Anyone have experience with Eb-Ty hidden deck fasteners?

[Lincoln Myers]

Anyone have any experience (good or bad) with Eb-Ty hidden deck fasteners? I am getting close to starting my deck project and thought these or something similar would be nice. I will be using standard 5/4 pressure treated wood for my decking.

They can be seen here:
http://www.ebty.com/eb_ty_installation.html

Thanks.

-Linc

[Jim Becker]

Personally, no, but I was there when a friend was using them to construct his Ipe deck a year or so ago. He even got the deck boards pre-grooved to save time. Very nice system.

[Bob Slater]

I installed an Ipe deck with T shaped aluminum clips. Is this what you are referring to? Anyway, it went in easy, my Ipe was grooved and it is holding up beautifully.

[William OConnell]

Anyone have any experience (good or bad) with Eb-Ty hidden deck fasteners? I am getting close to starting my deck project and thought these or something similar would be nice. I will be using standard 5/4 pressure treated wood for my decking.

Thanks.

-Linc

I wouln't use Eb Ty or any other deck spacing system with pressure treated wood. It just shrinks to much.
When we build decks with PT lumber we compensate the spacing knowing it is going to shrink dramatically in the first 4 years

[Peter Quinn]

My buddy used those on his deck about 4 years ago, deck is 5/4 IPE, looked great when it went in, at this point the boards have moved enough that you can see a lot of the ties. They don't seem to hold the IPE in place over time. What was perfect spacing has become quite irregular.

I think there's another hidden system that attaches from below with screws, more difficult to install but keeps the boards in place better. Maybe for a more stable species than IPE the EB-TYS might be OK? Ipe is durable but its not particularly stable in the weather if your going for that perfect tight spacing look.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I have not used Eb-Ty, but I have used DeckMaster brackets on several redwood decks. DeckMaster brackets work very well, and are close to invisible, unless you are under the deck. The end result is a really nice looking deck, with no screws showing.

http://www.grabberman.com/Deckmaster/

[Bob Slater]

The ones I installed on my Ipe deck are T shaped aluminum cleats with a screw that fastens them to a joist. This deck is In Toronto and sees all kinds of weather. The gaps have not budged at all in 5 years and the deck appears to be unchanged.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Eb-Ty's are expensive, so make sure you do the math. Plus they can be really labor intensive with grooving the decking, installing the plugs on the permiter boards (varies depending on your design), etc.

I chose not to use them for that reason since I had a picture-framed deck and a step that wrapped around most of the deck (where I would have needed the plugs).

[Lincoln Myers]

I have not used Eb-Ty, but I have used DeckMaster brackets on several redwood decks. DeckMaster brackets work very well, and are close to invisible, unless you are under the deck. The end result is a really nice looking deck, with no screws showing.

http://www.grabberman.com/Deckmaster/

Those Deckmaster's look intriguing. Based on the videos at the site, seems like they'd be a quicker installation and may work better and alleviate any concerns about the shrinkage of pressure treated deck boards.

Thanks,
Linc

[Dave Falkenstein]

Those Deckmaster's look intriguing. Based on the videos at the site, seems like they'd be a quicker installation and may work better and alleviate any concerns about the shrinkage of pressure treated deck boards.

Thanks,
Linc

In addition to a few client jobs, I used DeckMaster brackets on a rebuild of my own 500 square foot deck about 6 years ago. I have had no maintenance issues with the brackets, and the screws stay put. The absence of screw holes in the deck surface cuts way down on restaining too. Great system, IMHO.

[John Morrison60]

Lincolon

I used EB-TYs to fasten a deck made of plastic wood.
The decking was constructed with Bedford Technology Lumber.
I used the EB-TYs to fasten 2x4s to structural components made from treated 2x8.

It worked well, but was a lot of work. Since I completed it, I have always talked
very highly of the plastic wood and the EB-TY, but while I was doing it, I wondered
whether it was all worth it.
The EB-TYs need to be fastened down with stainless screws and glue is also used
to fasten the decking to the structure.
It provides a terrific, fastener free deck surface, and so far has lasted 7-8 years.
No loose boards, or any other problems.

A bowrench and several cordless drill/drivers along with an assortment of long pipes,
(for a couple of pipe clamps) were essential tools. two people working is also helpful. When I bought the EB-TYs, I think McFeeley's was the cheapest vendor.


Good Luck.

John