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Hidden Deck Fasteners
Create a beautiful, fastener-free deck surface with professional edge-mount fastening systems
Clean Surface
No visible screw heads for a premium, seamless deck appearance
Wood Protection
Allows natural expansion and contraction without splitting
Faster Install
Professional installers often find hidden clips faster than face-screwing
Hidden fasteners eliminate visible screw heads on your deck surface, creating a clean, professional appearance while allowing natural wood movement. Our selection includes the industry-leading Ipe Clip® system, designed specifically for dense hardwoods.
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How Hidden Fasteners Work on Hardwood Decks
Pre-Groove the Boards
Hidden fasteners require a slot machined into the edge of each board. Most boards from Ipe Woods USA ship pre-grooved, or you can route the slot on-site with a 1/8″ slotting cutter.
Set the First Board
Secure your starter board to the joist with a face screw near the house-side edge. This first board anchors the rest of the field and will be covered by trim.
Clip, Screw, Slide
Insert the clip into the board groove, drive the supplied screw through the clip into the joist at roughly 45°, then slide the next board onto the exposed clip tab. The built-in spacer legs set the gap automatically.
Repeat Across the Deck
Continue across the deck, one board at a time. Each clip grips the outgoing board while spacing the incoming one — no measuring or shimming needed.
Pro Tip from Our Deck Specialists
In hot weather, tighten clips snugly but not crushing-tight. Exotic hardwoods expand and contract with moisture changes, and the clip must allow sideways movement to prevent buckling.
Frequently Bought Together
Accessories that pair well with hidden fasteners for a complete installation.
Ships Nationwide
Fast LTL freight delivery
Quality Guaranteed
Professional-grade products
In Stock
Ready to ship today
Expert Support
Call 1-844-674-4455
Hidden Fastener Systems Compared
All three approaches leave the deck surface free of visible screw heads. The difference is how the board is held and what the board edge has to look like.
| Option | How it holds the board | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge-mount clip (Ipe Clip® style) | Clip sits in a grooved board edge and screws down into the joist | Pre-grooved tropical hardwood decking | Requires grooved boards, or on-site routing |
| Biscuit-style fastener | Flat plate engages a slot cut into both adjoining boards | Boards you are slotting yourself with a biscuit joiner | Adds a cutting step per board edge |
| Structural clip with fixed spacer | Clip body sets the gap and is screwed through into framing | Crews that want spacing built into the fastener | Gap is locked in — no adjustment for wet or dry stock |
| Face screw with matched plug | Screw driven through the board face, then plugged | Boards that are not grooved, and stair treads or perimeter boards | Slower; plug color varies board to board |
Edge-mount clip (Ipe Clip® style)
- How it holds the board
- Clip sits in a grooved board edge and screws down into the joist
- Best for
- Pre-grooved tropical hardwood decking
- Trade-off
- Requires grooved boards, or on-site routing
Biscuit-style fastener
- How it holds the board
- Flat plate engages a slot cut into both adjoining boards
- Best for
- Boards you are slotting yourself with a biscuit joiner
- Trade-off
- Adds a cutting step per board edge
Structural clip with fixed spacer
- How it holds the board
- Clip body sets the gap and is screwed through into framing
- Best for
- Crews that want spacing built into the fastener
- Trade-off
- Gap is locked in — no adjustment for wet or dry stock
Face screw with matched plug
- How it holds the board
- Screw driven through the board face, then plugged
- Best for
- Boards that are not grooved, and stair treads or perimeter boards
- Trade-off
- Slower; plug color varies board to board
Installation Considerations
Hidden fastener systems are unforgiving about substrate and spacing, so it is worth planning these before the first board goes down.
Groove must match the clip
Clip thickness and groove depth are a matched pair. A groove cut too shallow leaves the clip proud and the board will rock; too deep and the clip loses its grip on the board edge. Confirm the groove profile before ordering clips in quantity.
Joist spacing drives clip count
You need a clip at every joist crossing, on both edges of the board run, plus starter clips along the first board. Tighter joist spacing and narrower boards both raise the clip count substantially.
Perimeter and stairs still need face screws
The first board, the last board, stair treads, and any board that ends against a wall generally cannot be clipped. Plan on face screws and matched plugs for those locations.
Gap is set by the fastener
Fixed-spacer clips decide your gap for you. If you are installing air-dried material that will shrink, verify the clip spacing is appropriate before committing to the whole deck.
Stainless in wet or coastal exposure
The clip screw is buried where you will never inspect it. Coastal, poolside, and dock installations should use stainless fasteners rather than coated steel.
Common Mistakes
Ordering clips before confirming the board groove
Do this instead: Check groove depth and width on actual delivered boards, not the catalog spec, then order clips to match.
Buying exactly the calculated clip count
Do this instead: Order a surplus. Starter clips, perimeter conditions, and dropped clips on a jobsite all consume more than the raw square-foot math predicts.
Assuming hidden clips remove all fastener work
Do this instead: Budget face screws and plugs for perimeter boards, stairs, and short pieces where a clip has nothing to grab.
Mixing coated and stainless fasteners on one deck
Do this instead: Standardize on one fastener grade appropriate to the exposure; dissimilar metals in contact accelerate corrosion.