Installation Tips & Techniques

Although the installation of HandyDeck deck tiles is very straightforward and trouble-free, there are a number of simple tips and techniques we have learned over the years that can help make installation even easier.

Laying out the tiles

If you're not quite sure of the design you'd like with your HandyDeck deck tiles, lay some tiles in the pattern you think you might like without actually clicking them in place. This will save you time and effort "un-clicking" the tiles if you decide later to choose a different design pattern. Once you are set on the design that you like, just snap your tiles in place.

 

Leave a small gap at boundary walls
If you're planning to install HandyDeck deck tiles in an area bordered by walls on two sides, we recommend you don't place the tiles directly in contact with the boundary walls. Unless you are positive that the walls are perfectly at right angles to each other, if the angle of the two walls is less than 90° (which is often the case), then you'll have a minor alignment issue if you have not planned for an appropriate gap against one of the walls. This is not a major issue, but by planning ahead you can make your easy installation even easier.

 

Making a template for cutting tiles
If you need to fit HandyDeck wood tiles around pipes, posts or other fixed objects, you can easily cut the tiles with a hand saw, power saw or jigsaw. The best way to do this is to make a cardboard template the same size as the decking tile. Cut out the section of your template where the pipe or post is situated, then use this template to cut the tile to the same size. With any tiles that are cut, make sure that all the wood slats are securely fastened to the plastic base with at least two screws, adding extra screws as necessary via the pre-formed screw holes in the base

 

Leave a small gap at corners of walls
When fitting the tiles against a boundary wall, do not butt the tiles firmly against the wall but leave a small gap between the boundary wall and the tiles to allow for slight expansion/contraction of the wood or plastic base due to temperature or climate variations

 

Underlayment option
If you are laying HandyDeck Decking Tiles over an existing floor surface... and you think that you might want to remove the tiles at some later stage (this is a great idea for apartment dwellers)... we recommend that you place a black plastic sheet or other protective layer under the tiles so that the floor beneath is not stained when you are applying coats of decking oil to the SwiftDeck or LinkDeck tiles.

 

Start laying from an outside corner
If you are installing HandyDeck deck tiles on a patio, balcony or rooftop with open sides, we recommend that you start laying the tiles from the outside of the decking area and work inwards towards the wall of the house in an expanding triangular manner. This will allow you to size and cut the tiles necessary to fit neatly into the gap remaining between the last row of complete tiles and the boundary wall of the house

 

Filling in small gaps at boundary walls
If your deck design has a gap of less than one tile's width against an inside wall or around a fixed object, one attractive alternative instead of cutting tiles to fit, is to fill the gap with pebbles, volcanic rock, bark or some other landscaping material.
HandyDeck tiles offer exceptional opportunities for creative landscaping. One popular design option is to leave out a few tiles and fill the space with other landscaping materials such as pebbles or colored rock

 

Alternative edge treatment
Whilst HandyDeck edge reducers makes edge finishing quick and easy, another edging alternative is to screw a length of L-shaped anodized aluminum (about 1" x 1") to the edge of the outer row of tiles. This can be useful where you want a finished edge on a row of cut tiles but are unable to clip on the reducers, or at the edge of step w here you may prefer a square finished edge rather than the angled shape of the reducer piece.