Composite Decking Terminology Explained

Gearing up to build a composite deck but getting lost with all the decking lingo? We’re here to help!

In this handy excerpt from the Everdeck Installation Guide, we uncover the meaning behind some common decking terms such as butt joins, breaker boards, edge boards, picture framing and fascia boards.

A decking butt join is when two decking boards are installed end-to-end without a gap or breaker board between them.

Due to the thermal expansion characteristics of wood composite decking, the use of butt joins is discouraged. It is difficult to achieve uniform gaps across the entire deck surface with butt joins and variations in board lengths. If butt joining decking boards cannot be avoided, the location of butt joins needs to be planned to accommodate the location of double joists in the substructure. This will allow placement of additional clips and adequate support of the decking boards.

Decking breaker boards are decking boards that run perpendicular to the main direction of the deck and break up the deck into smaller sections. With early planning, breaker boards can minimise or eliminate the number of butt joins, giving the appearance of a joint free deck.

We recommend the use of breaker boards for decks greater than 5.4M in length. In addition to creating a nice design aesthetic, breaker boards help to manage the expansion and contraction of wood composite decking without the need to butt join lengths of decking.

Picture framing is when decking edge boards are installed around the outside edges of the deck. Like breaker boards, picture framing is strongly recommended to manage thermal contraction, expansion and to maintain consistent gapping.

An edge board has the groove detail on one edge only, allowing the exposed edge to have a clean finish. When used as picture framing, a clean finish to the decking perimeter is possible by surrounding all cut edges.

In addition to creating a premium quality appearance for your deck, picture framing also helps manage the expansion and contraction of wood composite decking without the need to butt join lengths of decking.

Fascia boards add to the clean aesthetic of your overall decking project. Boards are orientated vertically around the edge of the deck, offering concealment of the substructure and the cut-edges of horizontal boards.

There are a couple of options when installing fascia boards. Refer to the section ‘Edge Board and Fascia Board Installation Options’ in the Everdeck installation guide for details.

Pictured above: Decking terminology diagram. Click here to download the full Everdeck installation guide.

Installation guide must be followed to ensure a build that adheres to all warranty conditions.