Trex Hideaway Steel vs. Plastic – A Comparison
Trex Hideaway Plastic Fastener
Trex Hideaway Steel Fastener
First, a little history…
Last year, Trex introduced the Hideaway hidden deck fastener for Trex pre-grooved decking. Created from stainless steel, the fastener was very popular with deck builders.
This year Trex has introduced another Hideaway fastener for their pre-grooved decking. Created with hardened plastic we expect this fastener to be popular as well.
We’ve received many questions from customers asking about the difference between the two. We’re providing the chart below to help answer some of these questions.
| Characteristic | Trex Hideaway Steel Fastener | Trex Hideaway Plastic Fastener |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Tiger Claw | Trex |
| Installation | One pass – The fastener is placed into the deck board and secured with a screw using a cordless drill or the Tiger Claw Installation Gun. | Two pass – The fastener is inserted into one side of the deck board and partially screwed down. After the deck board is installed on the other side of the fastener, a second pass is made and the the fastener is completely tightened. |
| Screws Included | Yes | Yes |
| Deck Face Screws Required | None – teeth on the fastener securely grab the fastener restricting vertical and lateral movement | TBD – the fastener is based on a “biscuit” concept that has been around for quite some time. In the past, a criticism of this design has been lateral movement of the deck board due to material shrinkage. The solution to this problem has been to install deck screws at the end of each board to limit the lateral movement. Because this fastener is new, we don’t have any feedback on this issue. We will update this post as we receive feedback. |
| Compatibility with Installation Tools | Yes – compatible with the Tiger Claw pneumatic installation gun – more here about compatibility | No |
| Screw Depth in Joist | 1 5/8″ at 45 degrees (35 degrees with installation gun) | 1″ at 90 degrees |
| Technical Support | (877) 873-25298 a.m. – 7 p.m., 7 days/week | (800) BUY-TREX |
| Fastener Cost | More expensive but has reduced installation (labor) time | Less expensive but has additional installation (labor) time |
| Warranty | Commercial – 25 years Residential – 25 years |
Commercial – 10 years Residential – 25 years |
What’s Our Take?
We think both fasteners will prove to be an excellent option. The plastic fastener will make sense for the homeowner installing their own deck who is on a tighter budget and where labor time is not a consideration.
The steel fastener will continue to be popular with contractors because of the labor savings, longer commercial warranty and it’s compatibility with the pneumatic installation gun.
You can buy both Trex fasteners on our website here.
To learn more about selecting the right hidden fasteners for your specific needs, call us toll-free at 888-349-4660 or send an e-mail to customerservice@diyhomecenter.com. As always, feel free to leave your comments below.
