Construction Fasteners

[jlgurr]

Being an amateur but continually seeking professional quality, wondering if there is anyone who can share advice on construction nails, screws, etc.? Brands, coatings, value, etc.

Several brands are available at our local big box store but are they really what I should be buying? The project I am working on now is a double carport with a 4/12 pitch shingled roof setting on 6 x 6 treated posts. Trusses are due end of next week so it's time to start buying the fasteners I'll need.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Egon]

Check your local codes.

If thinking about screws there will only be a few that qualify for load bearing construction. You may have to ask for them at your local store.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nails and screws are designed to hold lumber in place, not support it or any load of any kind. If you need to support a load, you need to use either brackets with appropriate fasteners, bolts or lag screws. In some areas, bolts and lag screws are no longer code and not allowed to support a load.

For any outdoor structure that does not have protective walls, I don't use nails. With movement and exposure to the elements, wood moves, shrinks and swells. Nails fail quickly under those conditions. Star drive 3 inch exterior deck screws are what I use most of the time.

 

[teejk]

Ditto on star drives (trying to rid my shop of anything other than)...Mike Holmes did a show years ago on nails vs. screws and commented that codes were not up do date (might have been the only show where he admitted to "violating"...he used screws). Not cheap but the coated deck screws with the star drive heads should handle anything you can throw at them I think. For most stuff that will not be exposed to the elements I find the "interior use only" star-drive screws to work just fine.

 

[joefromga]

Ilike the stainless torx screws. I know they cost more but they are strong, look amazing, won't rust and you can tell people it's all stainless.

The big box stores do have contractor grade stuff. That's why they are so big. Most contractors used them.

I probably shop at lowes/Hd 2015 times a month. And I still use ace/true value/do it best when I can.

 

[mbohuntr]

Good advice from those folks....:thumbsup:

 

[newbury]

Being an amateur but continually seeking professional quality, wondering if there is anyone who can share advice on construction nails, screws, etc.? Brands, coatings, value, etc.

Several brands are available at our local big box store but are they really what I should be buying? The project I am working on now is a double carport with a 4/12 pitch shingled roof setting on 6 x 6 treated posts. Trusses are due end of next week so it's time to start buying the fasteners I'll need.

Thanks,
Jeff

What method are you going to use to put it together?
Is it going to be a crew of 10 guys or are you by yourself? Only 1 or 2 people it seems like an air nailer would help, but a good one can cost over $200 and you need a compressor. If you have a crew of 10 friends all with their own $200 battery powered impact driver screws may be the way to go.

Also is it going to be inspected and if so what does the inspector want? If code calls for nils you could be screwed if you use nails

I tend to do everything by myself so I rely on power tools to assist my construction. I've bought a pneumatic framing nailer for building a shed and plan on using ring shanked nails for most of it. The when I put my deck together it was up for about 23 years with ring shank nails and only about 4 nails had come loose over the entire time.

To me ring shank nails offer the holding power of a screw (or better) with the ease of a nailer driving them. So with the nailer I can rapidly put in a bunch of nails without my wrist giving out.

 

[Snobdds]

Coated framing grade nails are more than adequate for fasteners, maybe the best option. Nails hold in shear and fasteners like joist hangers need that shear resistance.

I've always used coated 8 and 16 penny nails for all my framing. Everything is still standing.

 

[Rustyiron]

A "carport" is a very basic structure. The area of concerns would be the post's to beam connection along with the post to ground connection or situation, esp. if there will not be any walls to "rack" the structure. The trusses & sheathing/roofing "fastening" is basic (local codes) usually "toenail" trusses to the beam or header and possibly metal "hurricane" clips or ties. Sheathing will allways benefit from using "ring shank" nails (usually 8d). If you get into diagonal bracing the posts, GRK makes some really nice screw fasteners with big heads and are available in long legnths.

 

[Budweiser John]

The job to be done drives the choice of Fastners.
Over the years, my favorite vendors are GEK for star head screws, Simpson Strong Tie for ledger lock screws (replaces common lag screws), and Maise 'storm guard' double galvanized nails.
In the pneumatic arena, Paslode framing and trim gun nails along with Senco flooring and underlayment staples. Of course, no work truck is complete with out buckets full of #8 and #16 sinkers.
B John