Green deck screws? Don't bother

[^woody^]

Two years ago I laid timber decking with green coated screws. This year I need to lift some planks to lay a cable beneath

What I noticed was that about 25% of the screws I removed had actually snapped at a point between the deck board and the joist. They had not snapped due to me removing them, as the metal at the break and on parts of the thread was rusty

Also, a fair few of the screws had started to corrode at the top - probably due to the screwdriver bit on installation. This may have led to some of them being soft and causing cam-out and wearing - forcing use of a screw extractor

Finally, some of the coating on the screw shanks seems to have worn off while being driven in

If this was with just a few screws after a couple of years, then they presumably will get worse in future and removal would be even more difficult

So I am in the process of replacing all of them with stainless screws. They look a bit bright though, so they may need toning down with a drop of paint or stain or something

 

[Thermo]

green decking screws are a waste of money. stainless steel screws wont stay bright for long on the deck i wouldnt worry about touching them up

 

[noseall]

Are there cheap (rubbish) deck screws and expensive (quality) deck screws? Or are they all pants regardless?

 

[Thermo]

pants all of them. better off using spax if youre going to screw it.

 

[neds]

Always keep a box of Timbadeck screws from Screwfix with my kit. Cant say I've had that many issues with them, however never needed to take up what I have put in so don't know!

 

[Thermo]

whenever weve had to take screwed decks up theyve always been a pain in the arse whatever screws someone has used on them, especially the stainless steel ones that take a square bit. absolute nightmare.

 

[matrox]

whenever weve had to take screwed decks up theyve always been a pain in the a**e whatever screws someone has used on them, especially the stainless steel ones that take a square bit. absolute nightmare.

Why are square bit screws a problem? You never had a square (robertson) bit to remove them at the time? The cheap bits don't fit well. i still have my robertson screwdriver from Canada

 

[matrox]

I need to use SS screws because i'm doing a skirting in a coastal area. We are quite near the sea, but not on the beach. So, can i get away with A2 grade or do i need to go with A4?

800 A2s will cost me about £35 (TurboUltra from ScrewFix), whereas the A4 ones will cost £76 (special decking type ones).

I can't use nails for this job.

Regards.

 

[ladylola]

We use A2 stainless screws nearly all of the time and I would have thought they would be fine for your skirting. If the conditions are bad enough to warrant A4 then I would be more worried about the life of the skirting.
One problem we have noticed about SS screws is that they are generally softer and will chew up quicker. Have a word with your supplier and make sure you order the correct bits for your screwdrivers, standard ones aren't anywhere near as good.
Oddly enough one place we did use marine grade stainless was in the restoration of Birmingham cathedral ( how close to the sea is that!), the weather vane on the cuppola is fixed to a 3" square bar some 6-7 feet long passing through an oak post.

 

[matrox]

Thanks LadyLola - i can understand the cathedral using the A4s.

I am being optimistic and expecting the skirting to last about 20 years tho. The unit is near brackish water, but there is a [long moat] land barrier between us an the beach/sea. It can get windy and there is some sea spray.
If it was a house near the sea, then i would have got A4 grade regardless.

Are A4s even more softer?

 

[r.bartlett]

We had decking put down in our bathroom and used green decking screws -10 years later no problems as yet

Untitled

• r.bartlett
• 4 Nov 2010
• 2

 

[JohnD]

I live on the coast and use A2 stainless (fairly budget ones from Screwfix)

If you are worried about snapping, or heads chewing, drill pilot holes, like most professional ones don't (too focussed on saving time and money)

 

[Gallen]

Untitled

• r.bartlett
• 4 Nov 2010
• 2

An outside bathroom!!!! WTF?!!!

 

[JohnD]

sturdy, not-slip floorboards.

not a bad idea.

except maybe for splinters in bare feet?

 

[Mackins]

Sorry for the late post but I do a lot of pier work at Blackpool, Llandudno and Eastbourne and we use T30 Spax screws on the decking, they're amazing screws.