ExoDek QuickClips in the Treetop Trail: A Pathway to Nature

By Naomi Comstock, 04/24/23

ExoDek QuickClips in the Treetop Trail: A Pathway to Nature Nova USA Wood Products and PCL Construction at the Minnesota Zoo

In the fall of 2022, PCL Construction reached out to Nova USA Wood with interest in using the ExoDek QuickClips for a walking path around the Minnesota Zoo. Soon enough we found out this was not just any walking path, this was the iconic Treetop Trail: A Pathway to Nature that leads its pedestrians up in the trees and around the entirety of the outdoor parts of the Minnesota Zoo. The trail will be the world's longest elevated walking loop coming in at a mile and a ¼ and built on the steel frame of the decommissioned monorail.

The PCL Construction team knew they wanted to use a hidden fastener but were having trouble finding one that could meet their needs. The trail being built on the already existing monorail frame introduced the first issue they were facing: the substrate that was to be fastened into was anywhere from ¼ inch to ½ thick steel. This required much larger screws than what would typically be used in a residential deck. Other hidden fasteners on the market were not equipped to take on a larger screw like this. After some back and forth troubleshooting between Nova & PCL Construction, PCL was able to send us samples of several screw options and the boards they planned on using. Nova's in-house engineer was able to test the proposed assembly and help them determine the best screw to use for the unique project.

The next reassurance they needed was to make sure that emergency vehicles would be able to drive on the pathway safely without fear of damaging the clips. Because of the custom board profiles fitting so seamlessly together with the clips, we were confident that there would be no issues.

Lastly, they needed something that would be time-saving and efficient. With large and very public projects like this, there are strict time constraints and big expectations. We reassured them our product would be quick and easy and because of the open line of communication we'd established and the relationship we had already built, they were confident in their choice to choose Nova.

By December 2022, construction of the pathway was moving along great even in the midst of a cold upper Midwest winter. Two of Nova's team members, Keaton Smith (sales) and Naomi Comstock (product engineer) made their way to meet with the PCL team in person and check in on installation. When meeting with the team of installers, we asked for any and all feedback as we would with any customer. We were told that installation of the boards was going very well. They gave credit to the ExoDek QuickClip as the main driver of efficiency due to its top-down fastening design, as well as the facts that the clips didn't tack on any additional labor in installation and made for a lot less drilling than if face screwing the boards had been done instead. The board installation was going so fast in fact that they had actually caught up with the electrical team that was working far ahead of them because they were able to move so much faster than expected.

The PCL Construction team was a delight to work with and we look forward to any projects we may have with them in the future. We are proud of the relationships we can build with our customers, proud to go the extra mile to be the solution for any project, and proud to showcase our innovative products such as the ExoDek QuickClip.

Our CEO, Steve Getsiv is planning another trip to the Minnesota Zoo this summer to see the finished project and thank PCL Construction in person for choosing Nova USA Wood Products to help them create something as beautiful as this. The Treetop Trail is expected to open July of 2023.

https://mnzoo.org/minnesota-zoos-facilities-master-plan-the-pathway-to-nature/

By Naomi Comstock, 04/24/23

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