Outdoor decking material

Abstract

An outdoor deck surface unit comprising a substrate support member and a plurality of separate boards, with the plurality of boards being unitized by being secured to the substrate in a desired pattern. The deck surface unit is sufficiently large that an entire deck surface is created relatively quickly, but being sufficiently small that a deck surface unit is capable of being readily lifted, moved, placed and handled by a single individual. The substrate support member comprises plastic coated polyester and is stapled to the separate boards.

1 . An outdoor deck surface unit comprising: 
 a substrate support member; and    a plurality of separate boards, the plurality of boards being unitized by being secured to the substrate in a desired pattern;    the deck surface unit being sufficiently large that an entire deck surface is created relatively quickly, but being sufficiently small that a deck surface unit is capable of being readily lifted, moved, placed and handled by a single individual;    the substrate support member is stapled to the separate boards.    
     
     
         2 . The deck surface unit of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the plurality of separate boards are sufficiently small in area to minimize the effects of warpage on any individual board.    
     
     
         3 . The deck surface unit of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the plurality of separate boards are made of lumber of sufficient thickness to resist warpage.    
     
     
         4 . The deck surface unit of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the lumber is treated to be resistant to outdoor conditions.    
     
     
         5 . The deck surface unit of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the unit has the shape of a hexagon.    
     
     
         6 . The deck surface unit of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the boards include a hexagonally-shaped center piece and trapezoidally-shaped boards arranged in rows and extending parallel to the side edges of the center piece.    
     
     
         7 . The deck surface unit of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the boards are shaped to define trapezoids of equal dimensions.    
     
     
         8 . The deck surface unit of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the unit comprises six sections, with three trapezoidally-shaped boards per section.    
     
     
         9 . The deck surface unit of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the substrate support member is a flexible member.    
     
     
         10 . The deck surface unit of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the substrate support member is plastic coated polyester.    
     
     
         11 . The deck surface unit of  claim 1  which covers an area of from about 2 square feet to about 6 square feet.  
     
     
         12 . The deck surface unit of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 each of the boards is at least about ¾ inch thick.    
     
     
         13 . A deck system comprising a plurality of deck surface units in accordance with  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . The deck system of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the plurality of deck surface units are held in position by a trim member extending around the perimeter edge of the plurality of units.    
     
     
         15 . An outdoor deck surface unit comprising: 
 a substrate support member; and    a plurality of separate boards, the plurality of boards being unitized by being secured to the substrate in a desired pattern;    the deck surface unit being sufficiently large that an entire deck surface is created relatively quickly, but being sufficiently small that a deck surface unit is capable of being readily lifted, moved, placed and handled by a single individual;    wherein the substrate support member comprises plastic coated polyester.    
     
     
         16 . The deck surface unit of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the plurality of separate boards are sufficiently small in area to minimize the effects of warpage on any individual board.    
     
     
         17 . The deck surface unit of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the plurality of separate boards are made of lumber of sufficient thickness to resist warpage.    
     
     
         18 . The deck surface unit of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the lumber is treated to be resistant to outdoor conditions.    
     
     
         19 . The deck surface unit of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the unit has the shape of a hexagon.    
     
     
         20 . The deck surface unit of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 the boards include a hexagonally-shaped center piece and trapezoidally-shaped boards arranged in rows and extending parallel to the side edges of the center piece.    
     
     
         21 . The deck surface unit of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 the boards are shaped to define trapezoids of equal dimensions.    
     
     
         22 . The deck surface unit of  claim 21  comprising six sections, and three trapezoidally-shaped boards per section.  
     
     
         23 . The deck surface unit of  claim 15  which covers an area of from about 2 square feet to about 6 square feet.  
     
     
         24 . The deck surface unit of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 each of the boards is at least about ¾ inch thick.    
     
     
         25 . A deck system comprising a plurality of deck surface units in accordance with  claim 15 .  
     
     
         26 . The deck surface unit of  claim 25  which covers an area of from about 2 square feet to about 6 square feet.  
     
     
         27 . The deck surface unit of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the substrate support member is stapled to the separate boards.    
     
     
         28 . A deck system comprising a plurality of deck surface units in accordance with  claim 27.