Abstract:
A deck panel includes a generally planar body portion having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces on opposed sides of the upper surface. An elongated tongue extends outwardly from and along the first side surface. An elongated groove is defined in and extends along the second side surface, the groove being adapted to receive a second tongue. The deck panel is formed of a polymeric material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to polymeric decking and, more particularly, to polymeric decking panels and deck assemblies and decks formed from the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Outdoor decks formed from wooden boards or panels suffer from a number of drawbacks. Typically, the boards must be periodically treated with a water sealant to inhibit degradation. Wooden decking may be difficult or impossible to effectively and efficiently clean. Wooden decking may be subject to rot and mold, for example. 
     In view of the foregoing deficiencies, polymeric deck panels, typically formed of vinyl or a vinyl composite, have been used in place of wooden panels for decks and the like. In some cases, the polymeric deck panels are secured to support joists and other frame elements by simply driving nails through the body of the panel and into the joists, etc. Some deck panels are provided with nail strips substantially coplanar with a lower face of the deck panel and through which the nails are driven. Such deck panels may be arranged such that the nail strip of each deck panel is covered by an adjacent deck panel. Other types of polymeric deck panels may be secured to joists by means of clips. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, a deck panel includes a generally planar body portion having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces on opposed sides of the upper surface. An elongated tongue extends outwardly from and along the first side surface. An elongated groove is defined in and extends along the second side surface, the groove being adapted to receive a second tongue. The deck panel is formed of a polymeric material. 
     According to further embodiments of the present invention, a deck assembly includes first and second deck panels. Each of the first and second deck panels includes a generally planar body portion having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces on opposed sides of the upper surface. An elongated tongue extends outwardly from and along the first side surface. An elongated groove is defined in and extends along the second side surface. The deck panel is formed of a polymeric material. First and second deck panels are disposed in side-by-side arrangement and the tongue of the second deck panel is disposed within the groove of the first deck panel. 
     According to further embodiments of the present invention, a deck includes a deck assembly including first and second deck panels. Each of the first and second deck panels includes a generally planar body portion having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces on opposed sides of the upper surface. An elongated tongue extends outwardly from and along the first side surface. An elongated groove is defined in and extends along the second side surface. The deck panel is formed of a polymeric material. The first and second deck panels are disposed in side-by-side arrangement and the tongue of the second deck panel is disposed within the groove of the first deck panel. A joist extends below and supports each of the first and second deck panels. 
     According to method embodiments of the present invention, a method for forming a deck includes providing first and second deck panels. Each of the first and second deck panels includes a generally planar body portion having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces on opposed sides of the upper surface. An elongated tongue extends outwardly from and along the first side surface. An elongated groove is defined in and extends along the second side surface. The deck panel is formed of a polymeric material. The first and second deck panels are positioned in side-by-side arrangement such that the tongue of the second deck panel is disposed within the groove of the first deck panel. 
     Objects of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a deck according to embodiments of the present invention, the deck including a deck assembly according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary, top perspective view of the deck assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, bottom view of the deck assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary, top perspective view of a deck panel forming a part of the deck assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary, top view of the deck panel of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the deck panel of FIG.  4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the relative sizes of regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a deck  10  according to embodiments of the present invention is shown therein. The deck  10  includes a deck assembly  100  according to embodiments of the present invention, railing  12 , steps  14 , posts  16 , floor joists  20  (FIG.  2 ), and fascia boards  22 . The railing  12  is preferably formed of a polymeric material and may include a reinforcement rail (e.g., formed of metal) with a surrounding polymeric cladding. The posts  16  may be formed of any suitable material and are preferably formed of or clad in a polymeric material above the levels of the joists  20 . The joists  20  and fascia boards  22  may be formed of wood. The deck  10  may, for example, be attached to a structure such as a house. 
     The deck assembly  100  is formed from a plurality of deck panels  110  ( FIGS. 4-6 ) according to embodiments of the present invention. The deck assembly  100  may also include fascia strips or members  150  (FIGS.  1 - 3 ). With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which are fragmentary views of the deck  10 , five of these deck panels  110  (deck panels  110 A,  110 B,  110 C,  110 D,  110 E) are shown therein along with one of the fascia members  150 . More or fewer deck panels  110  may be employed. The deck panels  110  and the fascia members  150  are secured to the joists  20  and fascia boards  22  by suitable fasteners  5  such as nails or screws. 
     The deck panels  110  (including the deck panels  110 A- 110 E) are preferably substantially identical except for variations in length and surface aesthetics as needed or desired. As best seen in  FIG. 6 , each deck panel  110  includes a generally planar top wall  112 , a bottom wall  114 , a side wall  116 , a side wall  118 , and interior walls  120 . The top wall  112  has an upper surface  112 A defining an upper plane U-U. The bottom wall  114  has a lower surface  114 A defining a lower plane L-L. The side wall  116  has an outer side surface  116 A. The side wall  118  has an outer side surface  118 A. The interior walls  120  along with the walls  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  118  form lengthwise passages  122 . A plurality of lengthwise top channels  124  are formed in the upper surface  112 A and may simulate a plurality of individual panels. 
     An elongated tongue  130  projects outwardly from the side wall  116  beyond the side surface  116 A. Preferably, the tongue  130  extends along the full length of the deck panel  110 . An elongated groove  132  extends inwardly from the side surface  118 A. The groove  132  preferably extends the full length of the deck panel  110 . 
     A fastener strip  140  projects outwardly from the side surface  118 A, preferably along the lower plane L-L as shown. A plurality of regularly spaced apart fastener holes or slots  142  are formed in the fastener strip  140 . The fastener holes  142  are adapted to receive the fasteners  5  (e.g., nails or screws). Preferably, the fastener holes  142  are periodically located along the full length of the deck panel  110 . 
     A recess  144  is defined in the deck panel  110  adjacent the tongue  130 . The recess  144  extends inwardly from the side surface  116 A and the lower surface  114 A. Preferably, the recess  144  extends along the full length of the deck panel  110 . 
     The deck panel  110  may be formed of any suitable polymeric material. Preferably, the deck panel  110  is formed of a vinyl compound or a composite polymeric compound. More preferably, the deck panel  110  is formed of rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The deck panel  110  is preferably unitarily formed. More preferably, the deck panel is formed by extrusion, with the fastener holes  142  being stamped in the fastener strips  140  after extrusion. The upper surface  112 A may be textured or include a coating and/or particles to provide an anti-skid surface. 
     The preferred dimensions for the deck panel  110  will depend on the application. However, dimensions within the following ranges may be particularly advantageous for use in forming a deck or the like using the polymeric deck panels  110  in place of wooden deck panels on a conventional framework. Preferably, the width A ( FIG. 6 ) of the tongue  130  is between about 0.47 and 0.50 inch. Preferably, the depth B ( FIG. 6 ) of the groove  132  is between about 0.50 and 0.53 inch. More preferably, the depth B is between about 0.01 and 0.02 inch less than the width A of the groove  130 . Preferably, the height C ( FIG. 6 ) of the tongue  130  is between about 0.47 and 0.49 inch. Preferably, the height D ( FIG. 6 ) of the groove  132  is between about 0.49 and 0.51 inch. More preferably, the height D is between about 0.01 and 0.02 inch more than the height C of the tongue  130 . The initial length E ( FIG. 5 ) of the deck panel  110  is preferably between about 144 and 192 inches. Preferably the height F (from the upper plane U-U to the lower plane L-L;  FIG. 6 ) is between about 1.49 and 1.51 inches. The width G ( FIG. 5 ) from the side surface  116 A to the side surface  118 A is preferably between about 5.49 and 5.51 inches. The width H ( FIG. 5 ) of the fastener strip  140  is preferably between about 0.775 and 0.795 inch. The height I ( FIG. 6 ) of the recess  144  is preferably between about 0.49 and 0.51 inch. Preferably, the depth J ( FIG. 6 ) of the recess  144  is between about 0.715 and 0.735 inch. Preferably, the thickness K ( FIG. 6 ) of the walls of the deck panel  110  is substantially uniform. Preferably, the thickness K is between about 0.11 and 0.13 inch. The distance M ( FIG. 4 ) between the centers of adjacent fastener holes  142  is preferably 8 inches. The fastener holes  142  are preferably elongated and are between about 0.750 and 0.938 inch long. 
     The fascia member  150  ( FIG. 2 ) has a lengthwise groove  152  configured the same as the deck panel groove  132 . Also, the fascia member  150  has a fastener strip  154  configured the same as the fastener strip  140 . A plurality of regularly spaced fastener holes or slots  156  are formed in the fastener strip  154 . The fascia member  150  is preferably formed of the same material and by the same methods as described above for the deck panel  110 . 
     The construction of the deck assembly  100  may be better appreciated from the following description of preferred methods for forming the deck assembly  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the fascia member  150  is secured to the fascia board  122  by fasteners  5  (e.g., nails or screws), which are inserted through the fastener slots  156 . 
     The deck panel  110 A is placed lengthwise across at least one, and preferably two or more, of the joists  20  (only one is shown in FIGS.  2  and  3 ), preferably such that one of the fastener holes  142  overlies each joist  20 . The tongue  130  of the deck panel  110 A is inserted into the groove  152  of the fascia member  150  as shown until the side surface  116 A of the deck panel  110 A is positioned closely adjacent (i.e., no more than 0.063 inch apart) or in abutment with the fascia member  150 . The fasteners  5  are driven into the joists  20  through the fastener holes  142  to secure the deck panel  110 A to the joists  20  via the fastener strip  140  and the fascia strip  150 . 
     The deck panel  110 B is then placed lengthwise across two or more of the joists  20 , preferably such that one of the fastener holes  142  overlies each joist  20 . The tongue  130  of the deck panel  110 B is inserted into the groove  132  of the deck panel  110 A as shown until the side surface  116 A of the deck panel  110 B is closely adjacent or in abutment with the side surface  118 A of the deck panel  110 A. Fasteners  5  are driven into the joists  20  through the fastener holes  142  of the deck panel  110 B to secure the deck panel  110 B to the joists  20  via the fastener strip  140  of the deck panel  110 B. Thereafter, the deck panels  110 C,  110 D,  110 E are likewise laid and secured in succession as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The deck assembly  100  and the deck panels  110  provide a number of advantages. The deck panels  110  are easy to lay, secure and assemble into the deck assembly  100  because the tongues  130  and grooves  132  assist in properly seating and aligning the deck panels  110 . It is only necessary to secure one side of each deck panel  110  with fasteners  5 . The cellular structure (i.e., the interior walls  120  and the passages  122 ) enhance the rigidity and lighten the deck panels  110 . The integration provided by the tongues and grooves enhances the strength and rigidity of the overall deck assembly  100 . In particular, the tongues and grooves distribute weight to adjacent deck panels  110 . The unused portions of the fastener holes  142  not directly overlying the joists  20  may serve as water drain holes for the deck  10 . 
     The tongue and groove arrangement also provides for improved aesthetics. Even when the polymeric deck panels  110  contract, the tongues  130  prevent formation of gaps fully through the deck assembly  100 . Also, because the tongues  130  extend between the adjacent deck panels  110 , the deck panels  110  may be laid with an expansion gap to allow for expansion of the deck panels  110  without excessive binding and resultant warping or bulging. The channels  124  assist in disguising any gaps between the side surfaces  116 A and  118 A of adjacent deck panels  110 . 
     The recesses  144  overlying the fastener strips  140  serve to accommodate portions of the fasteners  5  such as the heads of nails or screws. In this way, the recesses  144  may prevent these fastener portions from pushing up the deck panels  110  and deforming the upper surface of the deck assembly  100 . 
     The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.