Do I have to predrill tropical hardwood before screwing it down?

Yes. Ipe, Cumaru, Massaranduba and similar species are dense enough that driving a screw without a pilot hole commonly splits the board or snaps the fastener. Predrill and countersink every face-screw hole.

Should I use hidden fasteners or face screws?

Hidden fasteners give an unbroken deck surface and need grooved boards. Face screws work on any profile, are easier to service later, and can be concealed with matching wood plugs. Both are valid — the deciding factors are board profile, appearance and how easily you want to remove boards later.

Is 305 or 316 stainless steel the right choice?

Type 305 stainless is appropriate for most inland decks. Type 316 adds molybdenum for better resistance to chlorides, which matters on oceanfront, salt-air and pool environments. When a deck is within roughly a mile of salt water, 316 is the safer specification.

Can I use coated or galvanized screws instead of stainless?

We do not recommend it on tropical hardwood. The natural extractives in these species plus long-term moisture exposure will corrode and stain around lesser fasteners, leaving black streaks that are difficult to remove.

How many hidden fasteners will my deck need?

Plan on roughly 20 to 25 clips per square foot depending on joist spacing and board width. Order the next package size up rather than exactly to plan — running out mid-course stalls the whole install.

Why does end seal matter?

End grain releases moisture many times faster than face grain, which is what causes checking and end splits. Sealing every factory and field cut, ideally within 24 hours, is one of the cheapest ways to protect a hardwood order.

What gap should I leave between boards?

Kiln-dried hardwood is typically installed at 3/16" to 1/4". Air-dried material arrives wetter and will shrink, so it is installed tighter, often 1/8" or less. Matching gap to moisture content is more important than matching a number you read online.

Do I need to oil a hardwood deck?

No. Left alone, these species weather to a silver-gray without losing structural integrity. Penetrating oil is how you keep the original color. Film-forming stains and varnishes are not recommended because they peel on dense hardwood.

How do I bring back a deck that has already grayed?

Clean it, then use a brightener to neutralize and restore tone, let it dry fully, and apply a penetrating oil. Results depend on how weathered the boards are — heavily weathered decks may need light sanding first.

Is joist tape worth it?

Yes, in almost every climate. Water that runs between deck boards sits on the joist tops, and that is where framing rots first — even on pressure-treated lumber. Butyl joist tape also self-seals around each fastener penetration.

Can I replace a single board installed with hidden fasteners?

It is possible but slower than with face screws. You generally have to work from the last board back, or cut the board out and reattach the replacement with face screws and plugs. Plan for this if the deck will see heavy service access.

Do you sell accessories separately from a lumber order?

Yes. Accessories can be purchased on their own and they ship separately from lumber freight, often by parcel carrier. Talk to us if you want accessories timed to arrive with your boards.

How do I confirm an accessory works with my specific boards?

Check the compatibility section on the product page for species, board thickness, groove requirement and framing type. If your profile is unusual or you are working with steel or aluminum framing, call us before ordering.

Deck Accessories & Fasteners for Hardwood Decking

Professional-grade DeckWise® fasteners, plugs, tools, and installation accessories for hardwood and composite decking projects.

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Shop Accessories by Category

Every category below covers a distinct part of a hardwood installation — fastening, concealing, drilling, protecting the framing and finishing the boards. Each page lists the products we stock along with compatibility, coverage and installation detail.

Hidden Deck Fasteners

Edge-mount clips that sit inside a grooved board edge, leaving the deck surface completely free of visible screw heads. Sized for dense tropical hardwood and available in spacing options that match kiln-dried and air-dried material. Requires pre-grooved boards or on-site routing.

Shop hidden deck fasteners

Deck Screws & Fasteners

Stainless-steel face screws for tropical hardwood, sold in trim-head and bugle-head profiles. Type 305 suits most inland decks, while Type 316 is the choice for coastal and salt-air exposure. Predrilling is expected on species above roughly 1,500 Janka to avoid splitting and snapped fasteners.

Browse stainless-steel deck screws

Wood Plugs & Plug Kits

Species-matched plugs that cover countersunk face screws so a screwed-down deck still reads as an unbroken surface. Available loose or in kits with screws, a countersink bit and exterior adhesive. Ribbed plugs hold better in slightly oversized holes; grain and color vary naturally board to board.

View hardwood deck plugs

Deck Tools & Drill Bits

Predrill and countersink bits sized for hardwood face screws, router bits for cutting fastener grooves, board straighteners for bowed lumber, and gap spacers for consistent board spacing. These are the tools that make dense tropical hardwood behave like normal lumber on a jobsite.

Shop drill bits, countersinks and install tools

Joist Protection Tape

Self-adhering butyl tape applied across joist tops before decking goes down, so water that runs between boards never sits on the framing. It also seals around every fastener penetration. Ledger flashing covers the house-to-deck connection, which is where framing failures most often start.

Shop joist tape and ledger flashing

Deck Tiles & Accessories

Pre-assembled hardwood tiles that snap together over concrete patios, balconies and rooftop membranes with no fasteners and no framing. They lift back out for cleaning, drainage inspection or relocation, which makes them the practical choice on surfaces you are not allowed to penetrate.

Browse interlocking hardwood deck tiles

Stains & Finishes

Penetrating oil finishes formulated for dense tropical hardwood, plus end-grain sealer for fresh cuts and cleaners or brighteners for weathered decks. Penetrating oils soak in instead of forming a film, so they will not peel or flake. Final appearance depends on species, prep and how weathered the boards already are.

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Accessory Compatibility Overview

Species covered: Ipe, Cumaru, Garapa, Tigerwood, Massaranduba, Red Balau. Applications covered: decking, siding, fencing, soffit, deck tiles and timbers. Confirm the specifics on the individual product page before ordering — the table below is a starting point, not a substitute for product specifications.

Accessory categories and the wood species and applications they are compatible with
Accessory category	Compatible species	Applications	Notes
Hidden fasteners	All species (grooved boards only)	Decking, deck tiles	Board must be pre-grooved or routed on site. Not used for siding, fencing or soffit.
Stainless deck screws	All species	Decking, siding, fencing, soffit, timbers	Predrill every hole. Use Type 316 within roughly a mile of salt water.
Wood plugs	All species (match plug to board species)	Decking, siding, stair treads	Requires countersunk face screws. Grain and color vary board to board.
Drill bits & countersinks	All species	Every application	Required on dense tropical hardwood — screws snap or split boards without a pilot hole.
End seal	All species	Every application	Apply to every fresh cut, ideally within 24 hours, including field cuts.
Deck oil & finishes	All species	Decking, siding, fencing, soffit, deck tiles	Penetrating oil only. Final color depends on species, prep and weathering.
Cleaners & brighteners	All species	Decking, siding, fencing, deck tiles	Used before refinishing weathered wood. Results vary with board condition.
Joist tape	Not species dependent	Deck framing, ledger connection	Applied to the substructure, not to the hardwood itself.
Installation tools	All species	Decking, siding, fencing	Board straighteners and spacers work with any board width we stock.

Accessory Buying Guide

Most accessory mistakes on a hardwood project come from applying softwood habits to a dramatically harder, oilier material. The sections below cover the decisions that actually affect how the finished installation looks and how long it lasts.

Choosing accessories for tropical hardwood

Tropical hardwood is not simply a more expensive version of pine. Ipe, Cumaru, Massaranduba, Tigerwood, Garapa and Red Balau are dense, oily and dimensionally active, and that changes which accessories actually work. Fasteners have to resist both corrosion and the natural extractives in the wood. Holes have to be drilled rather than driven. Cut ends have to be sealed. Finishes have to penetrate rather than form a film. Every product in this section was selected with that behavior in mind, which is why a generic big-box deck kit usually disappoints on a hardwood job.

Hidden fasteners versus face screws

Hidden fasteners sit in a groove milled into the board edge and hold the board down from the side, leaving the walking surface completely clear. They require grooved boards and they make removing a single board later more involved. Face screws go through the top of the board into the joist. They work with any profile, they are the fastest method to service, and they can be concealed with species-matched plugs so the finished surface still looks clean. Neither method is universally better. Choose hidden fasteners when appearance is the priority and boards are grooved; choose face screws when you value serviceability, mixed board profiles or a lower material cost.

Selecting screws for dense hardwood

A hardwood deck screw needs a hardened shank, an aggressive thread and a head profile that seats cleanly in a countersink. Trim-head screws leave a small, discreet hole and are the usual choice when the fastener will stay visible. Bugle-head screws present more bearing surface and hold harder, and are the choice under plugs. Screw length should give roughly one and a half times the board thickness of penetration into the joist. What matters more than any of this is that the hole is predrilled — the strongest screw on the market will still snap in Ipe if it is driven dry.

Choosing between 305 and 316 stainless steel

Both grades are austenitic stainless and both are appropriate for exterior hardwood. Type 305 is the practical standard for inland decks, patios and fences. Type 316 contains molybdenum, which meaningfully improves resistance to chloride attack, so it is the correct specification for oceanfront decks, docks, boardwalks, pool surrounds and anywhere salt spray or pool chemistry is part of the environment. The price difference is small measured against the cost of pulling corroded fasteners out of a finished deck.

Why predrilling is required

Predrilling is not optional on dense tropical hardwood. Species in the 3,000+ Janka range do not compress ahead of a screw thread the way softwood does, so the fastener has to displace fiber it cannot displace. The result is split board ends, snapped screws left in the joist and stripped drive recesses. A countersink bit sized to your screw solves all three problems at once and lets the head seat flush or below the surface, ready for a plug. Budget the drilling time into the schedule rather than trying to skip it.

Choosing wood plugs

Plugs cover countersunk screw heads so a face-screwed deck reads as a clean surface. Match the plug species to the board species, and expect natural variation in grain and color — plugs are wood, not paint. Ribbed plugs are usually the better field choice because the ribs compensate for slightly oversized or out-of-round holes and give the adhesive more surface to grab. Use an exterior-grade polyurethane adhesive, let it cure, then flush-cut and lightly sand.

End sealing freshly cut boards

End grain gives up moisture roughly ten times faster than face grain, and uneven moisture loss is what causes end checking and splitting. Every factory end and every field cut should get end seal, ideally within a day of cutting. It is inexpensive, it takes seconds per board, and it prevents the single most common cosmetic complaint on a new hardwood installation.

Cleaning and brightening tropical hardwood

Weathered hardwood picks up surface gray, mill glaze and organic growth. A hardwood-appropriate cleaner removes the buildup, and a brightener neutralizes the cleaner and restores tone before finishing. Do not skip the brightening step if you plan to oil — applying finish over an unneutralized surface produces uneven color. Results vary with how weathered the boards are, and heavily gray decks may need light sanding as well.

Applying hardwood oil

Use a penetrating oil, not a film-forming stain or varnish. Dense hardwood does not absorb a surface film well, and films crack and peel under UV and foot traffic. Penetrating oils soak into the fiber, hold color and can be refreshed with a maintenance coat instead of a strip-and-recoat cycle. Surfaces must be clean and fully dry before application, and most hardwood decks benefit from an annual maintenance coat, sooner on the sun-exposed side.

Choosing installation tools

Three tools change a hardwood install more than anything else: a countersink and pilot bit sized to your screw, a board straightener for the bowed boards that appear in every bundle, and consistent gap spacers. Add a router bit if you are grooving boards on site for hidden fasteners. These are not luxury purchases — on a deck of any size they pay for themselves in labor and wasted material.

Coastal and salt-air applications

Salt exposure changes the fastener specification, not the wood specification. Move to Type 316 stainless for screws and clips, use joist tape at every framing connection, and expect to clean the deck more often because salt and airborne grit accumulate faster. Hardwood itself performs extremely well in marine environments — it is the hardware that fails first when it is underspecified.

Accessories by species and application

Fasteners, plugs, end seal, oil and joist tape all apply across Ipe, Cumaru, Garapa, Tigerwood, Massaranduba and Red Balau. What changes is the plug species you match, the finish behavior on lighter species like Garapa, and the profile requirement for hidden fasteners. By application: decking uses the full range; siding and soffit rely on stainless face screws and finish; fencing uses stainless fasteners and finish; deck tiles use pedestals and finish rather than clips.

Shipping, Compatibility & Support

Shipping. Accessories ship separately from lumber freight, usually by parcel carrier, so an accessory order does not have to wait on a lumber shipment. Full shipping detail is on our shipping information page.

Compatibility disclaimer. Compatibility notes on this page are general guidance for the species and applications we supply. Board profile, groove dimensions, board thickness and framing material all affect whether a specific accessory fits. Confirm the specifications on the individual product page, and contact us before ordering if you are working with an unusual profile, steel or aluminum framing, or material not purchased from us.

Technical support. If you are not sure which fastener, plug, bit or finish is right for your species and climate, call before you order. It is a much cheaper conversation than a corrected install.

Accessory Questions We Get Most Often

Do I have to predrill tropical hardwood before screwing it down?: Yes. Ipe, Cumaru, Massaranduba and similar species are dense enough that driving a screw without a pilot hole commonly splits the board or snaps the fastener. Predrill and countersink every face-screw hole.
Should I use hidden fasteners or face screws?: Hidden fasteners give an unbroken deck surface and need grooved boards. Face screws work on any profile, are easier to service later, and can be concealed with matching wood plugs. Both are valid — the deciding factors are board profile, appearance and how easily you want to remove boards later.
Is 305 or 316 stainless steel the right choice?: Type 305 stainless is appropriate for most inland decks. Type 316 adds molybdenum for better resistance to chlorides, which matters on oceanfront, salt-air and pool environments. When a deck is within roughly a mile of salt water, 316 is the safer specification.
Can I use coated or galvanized screws instead of stainless?: We do not recommend it on tropical hardwood. The natural extractives in these species plus long-term moisture exposure will corrode and stain around lesser fasteners, leaving black streaks that are difficult to remove.
How many hidden fasteners will my deck need?: Plan on roughly 20 to 25 clips per square foot depending on joist spacing and board width. Order the next package size up rather than exactly to plan — running out mid-course stalls the whole install.
Why does end seal matter?: End grain releases moisture many times faster than face grain, which is what causes checking and end splits. Sealing every factory and field cut, ideally within 24 hours, is one of the cheapest ways to protect a hardwood order.
What gap should I leave between boards?: Kiln-dried hardwood is typically installed at 3/16" to 1/4". Air-dried material arrives wetter and will shrink, so it is installed tighter, often 1/8" or less. Matching gap to moisture content is more important than matching a number you read online.
Do I need to oil a hardwood deck?: No. Left alone, these species weather to a silver-gray without losing structural integrity. Penetrating oil is how you keep the original color. Film-forming stains and varnishes are not recommended because they peel on dense hardwood.
How do I bring back a deck that has already grayed?: Clean it, then use a brightener to neutralize and restore tone, let it dry fully, and apply a penetrating oil. Results depend on how weathered the boards are — heavily weathered decks may need light sanding first.
Is joist tape worth it?: Yes, in almost every climate. Water that runs between deck boards sits on the joist tops, and that is where framing rots first — even on pressure-treated lumber. Butyl joist tape also self-seals around each fastener penetration.
Can I replace a single board installed with hidden fasteners?: It is possible but slower than with face screws. You generally have to work from the last board back, or cut the board out and reattach the replacement with face screws and plugs. Plan for this if the deck will see heavy service access.
Do you sell accessories separately from a lumber order?: Yes. Accessories can be purchased on their own and they ship separately from lumber freight, often by parcel carrier. Talk to us if you want accessories timed to arrive with your boards.
How do I confirm an accessory works with my specific boards?: Check the compatibility section on the product page for species, board thickness, groove requirement and framing type. If your profile is unusual or you are working with steel or aluminum framing, call us before ordering.