If you spend as much time around job sites as we do, you know structural screws are having a moment. As a replacement for more traditional fasteners in structural building applications, they’re decreasing build times and saving on labor around the country.
While more and more contractors adopt them in place of legacy approaches, there are plenty of holdouts. Doing things as they’ve always been done might work in some cases, but there are applications where they outperform the old standbys.
As we see building codes shift to embrace more weather-resilient approaches, it might be time to explore structural screws.
On the surface, the differences between some traditional fasteners and structural screws are hard to spot. Some brands produce a load-bearing screw that looks similar to conventional wood screws. It’s essential to know the difference before making a purchase. While DIYers are more likely to run into this issue, it’s an important distinction to make.
Unlike conventional fasteners, structural screws are made from heavy-duty materials like high-carbon steel, stainless steel, and other alloys. Engineered to resist shear forces far beyond those of conventional screws, they provide robust connections with added efficiency.
Most include a self-drilling point and won’t need pilot holes before driving. Additionally, they’re rated to replace hurricane ties and nail plates in load-bearing assemblies, which can save on labor and materials.
Because these fasteners are designed to fit many applications, they range from just a few inches to over a foot long. To help reduce screw wobble in longer fasteners, a screw guide might be necessary. In general, they create more robust and reliable bonds between materials that experience shear and load forces.
Using these fasteners on your job site is a smart choice as they can reduce costs associated with labor and materials. They’re easy to install and are versatile fasteners that can do the heavy lifting around your build.
Structural screws don’t require pre-drilling or pilot holes, which can take time and extra effort on the job. Instead of switching out tools during installation, you can drive most with a drill driver in significantly less time than lag screws. When used to replace straps or hurricane ties, you can use fewer fasteners without plates or straps.
With a larger gauge and aggressive threads, these fasteners won’t shear off or pull out when under stress. Fasteners like the Grip-Rite® flat washer head structural screw also have a wide load-bearing surface, reducing the chance of pull-through.
Made from high-performing materials, structural screws are either made from stainless steel or coated against corrosion. Grip-Rite guarantees these fasteners for life, and they’re coated with our patented and proven PrimeGuard Plus®. Intended for use with all treated and untreated lumber, they will last through your project’s usable life.
Structural screws are typically sold with load values printed directly on the packaging. This makes substitution easy and helps ensure you work within local and international building codes. Each fastener should also include identifying marks on the head of the screw for inspectors. Grip-Rite structurally rated fasteners include three marks: one for head style, one for gauge, and one for length.
Used correctly, structural fasteners outperform many traditional fastening solutions. Depending on your application, follow the installation angles in the guides to achieve the correct load rating.
Hurricane ties strengthen the connection between a framing structure and the roof. While code-compliant, they take a lot of labor to install correctly. Structural screws provide a fast and effective connection that’s stronger and still code-compliant.
Deck and framing projects usually require joist hangers and approved structural fasteners. Replacing the whole assembly with structural screws reduces installation times and the amount of hardware.
Structural screws are a cost-effective swap for most framing applications where metal connectors and nail plates are required. A heavy gauge and coarse threads provide a more reliable connection in less time.
Lag screws and carriage bolts require significant time and effort to install. Instead, use comparable structural screws with the same load rating.
Replacing time and labor-intensive fasteners on your job site with structural screws can yield labor and material savings. They’re easy to install and can reduce the time spent framing a residential or commercial structure.
Grip-Rite® offers both dual drive hex head and flat washer head structural screws to meet any challenge. We have testing data available and load charts printed on each box for clarity when making the switch.
Find out where to buy our structural screw offerings using our Where to Buy tool.
