Now that you’ve selected the type of deck screw you want to use, it’s time to calculate how many to buy. How long should your deck screws be? Deck screws should be 3.5” in length for 2-inch thick lumber or 2-½ to 3” for 5/4-inch thick boards for the screws to drive deep enough into the joists to hold the board secure. Once you’ve decided whether to spring for star-head deck screws, you need to consider screw length. The trade-off is that star head screws are a bit more expensive. Star drive screw heads, also known as Torx screws, create six points of contact with the compatible drill bit and are more recessed than Phillips-head screws, allowing for more torque, more stability and hence more driving power. The square recess screw heads reduce the slippage and subsequent stripping of the screw head that can be common with Phillips-head screws, allowing you to work faster. All three will work, but some may increase the pace of your work. When deciding what type of screw to purchase you’ll also notice that screw heads come in all sorts of shapes ranging from squares to stars to your standard Phillips-head screw. If you decide to use the CAMO system, you will need to purchase the specially designed star drive screws that CAMO makes for use with this system. As the name implies, hidden fasteners such as the CAMO Edge Deck Fastening System hide the fasteners from view, creating a clean look for your deck. It’s important to consider what will look best for your color and style of the deck when choosing deck screws unless you plan to use a hidden fastening system.Īll three deck materials give you the option of using a hidden fastening system. Standard wood deck screws are grey, but deck screws are made in a wide variety of colors. When deciding which screws to purchase, remember that they will be visible, so color matters. Composite deck screws are designed to fasten the composite boards to the framing tightly. Wood screws will bore a hole into composite decking instead of biting into it. Hot dipped galvanized screws are also an option.Ĭomposite decking should be fastened using composite deck screws. For decks constructed out of cedar, use a stainless steel deck screw. While these preservatives do a great job preventing your deck from rotting, they will also corrode ordinary metal screws, ultimately resulting in the structural failure of your deck. Today’s pressure-treated lumber is made using two copper-based wood preservatives. It is important that you use galvanized, stainless steel, or wood deck screws for treated lumber. The type of decking material you are using will also determine the type of screws you need to buy. So, for this project, you will need either galvanized screws or corrosion-resistant screws to prevent rusting. What kind of screws is appropriate for securing deck boards? How long should they be? What color? Are screws for pressure treated wood different than screws for composite materials? What if you don’t want your friends and family to see those unsightly screw heads when they come over for that barbecue next week? First, remember that you need screws that are for exterior use. What at first might seem like a simple task, can quickly seem quite complicated.
Walk down the hardware aisle of any home improvement store, and you’ll quickly find that there are dozens of types of screws for all manner of projects. This makes screws the better choice for this project, but only if you choose the right ones. Screws, on the other hand, are much more likely to hold boards in place because they are threaded. This will eventually cause deck boards to come loose, creating a need for constant maintenance. Over time nails tend to work their way back out of the wood. However, there is a downside to using nails to secure decking. Nails will do the job, and with the use of a framing nailer, can make the job go much more quickly. Many people use nails instead of screws to secure their deck boards. Three screws should be used to secure the decking to rim joists. You should use two screws at each point that the deck board crosses a joist to hold the boards firmly in place. The deck’s screws are the only things standing in the way of the elements wreaking havoc on your deck, so you need to use the right amount. Deck boards are exposed to all kinds of extreme weather conditions that make the boards prone to warping, cupping, and crowning.
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