A deck board support bracket includes a drainage channel in a top surface of the bracket and deck boards are secured in an end to end manner with a space between two deck board ends centered over the drainage channel. Water presented on the deck surface at two deck board ends passes therebetween and to one side of a supporting joist. The deck board support bracket can be used with various deck board fastening arrangements and preferably is made of an injection molded plastic material.

A restraint system for an elevated building surface assembly including restraint members that are receivable in gaps adjacent outer edge segments of flooring units to secure the flooring units to an underlying support structure. The restraint members may be readily manipulated to allow for the selective removal of one or more of the flooring units for replacement thereof, access to the support structure, and/or the like.

A bushing includes an upper collar with a lower sheath and an annular shoulder intermediate the collar and sheath. The collar has a plurality of spaced apart notches and the sheath has a plurality of spaced apart slits that may be circumferentially aligned with the notches. The sheath has a plurality of spaced apart ribs projecting outward circumferentially offset from the slit for assisting in maintaining the sheath within a hole in a fastener with the annular shoulder against the fastener. A securing member with an elongate shank extending from a head with a distal portion is maintained in the longitudinal opening in an upright position aligned with the hole. As the fastener is driven longitudinally through the opening and hole, force from the fastener causes the bushing to break away and yields direct contact between the securing member head against the top surface of the fastener.

One or more hidden clips can be efficiently fastened and mounted to decking planks, e.g., with a tool or manually. A plurality of hidden clips can be included with a strip of clips and separated by a frangible section or tab located between adjacent clips. Each hidden clip can include one or more compression tabs having a sloped or angled cross member transversely extending between first and second extending elements to improve decking fixation.

A fastener unit and related method for securing a board to a support is provided. The fastener unit includes a spacer block, a grip element extending from the spacer block and configured to fit in and engage a groove of the board, and one or more resilient compression elements extending from the spacer block. The one or more resilient compression elements can be a joist leg configured to engage a joist, or it can be vertically compressible toward a first plane that is transverse to a vertical axis of the spacer block so that portions of it can compress from an open mode to a compressed mode and fit within, then forcibly expand within the groove, thereby securing the spacer block in a position adjacent the groove to establish a gap between the board and another board. A related method of use also is provided.

A deck board support bracket includes a drainage channel in a top surface of the bracket and deck boards are secured in an end to end manner with a space between two deck board ends centered over the drainage channel. Water presented on the deck surface at two deck board ends passes therebetween and to one side of a supporting joist. The deck board support bracket can be used with various deck board fastening arrangements and preferably is made of an injection molded plastic material.

A set of decking boards including a first and a second decking board and being provided with a connecting system including a connecting device. The first board is configured to be connected to a support element and the second board is configured to assume a vertically locked state with respect to the first board in which the connecting device cooperates with the first and second boards, there is a vertical gap between a portion of the second lip of the first decking board and a portion of the second lip of the second decking board, and there is a horizontal space between a first lip of the first board and the second lip of the second board. Also, other aspects of a set of decking boards and connecting devices as well as methods for demounting decking boards and replacing them with new decking boards.

A deck clip that may be used in the construction of a deck and a method of using the same is provided. The deck clip may include a grip and a spacer. Portions of both the grip and the spacer may be received within the grooves of deck boards used in decks. Thus, the deck clip may be selectively affixed to deck boards. Further, the deck clip may be configured to receive a fastener for anchoring the deck clip to joists. Thus, the deck clip may be used to couple deck boards to joists. Advantageously, the deck clip may be used to construct a deck without exposed fasteners, the geometry of the spacer may assist with creating a consistent gap between adjacent deck boards, and the grip may comprise saw-tooth shaped surfaces for improved retention of the deck boards.

A deck clip that may be used in the construction of a deck and a method of using the same is provided. The deck clip may include a grip and a spacer. Portions of both the grip and the spacer may be received within the grooves of deck boards used in decks. Thus, the deck clip may be selectively affixed to deck boards. Further, the deck clip may be configured to receive a fastener for anchoring the deck clip to joists. Thus, the deck clip may be used to couple deck boards to joists. Advantageously, the deck clip may be used to construct a deck without exposed fasteners, the geometry of the spacer may assist with creating a consistent gap between adjacent deck boards, and the grip may comprise saw-tooth shaped surfaces for improved retention of the deck boards.

A bushing includes an upper collar with a lower sheath and an annular shoulder intermediate the collar and sheath. The collar has a plurality of spaced apart notches and the sheath has a plurality of spaced apart slits that may be circumferentially aligned with the notches. The sheath has a plurality of spaced apart ribs projecting outward circumferentially offset from the slit for assisting in maintaining the sheath within a hole in a fastener with the annular shoulder against the fastener. A securing member with an elongate shank extending from a head with a distal portion is maintained in the longitudinal opening in an upright position aligned with the hole. As the fastener is driven longitudinally through the opening and hole, force from the fastener causes the bushing to break away and yields direct contact between the securing member head against the top surface of the fastener.