Face screws are the cheapest, fastest and most forgiving way to hold deck boards down. Hidden fasteners cost more per square foot and take longer to install, but they leave a surface with no visible screw heads. Which one fits your deck depends on the boards you buy, how much the look matters to you, and how much time you want to spend on your knees.
The rest of this guide covers how each system works and what the manufacturers require. It then runs fastener counts for a real deck so you can compare the two on your own numbers.
How each system works
Face screws
A face screw goes straight down through the top of the board into the joist below. The convention for wood decking comes straight from the building code. IRC Section R507.7 says wood decking must be attached to each supporting member with at least two 8d threaded nails or two No. 8 wood screws (2021 IRC deck guide, Anne Arundel County). In practice that means two screws per board at every joist the board crosses.
Composite manufacturers follow the same pattern. TimberTech’s guide for square-shoulder boards says to fasten “no closer than 3/4” from the outside edge of each board, using two screws per joist including end joints.” It also says to pre-drill within 1-1/2” of board ends and when installing below 45°F (TimberTech installation guide).
Hidden clips
Clip systems hold boards by their edges. Grooved boards have a slot milled into each long edge. A clip sits in the gap between two boards, engages both grooves, and is screwed down into the joist. Because each clip serves two boards at once, you need roughly one clip per joist crossing rather than two screws.
TimberTech’s instruction for its CONCEALoc clips is to “install one fastener and screw at each joist” (TimberTech guide). Most clips also set the side gap between boards automatically, which removes one source of uneven spacing.
Edge-driven screws
The third option sits in between. Edge-screw systems such as CAMO use a guide tool to drive a screw at an angle through the side of a square-edge board into the joist, so the head ends up hidden in the gap. You still use two screws per board per joist, but none of them show on the surface. These systems work with ungrooved boards, which clip systems do not.
Board compatibility comes first
Before you compare costs, check which methods your boards allow. This decides more than price does.
- Grooved composite or PVC boards are made for clips. You can usually still face-screw them, but the grooves stay visible along the outside edges of the deck, so perimeter boards are often bought square-edged.
- Square-edge composite boards take face screws or edge screws, not clips.
- Pressure-treated and cedar boards normally arrive square-edged and are face-screwed or edge-screwed. Treated lumber also shrinks as it dries, which affects any system that relies on a fixed gap. The pressure-treated lumber guide covers drying and gapping.
- Stairs are a special case. TimberTech says not to use CONCEALoc clips on stairs (TimberTech guide). Most builders face-screw treads regardless of what they used on the main deck. The deck stairs guide covers tread layout.
Counting fasteners: a worked example
Take a 20 × 12 ft deck attached to the house along its 20 ft side. The joists run 12 ft out from the house at 16” on center, and the boards run the full 20 ft parallel to the house.
Joists. 20 ft is 240”. Divided by 16”, that gives 15 spaces, which means 16 joists counting both ends.
Board rows. A typical composite board is 5.5” wide. Add a 3/16” gap and each row takes up about 5.69”. The 12 ft depth is 144”. Divided by 5.69”, that comes to 25.3, so you need 26 rows.
Joist crossings. Each row crosses all 16 joists: 26 × 16 = 416 crossings. With 20 ft boards there are no butt joints. Shorter boards would add doubled joists and extra fasteners at every seam. Plan board lengths so seams land on doubled joists.
| Method | Fasteners per crossing | Count for this deck (before waste) |
|---|---|---|
| Face screws | 2 | about 832 screws |
| Edge screws | 2 | about 832 screws |
| Hidden clips | about 1 | about 416 clips plus screws |
Checking against box coverage
Manufacturers rate their boxes by square feet, and those ratings include a little allowance. This deck is 240 sq ft.
- Trex Hideaway: a 90-clip box covers 50 sq ft at 16” on center (Trex Hideaway product page). 240 ÷ 50 = 4.8, so you would buy 5 boxes, or 450 clips. That lines up with the 416 crossings counted above.
- TimberTech CONCEALoc: sold in a box rated for 100 sq ft, a 500 sq ft gun pail and a 1,000 sq ft bucket (TimberTech guide). 240 sq ft means 3 boxes.
- CAMO edge screws: a 1,750-count tub is rated for about 500 sq ft (Home Depot product listing). A 700-count pack is rated for about 200 sq ft (Amazon product listing). Two 700-packs (1,400 screws) or one 1,750 tub covers this deck.
To run these numbers for your own layout, including joist spacing and butt joints, use the deck screw calculator.
Joist spacing changes everything
Fastener counts scale with the number of joists. Move from 16” to 12” on center and the same 20 ft deck goes from 16 joists to 21. Every row then crosses 21 joists instead of 16, about a third more fasteners whichever system you use. Diagonal layouts usually need 12” spacing. TimberTech, for example, requires 12” on center maximum for all angled installations (TimberTech guide). See the joist spacing guide for how the spacing is chosen.
Cost: what actually drives the difference
Prices change and vary by region, so this guide doesn’t quote a dollar figure. Price the comparison yourself with three numbers from your supplier:
- Price per box or tub for each system you’re considering.
- Number of boxes, from the coverage math above.
- Board price difference between grooved and square-edge versions of the same product, if there is one. With some product lines, choosing clips also means buying a few square-edge boards for the perimeter.
Per crossing, clips usually cost more than a pair of screws, even though you need half as many fasteners. Edge-screw systems need a guide tool on top of the screws. When you add up a whole deck, fasteners are usually a small part of the total next to boards and framing. Still, check this on your own project rather than assuming it. The deck cost calculator shows where the rest of the money goes.
Labor and install time
This is where the systems differ most in practice.
Face screws are the quickest per board. You set the board, gap it with spacers, and drive two screws at each joist. With a chalk line snapped over each joist, the screw rows come out straight. A collated screw gun speeds things up further on a large deck.
Clips take more handling. Each clip has to be seated in the groove of the board already down, the next board pushed onto it, and the clip screwed at the right angle. Most systems also need a different start and finish. Typically a starter clip or face screws go along the first board, and the last board is face-screwed or fastened another way. Check your manufacturer’s guide for the exact method. Replacing a damaged board in the middle of a clipped deck is also slower, because the boards lock into each other.
Edge screws fall in between. The guide tool speeds up angle-driving once you get used to it. Even so, you are still driving two screws per crossing, and each one goes in at an angle into a narrow gap.
On a weekend DIY build, the extra time for clips is often an afternoon or more on a mid-size deck. Professionals usually price that labor into a hidden-fastener upgrade.
Appearance and long-term behavior
- Face screws leave rows of visible heads. Color-matched screws for composite boards make them far less noticeable, especially if the rows are straight. On wood decks, screw heads sit flush and take stain along with the boards.
- Hidden clips and edge screws give a clean surface, which is the main reason people pay for them. They also leave no screw holes to collect water on top of the board.
- Movement: composites expand and contract with temperature. Clip systems are designed with that in mind and keep a consistent gap. Face screws hold the board firmly at every joist. TimberTech notes that limiting board length helps reduce movement and screw shear in climates with large temperature swings (TimberTech guide).
Which to choose
- Pressure-treated deck, tight budget: face screws. Edge screws are worth a look if you want a cleaner surface without changing boards.
- Composite or PVC deck where the look matters: hidden clips matched to your board line. Face-screw the stairs and any square-edge perimeter boards.
- Composite deck on a budget or deadline: face screws with color-matched heads. They are fully accepted by manufacturers when installed per the guide.
- Repairs and board replacement: face screws are the easiest to undo.
Whichever you choose, use the fastener your board manufacturer lists for that product. Clips and screws are often tied to warranty terms. The composite deck calculator estimates boards and fasteners together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mix hidden fasteners and face screws on the same deck?
Yes, and most decks do. Builders often clip the main field, then face-screw picture-frame borders, square-edge perimeter boards and stair treads. Use color-matched screws so the visible ones blend in.
How many hidden clips do I need per square foot?
At 16” on center with standard 5.5” boards, the math works out to roughly 1.6 joist crossings per square foot, so about 1.6 clips. Trex’s box rating of 90 clips per 50 sq ft is about 1.8 per square foot, which includes some allowance. At 12” on center, expect about a third more.
Do hidden fasteners work on pressure-treated wood?
Clip systems need grooved boards, and most treated lumber is sold square-edged. Edge-screw systems are the usual hidden option for treated boards. Keep in mind that wet treated lumber shrinks as it dries, which widens the gaps between boards over the first season.
Are face screws weaker than hidden clips?
Not in any way that matters for a properly built deck. Two screws per board per joist is the attachment the IRC prescribes for wood decking. Both systems are accepted when installed according to the board manufacturer’s instructions.