Artificial decking material and method for use

Abstract

A deck planking assembly system, comprised of two independent extrusions, to construct outdoor decks, docks and like structures. The top member includes a horizontal walking surface with multiple downwardly projecting vertical legs for locking devices and two additional projections for outer side walls. The second member of the device includes an elongated support formed from a rigid extrusion of metal, plastic or composite material, having a horizontal mounting surface which is affixed to a joist system. This contains multiple upwardly extending vertical legs at different lengths to create a crowned walking surface. Each vertical leg supports a horizontal extension terminating into an engaging locking method and an intermediate support means for the top member.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An artificial decking assembly for attachment to decking joists, comprising: 
 a lower member attachable to the decking joists, said lower member including a base, two side struts connected to said base, and a plurality of T-shaped vertical struts connected to said base and positioned interior to said side struts;    a surface member having a top surface and a plurality of biased clips interconnected to a bottom surface of said top surface;    wherein upon assembly, said biased clips of said surface member frictionally engage said side struts and said T-shaped vertical struts of said lower member to form a decking surface.    
     
     
         2 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said surface member further comprises side panels.  
     
     
         3 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said side panels substantially cover said side struts.  
     
     
         4 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lower member is made of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         5 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said surface member is made of extruded plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of T-shaped vertical struts are taller than said two side struts.  
     
     
         7 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said side struts have a height of between about 0.40 and 0.60 inches.  
     
     
         8 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said T-shaped vertical struts have a height of between about 0.50 and 0.70 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said decking surface is crowned.  
     
     
         10 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said decking surface has a slope of between about {fraction (50/1000)} to {fraction (100/1000)} of an inch.  
     
     
         11 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one webbing between at least two of said plurality of biased clips.  
     
     
         12 . A decking assembly comprising: 
 a lower member including a base connected to two side struts and at least one T-shaped vertical strut having a height greater than a height of either of said side struts;    a surface member having a top surface interconnected to a plurality of biased clips for frictionally engaging said side struts and said at least one T-shaped vertical strut of said lower member;    wherein said surface member frictionally engages said lower member upon interconnecting said surface member to said lower member.    
     
     
         13 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a decking surface formed by said surface member and said lower member is crowned.  
     
     
         14 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising at least one webbing between at least two of said plurality of biased clips.  
     
     
         15 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said surface member further comprises side panels and wherein said side panels substantially cover said side struts.  
     
     
         16 . The decking assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said lower member is made of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         17 . A method of attaching surface decking to decking joists, said method comprising: 
 affixing a lower member to the decking joists, the lower member having a base connected to a plurality of struts, said plurality of struts including two side struts and at least one T-shaped vertical strut;    interconnecting a surface member to the lower member, the surface member having biased clips connected to a top surface such that said biased clips frictionally engage said plurality of struts, and wherein said interlocking step further comprises sliding or downwardly forcing the biased clips of the surface member to frictionally engage the struts of the lower member.    
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said affixing step further comprises screwing or nailing the lower member to the decking joists.  
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said T-shaped vertical strut is taller than either of said two side struts.  
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said surface member is sloped after said interconnecting step.