The NewTechWood Monarch Decking Installation Guide (2025 PDF) provides complete, step-by-step instructions for installing the Monarch decking system, including the US125 Grooved Empress Board and the US129 Solid Emperor Board. This comprehensive manual covers framing requirements, ventilation, fastener placement, clip systems, breaker-board framing, butt joints, gapping, and fascia installation.
The guide begins with important safety and preparation notes, including proper PPE, acclimating boards for at least 48 hours, and storing materials only on flat, stable surfaces. Installers are reminded that Monarch decking cannot be installed directly over concrete or existing decking and must have a minimum of 4″ of continuous airflow beneath the structure. Standard stainless-steel composite screws and carbide-tipped blades are required.
Framing guidelines include joist spacing for residential applications, reduced spans for diagonal installations, and detailed illustrations for ladder-joist and sister-joist framing used to support breaker boards and butt joints. Sister joists must allow 3/16″–13/16″ drainage gaps between joists to prevent water buildup at board ends.
A dedicated section explains routing solid boards when hidden fasteners are needed, and cautions against routing the full board length. The fastener section outlines critical rules such as driving screws at a 90° angle, never toe-screwing, avoiding colored chalk, and using only stainless-steel screws. Monarch decking also requires using the supplied screw-location template (included in the appendix) to avoid splitting and ensure consistent screw spacing.
The expansion and contraction table provides temperature-based gapping distances for board ends and butt joints. For grooved boards, the TC-1 locking clip must be used at **one single point per board**, ideally in the center, with TC-2 clips used everywhere else for controlled expansion. Butt-joint details include sister-joist requirements and correct gapping at each end.
Installation steps cover perimeter-ending boards (US129), fastening the first grooved board, inserting TC-1 and TC-2 clips, and installing subsequent rows. Additional sections include fascia installation, required pre-drilling with oversized holes, and step-by-step board replacement instructions.
Download the full NewTechWood Monarch Decking Installation Guide (2025 PDF) below for diagrams, fastener illustrations, gapping values, and complete installation procedures. For help planning a Monarch decking project, your TimberTown team is always here to help.
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