Upgrade Outdoor Spaces with Deck Skirting

There’s a reason why deck skirting is in demand among homeowners. It’s a decorative, practical way to upgrade any deck—and in many instances, it can add an element of privacy and security to the structure as well.

In this blog, we’re going to expand on these benefits, show you some tips to get started with deck skirting for your clients, and we’re going to highlight BECK’s SCRAIL® INVISIDECK® system, which is the ideal tool and fastener system to get this job done.

Why Install Deck Skirting?

The main reason why most people choose to have deck skirting installed is that it creates a neat look that can be very stylish and modern. It’s a good way to hide deck posts—and since it’s generally too shady underneath decks for grass to grow, skirting hides the look of bare earth while helping homeowners keep weeds in check.

Deck skirting can also be useful. It’s a good way to keep a home secure against pests or wildlife that might like to nest beneath the deck, and it also protects the structural elements of the deck, too. In some cases, you can even transform the space underneath raised decks into storage for lawnmowers and other lawn and garden equipment—and deck skirting helps keep these items safe and protected from the weather.

Tips to Help You Install Deck Skirting

For most contractors, deck skirting is a relatively basic job. However, there are a few tips you may not have considered that will help you build a better decking system.

• Always install a horizontal framework along the bottom of the deck skirting. There have been times—usually DIY jobs where homeowners are looking to cut costs—that the deck skirting is only fastened in place along the top of the deck and to posts. This is the kind of deck skirting that lifts and even tears away in high winds.
• People often install deck skirting on bare earth—but you should consider pouring a gravel footer prior to installing the framework. Gravel drains moisture away quickly, which will help the bottom of the skirting dry faster—and that extends the life of the deck and the skirting.
• Don’t skimp on the trim around the top and bottom of the skirting. While you can install boards, lattice, or sheet materials like T1-11 siding without trim, adding trim creates a beautifully finished look.
• Use the right tools. If you’re a decking pro, you may already have the SCRAIL® INVISIDECK® system—and if not, it’s a worthwhile investment. That’s because you can use it to install hidden fasteners not just quickly and easily on the deck itself, but within the skirting, too.

These tips will go a long way toward helping you make the job more efficient while creating a great look for a deck.

About the SCRAIL® INVISIDECK® System

Want a system that’s ideal for this kind of work? The SCRAIL® INVISIDECK® system is designed specifically to create an attractive finished look in decking systems—not just the top of the deck, but stairs, skirting, and other elements, too. It lets you install hidden fasteners, which makes for a seamless look uninterrupted by fastener heads. When you use this system, you use specialized clips designed to fit into a decking board’s groove, and those clips are fastened in place with a SCRAIL® nail screw fastener.

The result is not only a seamless look, but a durable finished project, as well. That’s the beauty of SCRAIL® fasteners. Their threaded design gives them far more holding power than nails—but you can install them with a FASCO® (a BECK member) pneumatic tool that is as easy to operate as a nail gun. This means you can do installations about three to five times faster as opposed to conventional methods.

Want to learn more? Check out this fact sheet, which will give you all the details on the SCRAIL® INVISIDECK® system. Be sure to also click below for an informative video that lets you see this system in action!