From Frustration to Innovation: How the Original Invisi-Fast Hidden Deck Fastener Was Created
When I first came up with the idea for the original Invisi-Fast hidden deck fastener, I wasn’t trying to start a product line or create a business. I was simply trying to solve a problem while building a deck for a customer.
At the time, hidden deck fasteners were still fairly new, and I remember seeing a sample product at a local lumberyard. The idea of a hidden fastening system sounded great. Homeowners wanted clean-looking decks without visible screws, and I thought it was worth trying.
The problem was the system was extremely frustrating to use.
The fastener had small prongs that needed to be driven into the side of the deck boards using a special installation tool. In theory, it sounded simple. In reality, it became one of the most aggravating systems I had ever worked with.
You would tap one fastener into place, move to the next board, and by the time you got further down the deck, the earlier fasteners would loosen or pull back out. Sometimes the first two prongs you installed would pop loose before you even finished the next section. Instead of feeling like you were making progress, it felt like you were constantly fighting the product.
After dealing with that long enough, I started thinking there had to be a better way.
What I wanted was simple:
· A fastener that actually held the board securely in place
· A system that used screws so you knew every fastener was locked down
· An easier installation process without special tools or constant adjustments
· A hidden fastening system that contractors could trust and homeowners could appreciate
That frustration on the jobsite became the beginning of what would later become the original Invisi-Fast hidden deck fastener.
The concept was straightforward. Instead of relying on prongs being hammered into the side of the board, I designed a fastener that used screws to positively secure the decking. Every time you drove a screw, you knew you were making permanent progress. The board stayed where it belonged, and the installation process became much more consistent and reliable.
As the product evolved, I also realized different deck applications required different solutions. That led to the development of additional fastener styles for grooved boards, start and stop applications, stairs, and varying board spacing requirements.
What started as frustration while building one deck eventually turned into a product line that has now been used on countless projects.
One of the things I still appreciate most about Invisi-Fast today is that it was created from real-world installation experience. It wasn’t designed in a boardroom. It was developed by someone actually building decks and dealing with the same challenges contractors face every day.
While the original Invisi-Fast system may not be quite as fast as simply driving screws through the top of the deck boards, the goal was never just speed. By fastening from underneath, the deck surface remains clean without exposed fasteners, helping protect the appearance of the deck while reducing penetrations through the top of the boards. In many cases, taking a little more time during installation can help protect your investment and potentially extend the life of both the decking and framing over time.
Sometimes the best products come from simply asking:
“Why does this have to be so difficult?”
That question helped create Invisi-Fast.
To learn more about Invisi-Fast hidden deck fasteners, visit Invisi-Fast.