Are screw plugs used on New Brunswick composite decks?

Yes, screw plugs are commonly used on composite decks in New Brunswick — they give the deck surface a clean, finished look by hiding the fastener heads beneath a flush plug that matches the board colour.

When composite decking is face-screwed (driven straight down through the top of the board), the screw head is visible on the surface. A screw plug — a small composite cap in a matching colour — is pressed or snapped into the hole to conceal it. The result is a smooth, uniform deck surface without exposed metal fasteners. Most major brands like Trex, TimberTech, and Fiberon offer colour-matched plugs designed specifically for their product lines.

That said, screw plugs are becoming less common on new composite installations in NB because hidden fastener systems have largely taken over as the preferred method. Products like the Trex Hideaway clip or TimberTech's hidden fastener system slide into the grooved edges of composite boards and fasten from the side, leaving zero visible hardware on the surface at all. Hidden fasteners give a cleaner look than even a well-installed plug, and they eliminate the small risk of plugs popping out over time from NB's aggressive freeze-thaw cycles — 100+ freeze-thaw events per year puts stress on anything seated in a small hole.

Where screw plugs still make sense is on square-edge composite boards (which don't have the grooved sides needed for hidden fasteners), on repairs where matching the existing installation matters, or in tight areas like stair treads and fascia boards where clips can't be used. Some builders also use face screws with plugs at the board ends to lock everything down before transitioning to hidden fasteners in the field of the deck.

A few practical tips if plugs are part of your project: make sure your contractor uses a plug-cutting bit that creates a clean, flat-bottomed hole rather than a tapered one — plugs seat much better and stay put longer. Also confirm the plugs are from the same manufacturer and colour run as your decking, since composite colours can vary slightly between batches and a mismatched plug stands out more than a screw head would.

For most new composite deck builds in New Brunswick today, a good contractor will default to a grooved board with hidden fasteners and reserve face-screwing with plugs for specific situations. If you're getting quotes, it's worth asking which fastening method is included in the price — hidden fastener systems add a small cost but are generally worth it for the finished appearance and long-term performance in our climate.

Need help finding a composite deck builder in your area? New Brunswick Decks can match you with a local contractor for free through the New Brunswick Construction Network.