A well-designed deck is still one of the most popular outdoor amenities among homeowners, and one of the hottest ways to install one is with a seamless, hidden-fastener look.

Traditionally, installers attached deck boards with face-nail screws:Thiswas (and in some case, still is) the standard method of construction. The method is perfectly fine for a quality, but unless the installer is careful, the aesthetics can be uneven. The fasteners need to be spaced jut right, and they must driven at a consistent depth every time.

For a growing crop of demanding clients and homebuyers, an inconsistent look will not do.

Hidden deck fasteners come in various forms, but the goal is still the same: to make sure the screws or nails invisible (or at least difficult to see) with the naked eye. In some case, installers may face-nail with an 8-penny finish nail and use a nail set to sink the fastener. This method gets the job done.

No matter if you’re using pressure treated wood, tropical hardwoods, or composite lumber, many manufacturers and decking companies offer hidden-fastener systems that do an excellent job of creating a modern, seamless deck that is free of visible nails.

TimberTech

Designed exclusively for TimberTech grooved boards, ConceaLoc provides a fastener-free surface and can be installed pneumatically or using a traditional drill. Once installed, it stays hidden to preserve the deck’s clean, finished appearance, the company says.