Agent Orange: Friendly fire that keeps on burning. | Obsolete - 10/21/2025 04:56 How do you tell the difference between regular screws and construction or structural screws?
Drive a deck screw partially into a 2X4. Hit it sideways, with a hammer and I'm betting it snaps off about board level before you come close to hammering it flat to the board. Do the same with a construction screw or a 16 penny nail and you will see the difference. I once used deck screws to build a temporary lifting truss and nearly had a huge disaster when the load shifted just a bit and sheared off most of my screws.
Hard to beat a coated and hand driven nail because you can "draw" wood together. Nail gun just drives the nail but does little to close any gap left by imperfect lumber. Construction screws will draw things together nicely and have good shear strength but will add cost. |
Screws vs Nails
