A decking kit for impeding degradation of a deck is provided. The decking kit includes a cylindrical rod defining a half cylinder shaped engagement portion on each end, wherein the axis of the rod is co-extensive with the axis of each engagement portion. Further, each engagement portion defines an engagement aperture or groove perpendicular to both the axis of the engagement portion and a flat rectangular surface of the engagement portion. In some embodiments, the kit further includes a half cylinder shaped shim having a shim aperture perpendicular to both the axis of the shim and a flat rectangular surface of the shim.