Rob Pichette is the owner of Deck Experts LLC, and has been building high-end custom decks in Connecticut for over 30 years. Rob doesn’t do traditional– he uses cutting-edge materials and techniques, providing the very best outdoor living spaces on every project.
Rob was one of the first builders to try the ICON ScrewJoist System, using it as the framing for one of his most ambitious projects yet – an 890 square foot deck in Glastonbury, CT., complete with an outdoor kitchen, granite countertops, a 16 x 18-foot pavilion roof, bench seating, bench storage, and a full stone fireplace.
A Perfectly Level Frame
With Rob’s plan to build additional structures on top of the framing, he needed to make sure the deck frame was perfectly level. Typically with a project of this size, this would have been a daunting task, costing him valuable time.
“One of the best things about ICON is that you don’t get any crowns or dips in the substructure – so it’s going to save us a lot of time when putting down cabinetry,” said Pichette. “It’s perfectly level from the get-go, so there’s nothing to adjust on the fly like there is with dimensional lumber that can vary a quarter inch or more.”
ICON joists are inherently self-leveling – the top and bottom chords of the joist slot perfectly on the ledger, so there is no need to use joist hangers or struggle to align the joists with the top of the ledger.
Superior Strength
Due to its 26’ span and the weight of kitchen appliances and additional structures on top of the deck, Rob’s plan called for 4 sets of blocking (2 mid-span, 2 bearing) throughout the structure. On traditional framing this would have been a time-consuming process. However, this is not the case when using the ICON System.
“On traditional framing, our joists are solid, so we need to cut individual blocks and stagger them throughout the length. With this system, we just slide the blocking right in, shoot our screw in the top, shoot our screw in the bottom, and the blocking’s done.”
Not only do the open webs of the ICON joists make it easy to slide a single piece of lumber through the entire structure, but the diagonal structural screws also give the joists their superior strength.
All ICON projects come with a detailed engineered plan and a 25 year warranty, so even on unique projects like this with additional loads, Rob can rest assured that his deck meets code and is designed to last.
Time Savings
Time is of the essence on any project, but especially on one that involves so many different stages. Nothing else can happen until the framing is complete. Luckily, the ICON system helped shave days off of Rob’s installation time.
“For this deck, the framing would typically take two or three days, but we were able to get it done in five to six hours,” said Pichette.
Not only did Rob save time on leveling and blocking, but ICON joists are also about ⅓ the weight of traditional pressure treated lumber, making them easier to carry and faster to install.
“ICON is just a great product,” said Pichette. “It provides the strength of steel with the workability of wood, but it’s straighter, lighter, and faster to install, and meets code.”
Never Going Back
Rob has switched all of his projects to the ICON system going forward. The strength, flatness, and time savings ICON provides made it a no-brainer for him and his team.
“You can save a ton of labor, you don’t need any additional joist hangers or hardware, they are much faster and easier to install, come with a 25 year warranty as well as detailed engineering drawings – none of which you get with dimensional lumber. This is the only system I’ll ever use – I won’t build another deck any other way.”
ICON ScrewJoists are available with or without a waterproof sealed top for long term weathering protection. They are currently available in MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, ME & NH. FastenMaster will be expanding ICON into additional markets in the future.
Do you have a job coming up where you’d like to try ICON? Click here to request a free quote and begin your ICON success story!