Patent Application
20070289232
Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
In order to support the decking boards 1, the joists 3 are typically made of wood or the like and are arranged so that their respective major surfaces 3a, 3b are approximately parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the ground. Thus, the bottom end 3c of each joist 3 is the part of the joist which is closest to the ground whereas the top end 3d of each joist 3 is the portion of the joist which is furthest from the ground. The plurality of joists 3 are substantially parallel (e.g., parallel plus/minus about 10% or 15%) to each other as shown in
Substantially U-shaped mounts 5 are substantially U-shaped in cross section (e.g., see
In making a deck according to an example embodiment of this invention, the joists 3 are delivered to the work site. The joists may be delivered to the work site with the mounts 5 and tape 7 already thereon. In such instances, the double-sided tape 7 is already adhered to the top wall 5b of each mount 5 via the tape's adhesive on its bottom side (e.g., see
The plurality of joists 3 are secured in a manner substantially parallel to themselves as shown in
Accordingly, one now has a deck part-way completed including the joists 3 (having mounts 5 and tape 7 thereon), but no decking boards 1 attached thereto. When the deck maker(s) is ready to attach the decking boards 1 to the joists 3, the protective film (not shown) on the outer side of the tape 7 may be peeled off (either entirely or part-way only to the extent of the width of several decking boards). Then, the decking boards 1 are laid down across several joists 3 as shown in
After the decking boards 1 have been attached to the joists using the double-sided tape system including tape 7 and mounts 5, optionally screws and/or nails may be used to further attach (supplement) the boards 1 to the joists 3 in a conventional manner at several locations. However, not as many nails/screws need to be used as would be required without the double-sided tape attachment system, so that the deck is more aesthetically pleasing to view than if many more screws/nails were used as in a conventional deck.
While the decking boards 1 of this invention may be of any suitable material, composite decking boards are desired in most instances. This is because double-sided tape 7 does not adhere particularly well to pure wood or metal. Thus, in certain preferred example embodiments of this invention, both the substantially U-shaped mounts 5 and the decking boards 1 are polymer-based. In certain example embodiment of this invention, the decking boards 1 are composite decking boards meaning that the boards include a mixture of different materials. Example composite materials which may be used for decking boards 1 in certain example embodiments of this invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,016, U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,268, U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,469, U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,720, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,605, U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,910, U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,768, the disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the decking boards 1 may contain from about 35-75% polymer-based material(s) (including but not limited to one or more of polyethylene, polyvinyl-chloride, polypropylene, nylon, polyester(s), polysulfone(s), epoxies, and/or the like) and from about 25-60% fiber. The fiber portion of the composite may be made up of one or more of wood fiber, glass fiber, cotton fiber, carbon fiber, graphite fiber, and/or the like. Additionally, it is possible for the boards 1 to further include filler material such as carbonate, talc, silica, and/or the like. Moreover, the decking boards 1 may be foamed in certain example embodiments of this invention. While the decking boards 1 are composite in certain preferred example embodiments of this invention, the joists 3 are of wood or metal in certain preferred example embodiments of this invention for added strength purposes.
Advantageously, the double-sided tape attachment system also provides a buffer for thermal expansion which the decking boards are typically subjected to. In particular, the double-sided tape 7 may permit more thermal expansion/contraction of the boards 1 during hot and cold spells than if only screws or nails were used to adhere the boards 1 to the joists 3. Thus, there is also a structural advantage associated with using the fastening system according to certain example embodiments of this invention.
Yet another advantage associated with certain example embodiments of this invention is that the substantially U-shaped mounts 5 substantially seal the top ends 3d of the joists 3. In other words, the mounts 5 cover substantial portions of the top ends 3d of the joists 3 thereby reducing the amount of moisture which can enter the joists at the top ends thereof. This can extend the effective lifetime of the joists 3, and can also provide for a decking having less expansion/contraction through the seasons because less moisture gets into the joists. Less warping of the joists 3 may also result from this advantage.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
