Has anyone out there ever used a biscuit joiner or dowels on AZEK trim? Are PVC biscuits available?
AZEK suggests gluing the corners of window trim surrounds before installation. Seems to me biscuits would be more secure than face gluing.
Thanks,
Nick
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Replies
gluing the cellular PVC together is virtually the same as welding it, so the two parts become as one.
Using a biscuit made of wood introduces a lot of variables, possible swelling of the joint, etc
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I have done jobs where we pictured framed the exterior of Andersen windows with 5/4 x 4 Azek with 45 degree miters. I used biscuts on my corners, glued with Azek glue and used a pocket hole jig to screw with stainless steel screws. It is a lot of work, but if you just set up to do them all at once, it is not bad. I have had no problems with any of the joints and I started using this process three years ago. I also live in a very hostile environment (barrier island off the north east coast) so we get extreme weather conditions.
Hope this has helped.
Brian.....Bayview Renovations
http://www.bondfill.com/products/bond-and-fill-biscuits.htm
i have never used them, but i knew i saw them once or twice.
carpenter in transition
The PVC biscuits they sell around here are pretty expensive. I made some by ripping strips of azek and shaping the corners. It took about 5 minutes to make a few dozen. As other posters point out, using the PVC glue welds the pieces together so, for me, the biscuits were to help keep the pieces aligned while the glue set up.
I suggest you do some test glue-ups with out the biscuits and then see if you think biscuits are still necessary. As far as holding the Azek aligned while the glue dries, that stuff dries pretty fast and either some kind of clamp or SS finish nails or brads shot out of a gun will work just fine. Even with the biscuits you might likely need some kind of clamp anyway... That Azek glue is made to cure slower than regular PVC glue, but it still only takes about 10 minutes, if memory serves. Don't get on your skin though - that stuff burns.