I have built many composite decks over the years and I will be honest… I was very slow and inefficient for the first few decks I built. 

But over time, I learned various methods and tricks for installing composite decking boards as quickly and efficiently as possible. My only refre is that I didn’t learn these tips sooner!

In this article, I am going to show you my system for installing composite decking boards so that you can get a professional looking result in half the time.

Sometimes seeing is better that reading – so if you are more of a visual learner, consider watching my “How to Install Composite Decking” YouTube Video Linked Below: 

Let’s get into the composite decking board installation process!

Tools and Materials Needed to Install Composite Decking Boards

If you plan on tackling your own composite decking board installation, you will likely need the following tools and materials: 

• Composite decking boards (I used Trex ‘Toasted Sand’, but any brand will work fine)
• Hidden Fastener System (I used Camo Wedge Clips)
• Lever Clamps (I used the Camo Lever System)
• Color match Screws
• Miter Saw
• Circular Saw or Track Saw

Understanding Composite Decking Boards and Fastener Options

I have used composite decking on pretty much all of the decks that I have built. Why? Because they require ‘zero’ maintenance. If you are still deciding on whether you want to use composite decking boards or real lumber for your decking, check out the side-by-side comparison that I put together: 

As you can see, I think that composite decking blows traditional wood decking out of the water in every single category besides initial cost.

However, I will concede that high quality real wood (like cedar or teak) looks better than composite decking. Some of the cheap composite decking options look pretty crappy…

If you have decided to move forward with composite decking, you are all set to read on. But before touching a single board, you need to understand the different types of composite decking profiles and fastening systems available — because these choices determine everything about your installation workflow.

Grooved vs. Square-Edge Composite Boards

Composite decking generally comes in two edge profiles: Grooved Edge and Square Edge:

Grooved Boards

• Feature a manufactured groove along both long edges.
• Designed to accept hidden fasteners (such as CAMO wedge clips).
• Perfect for the main field of the deck where you want a clean, fastener-free surface.
• Typically used for every board except the outermost boards or picture frame details.

Square-Edge Boards

• No groove on the side.
• Installed using face screws or specialty edge-fastening tools if hidden fastening is desired.
• Typically used for:
  • Picture framing
  • Stair treads
  • Perimeters
  • Bullnose profiles (depending on manufacturer)

Most composite brands (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon, etc.) offer both profiles in standard dimensions.

Standard Composite Board Sizes

While each manufacturer varies slightly, composite boards are typically 8’, 12’, 16’, or 20’ in length with a nominal width of 6” (~5.5” actual width). 

Most builders choose 12’ or 16’ boards for smaller decks and 20’ boards for larger spans where breaker boards are desired.

If your deck is longer than a standard board length (usually greater than 20’ in width), you will likely want to utilize something called a “Breaker board” – which we will talk about later.

Fastening Options

Composite decking can be attached to the deck framing (i.e. joists) several ways, each with pros and cons – refer to the table below:

Fastener Type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Color-Matched Face Screws	Strong, simple, used for borders/picture frames	Visible screw heads
Hidden Fasteners (Clip Systems)	Clean surface, consistent spacing	Slower with manual clip installation
CAMO Wedge Clips & ClipDrive	Fastest installation, standing operation, consistent pressure	Initial tool investment
Cortex Plug System	Nearly invisible, strong	Labor-intensive for large decks

For this deck build, we are using a combination of CAMO Wedge Clips Hidden Fasteners and Color Matched Screws for the “Picture Frame” and “Breaker Boards”. Additionally, I am going to be using the CAMO ClipDrive System, which is going to help this project go as quickly as possible.  If you’re looking for speed and consistent results, this is the system I recommend every time.

Disclaimer: I have never used the Cortex Plug System – so I cannot comment on how fast and easy it is to install. Perhaps it is even better that the CAMO hidden fasters…

Things to Consider Before Starting Your Composite Decking Project

Picture Framing the Deck

If you’ve ever seen a composite deck where the raw factory ends of the boards are visible along the perimeter… you know why picture framing exists.

A picture frame is a border of square-edge boards that wrap the outside edge of the deck. These boards:

• Cover the unsightly cut ends of field boards
• Create a polished, professional look
• Help visually “contain” the deck surface
• Are typically mitered at all corners for a clean finish

A typical picture frame layout includes:

• Two long side boards (running the deck’s depth or width)
• A front board along the rim
• Optional secondary inlay (Sometimes called a Breaker Board) or double-border for aesthetics

Key Tip: Picture frame boards must be planned before framing is finished. The perimeter joists need blocking to support these border boards.

A Properly Picture Framed Deck Edge will look like this: 

Breaker Boards for Larger Decks

On long decks where full-length boards can’t reach the full span, most DIY’ers end up installing butt joints – which look terrible. 

Butt joints in composite decking are notorious for:

• Trapping debris
• Expanding/contracting at different rates
• Looking uneven or dirty over time

The solution is a breaker board — a perpendicular full-length board that splits the deck into two sections.

Why Breaker Boards Are Preferred

• Zero butt joints
• Cleaner layout lines
• Boards run tight and symmetrical
• Expansion gaps are controlled
• Visually professional and high-end

Breaker Board Planning Starts During Framing

This is absolutely critical:
A breaker board must land on solid blocking, not just a joist edge.

This means:

• Decide on your breaker board location during the deck framing stage
• Install adequate blocking beneath it
• Use a double-joist or ladder-style blocking assembly for maximum support

Now that you have an overview of the overall composite deck installation workflow, let’s begin the installation. 

Starting the Decking Layout

Install the First Picture Frame Board:

First, install the first square edge picture frame board on one side of the deck. 

I like to position the board so that it overhangs the edge of the of the outermost joist by 1” (this will give me the flexibility to install skirting underneath the overhang in the future).

After positioning the first picture frame board and temporarily securing it to the deck, you can set your first decking board. 

Setting the First Decking Board at the House

The first composite board sets the tone for the entire deck – so you want to make sure that it is installed *perfectly*. Since the Trex boards are 5.5” wide, I snapped a chalk line 5 ¾” from my house to all for a ¼” gap between the decking board and the house (to help prevent water from getting trapped) 

Place the first decking board so that the edge is in line with the chalk line. Secure the side nearest to the house with a few color matched screws. 

Important:
This first board MUST be perfectly straight. Use a laser, chalk line, or even a long level to ensure it’s pretty close to perfect — because any deviation will multiply across the deck.

How to Install Composite Decking Boards with the Hidden Fastener System

With the first board in place, it’s time to talk about the hidden fastener system that I am going to be using on this deck. There are a ton of different hidden fastener systems on the market, but my favorite one (so far) is the Wedge Clip System by CAMO. 

This system slides right into the groove edge of the composite board and the “Wedge” design holds it in place. Position one hidden faster in the grooved edge of the board above each joist. 

Once all of the hidden fasteners are installed in the first board, take your next grooved edge board and slide it into the previous board. 

The hidden fasteners should now be nested into the grooves of both boards. Repeat this process for 4-5 more rows of decking boards. 

Pro Tip: I like to Leave a ¼” gap between the decking boards and the perpendicular picture frame board to allow for expansion and contraction. Don’t worry about the length of the decking boards for now – we will trim them to length later.

After installing 4-5 rows, I am going to use the CAMO lever to pull all of the decking boards in tight. To use the lever, attach it to the joist at the last row of decking boards. Then, use the mechanical advantage of the lever to pull all of the decking boards in tight. 

I have built a few decks without these products and let me tell you, it’s worth the investment. It’s extremely difficult to pull all of the decking in tight without these levers. The only “downside” is that you’ll have best results using 2-3 of these levers spaced evenly down the entire length of you board. 

Now that we have all of the decking boards pulled in tight, it’s time to secure the hidden fastener screws to the joists. When it comes to fastening the screws, you have three options: 

Option 1: The “Hunt and Peck Method”

I call this the “Hunt and Peck” method since you will be using a T-15 bit to tighten each hidden fastener screw individually. 

There is nothing wrong with this method, it’s just inefficient and it can hurt your back after a while. I have installed decking boards like this in the past… Although it works. It’s very cumbersome.

Option 2: The “Hunt and Peck Method” with Guide 

Option 2 is very similar to the “Hunt and Peck Method”, except this time we are going to use a CAMO guide which will help us to get the drill bit onto the screw more quickly. The guide slides over the hidden faster screw and it will lock the bit onto the screw head perfectly and quickly – every time. 

This method saves a bit of time (when compared to the first method), but you are still hunched over on your hands and knees – which is not ideal. 

Option 3: Standing CAMO ClipDRIVE System

Option 3 is by far the best (in my opinion), but you will need to invest in a specialty tool. The CAMO ClipDRIVE  Stand-Up Tool is going to allow us to fasten all of the screws quickly and efficiently while standing up – which is awesome.

For this method, attach any standard drill to the top of the ClipDRIVE tool. When you push down with the drill, a T-15 bit will extend out the bottom. Place the Tool over the hidden fastener screw and the built in guide will ensure that your bit goes directly onto the screw head. Then, simply pull the trigger on the drill and the screw will Tighten – securing the decking boards to the framing below. 

VERY IMPORTANT: Adjust the torque on your drill to the appropriate setting for the fastener – This will help to ensure that you do not overtighten any of the screws 

Although this tool is an investment, it will save you a ton of time and it will also save your back. Using this tool, I was able to secure each “batch” of hidden fasteners in a matter of seconds. 

Now that you are familiar with the process for installing the decking boards, repeat the same process over and over again until you get to the end of the first row. 

I am going to show you how to complete the Picture frame at the end of the deck in the next few sections – but for now just leave the last row of decking boards “incomplete”. 

Now that we have installed the first row in the first section of the Deck, it’s time to install the Breaker Board. 

Installing Breaker Boards

As noted previously, I am going to be installing breaker boards to avoid butt-joints on my deck. Since I planned out and installed the flat blocking in previous steps, it’s just a matter of cutting the boards to length. 

If you have a super steady hand a high tolerance for risk, you can cut the decking boards to the appropriate length by snapping a chalk line and using a circular saw. However, a track saw is a much better bet – and that is what I am going to be using for this project. 

Assuming that your outmost joist is perfectly square (as confirmed with the 3-4-5 method during the framing stage), you can pull a tape measure from the edge of the deck to the desired cut location on the boards. Snap a chalk line and position the track saw in place. 

If you set your blade depth to the correct height, the framing and waterproofing on your horizontal blocking should be left intact. 

NOTE: The track saw may not be able to cut the boards that are right next to the house. To finish the cuts at the house, I slid a piece of metal beneath the decking boards (to protect the waterproofing underneath) and then I used an oscillating tool to make the cut.

Important: Ensure that you have 1.5” of blocking on each side of the breaker board so that you have a solid surface to attach the ends of the decking boards on either side. 

After making your cut and removing any loose debris, position the breaker board in place, leaving a ¼” gap between the breaker board and the perpendicular decking boards. 

Attach the breaker board to the blocking below using color match screws. 

I used a ¼” sign as a spacer and I secured the Breaker Board every 18” or so using color matched screws. 

Install the Remaining Composite Boards

At this point install any remaining decking boards using the methods discussed previously. When the Final section of boards is installed, allow the boards to extend past the end of the deck. Snap a chalk line and use your track saw to cut the boards to allow for the installation of the final picture frame board. Ensure that you take the 1” picture frame board overhang into account when you make this cut. 

After cutting to the appropriate length, place the final picture frame board in place an fasten it to the flat block below using color match screws. 

At this point, all of the boards shown in yellow and red in the image below have been installed: 

In order to complete the Composite decking board installation, we need to install the final row (shown in green above). To do this, I like to temporarily set the final board in place and then I mark the location on all of the joists. 

Now, this might seem like the location that you want to cut the joists – but not so fast. We still need to attach the Rim Joist (1.5”) and we want to have a 1” overhang at the edge of the deck. So we actually want to cut 2.5” inside this line. 

Mark the cut line on all of your joists using a carpenter’s square and then cut them to length using a circular saw. 

After cutting all of the joists to the right length, it’s time to attach the Rim Joist to the end of the joists. I like to install a temporary piece of blocking to the bottom of the joists to hold the Rim Joist while I Install it. 

I like to use a framing nailer to the get the rim joist in place and then I like to go back with screws. 

Once the Rim Joist has been installed, it’s time to mark and cut the Picture Fame Boards at a 45 Degree Miter. Go back and mark the outermost picture frame boards to that the short end (inside of the miter) is one “spacer width” away from the edge (usually ¼”). Next, remove the picture frame board and cut it at a 45 degree angle on your miter saw. 

Measure, remove, cut, and reinstall the Picture Frame Board

Cut the edge of the picture frame board that will go at the edge of the deck and push the two mitered edges together. Once you are happy with the miter, secure the picture frame boards in place using color matched screws. 

Repeat this same process of measuring, mitering, and installing the rest of the picture boards on the deck. 

The process for installing the deck picture frame can be a bit confusing, so I highly suggest that you watch my “How to Install Composite Decking” YouTube Video Linked if you would like additional clarity on anything explained in the verbiage. 

I hope this article helped! If you would like additional information on Deck Building, check out my “How to Build a Deck” YouTube series. I promise that it will be super helpful. 

Thanks for reading and good luck with your composite decking project!

DISCLAIMER: This is a reference guide only. Consult local code requirements. Links included in this article might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting ATimprovements so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!