Building a long-lasting and durable deck can add value to a home and increase the homeowner’s quality of life. When choosing between wood or composite decking material, grooved or square profile boards, and the right fastener; each decision is important. Add to your list whether you’re using coated or stainless steel screws.
If you’ve chosen traditional fasteners over hidden deck clips for your installation, the next choice is a big one. Will you use stainless steel screws or coated exterior screws to secure your deck boards?
Several factors will affect your decision-making. From aesthetics to corrosion resistance, using the best fastener for your application is vital, as it will impact the lifespan of your deck.
Let’s look at the key factors you should consider before getting out your drill.
Fasteners intended for outdoor use are susceptible to rust and corrosion over time. Moisture in the environment and chemicals in wood and composite materials can break down screws and nails, reducing their effectiveness. While some metals resist moisture better than others, engineers developed coatings to protect their fasteners from damage.
Corrosion is the natural oxidation process in which a metal breaks down into a more stable oxide. Iron oxide, the most commonly recognized byproduct of iron or steel corroding, is the most common.
Metal weakens during oxidation, and fasteners intended for outdoor use should be protected from this degradation.
The American Society for Testing and Materials developed corrosion tests that evaluate how well a fastener withstands exposure to saltwater. The most common method is ASTM B117 (Neutral Salt Spray Testing), which exposes fasteners to a 5% sodium chloride spray for between 24 and 1000 hours. Testers monitor the process throughout to determine when metals begin showing signs of rust.
When you purchase screws for outdoor use, they should indicate that they meet ASTM standards for corrosion resistance. You can see how long they lasted by looking at a Technical Data Sheet, such as the one for DeckForce® Exterior Screws.
While a coating might be effective at preventing corrosion for a specified period, the integrity of the coating is vital. If you damage the coating during installation, the odds that your fastener will fail increase. A more durable coating can withstand more stress during driving and have less likelihood of failure.
Check out this comparison of different fastener manufacturer coatings!
Stainless steel is naturally corrosion resistant, and #316 stainless steel is explicitly rated for use in marine and coastal environments. Even if the surface of stainless steel is scratched during installation, the anti-corrosive properties aren’t diminished. This quality makes screws like Grip-Rite® PrimeGuard MAX® the only fastener to use around bodies of water.
Cost is a factor that can’t be ignored when discussing the topic of outdoor screws. However, just because a box of fasteners is more expensive on the front end, you could still come out ahead in the long run. Maintenance and replacement costs can eat into the savings you see by purchasing a less expensive but unsuitable fastener.
Stainless steel fasteners are typically more expensive than their coated counterparts, but they also last longer in most applications. Since the features and benefits of stainless steel fasteners aren’t a perfect match for every project, a coated fastener could be the ideal balance of cost and performance.
Grip-Rite produces several fasteners ideal for decking, including a “good, better, best” assortment for any application. PrimeGuard® denotes a screw intended for outdoor use, but each has a different application.
Here’s a look at how different fasteners fall into these categories.
Screws coated with PrimeGuard Plus® carry a lifetime warranty as long as the coating isn’t damaged during installation. It protects screws against corrosion and rust and is ideal for most general outdoor construction projects.
PrimeGuard® Nano is the premium coating found on all DeckForce screws. It carries a lifetime warranty as long as the coating isn’t damaged during installation and is ideal for composite, treated wood, and hardwood substrates. The smaller particles in this coating fully encase the fastener and provide robust protection from the elements.
PrimeGuard MAX® Stainless Steel screws are the most corrosion-resistant screw in the Grip-Rite assortment. Fabricated from #316 stainless steel, these marine-grade fasteners naturally resist rust and won’t break down even in the harshest environments. For decks and docks around the coasts, these are the best choice.
All our fasteners are engineered for maximum efficiency in their intended application, and deck screws are no different. Every feature included serves an important role in delivering premium quality fasteners to you.
Providing a secure tooltip to fastener connection is essential to reduce cam-outs and provide a reliable installation experience. The recess in a screw describes where that connection happens.
While you may be most familiar with a #2 Phillips or standard Torx® drive, our DeckForce and PrimeGuard MAX fasteners use a star drive. We utilize a T-15, T-20, T-25, and T-27 in our deck screws for maximum power transfer during driving.
How easily a screw drives through the material and into a wooden substrate has a massive impact on user fatigue and split resistance. The Type 17 point is a self-drilling feature that removes the need for pre-drilling and makes installation a smooth process. Different variations on this point, such as Autopilot, Saw Tip, and others, provide application-specific benefits for better performance.
Different thread types are better suited for specific applications. Coarse threads are used for wood substrates, and specialized types can make driving easier and more secure.
DeckForce Exterior Screws feature coarse dual-action auger threads that cut smoothly into wood.
DeckForce Composite Screws feature high-low threads that minimize material displacement and grip the board securely, while the clear-out threads help to remove any material that is displaced during the screw installation.
PrimeGuard MAX Screws feature clearly defined coarse threads for a solid connection to wood substrates.
For the ultimate protection against corrosion, stainless steel screws offer the highest level of protection when used in your deck. Not every deck requires stainless steel, and coated screws provide reliable protection from the elements outside of those specific geographical areas.
In coastal and marine applications, PrimeGuard MAX stainless steel screws are the best for longevity and durability. They won’t rust or corrode, even in the harshest environmental conditions.
Find out where to buy DeckForce and PrimeGuard MAX near you!