a width of one and one-half inches and a length of two
inches, or just slightly less, and the hook-like projections 25 and 26 at its opposite ends
are from one-half to five-eighth of an inch high or long. The downturned flanges on the
upper ends of the projections are approximately one-quarter inch long and extend
downwardly at an angle of 45.
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If desired, a construction adhesive may be placed in the groove or on the flangeof the clip to effect a more secure connection and insure that the board does not work
loose from the clip over a period of time.
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