Ipe Outdoor Shower Floor

[Nate E]

I'm planning on building an outdoor shower this week with an Ipe floor. I want to use some sort of hidden fastener or plug system. Any recommendations? I want to be able to gap the 5/4x6 deck boards up to 1/2" to allow the floor to drain. Any body know of a product that would allow me to do this or should I just go to SS screws and plugs?

[Chuck Kiser]

For that size of gap SS screws and plugs is about all that is available to my knowledge.

[Buzzy-Saw]

Off the top of my head it may be possible to up-screw into the deck boards through a "fillet" to create your deck and then fasten the fillet to the joists through the 1/2" gap though I have never seen or attempted such a thing.

[sharkstooth]

Contact him off line.
MBR

[MarkMc]

Were it me, I'd go with the 1/4" gap after ripping the material in half and adding back the RE as needed. Both the narrower gap and the narrower board will add a bit of safety. Don't know that I'd get 'em shipped from Kiwi land though... Adding a drip bead/kerf on the back also helps.

[ThingOfBeauty]

I was going to say, rip them in three and use normal edge-slot connectors like Ipe Clips. You'll have enough gap square area that way, though it will be more susceptible to clogging than large gaps would be, and it would be safer for grip with more slots as Mark points out.

Another approach would be a duck board type arrangement where the boards are preassembled into panels. You can screw from the ends (through a breadboard feature) or from underneath (sleeper type pieces) and space any way you like, no visible fasteners, and easy maintenance. Your homeowner will never be able to remove ipe clips if they can even figure out where the heck they are. IMHO screws don't come back out of ipe once it's been outdoors a while, so if maintenance/cleaning is needed, a removable panel is the way to go.