WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build

[doctorwayne]

Thanks Tetters,

In the past, I had always assumed that the screws were better than nails. I thought that nails were used only because they were faster and cheaper. Now I am giving it more thought.
I wish I could find some actual engineering studies, because again, I don't think the "shear" is as important as some of the internet info makes it seem.

But dang it, you guys have me considering going back and adding nails in addition to the screws!!!!

Good stuff!

The material being fastened also plays a role in how well the fastener functions. Nails and screws are relatively easy to pull once you get a grip on them, with nails more-or-less being removed from the hole created by their installation and screws removing the material immediately around them. If you're installing a ringed flooring nail with a hammer, and for some reason (hit a water pipe ) have to remove the partially-driven nail, chances are it will either also remove the wood around the rings, much as a screw would, or the head will break off. A lot also depends on the metallurgical properties of the fastener, especially for screws - I've bought screws that were of such poor quality (one big guess where they were made) that the heads snapped off as the screw was being driven, or the material was so soft that the socket was mangled by the driver bit, even though the fit between the two was excellent. I've also had many instances where the screw will bend while being driven.
Most building codes have regulations governing lumber specifications (permitted spans, loads, live load limits, etc.) and also nailing "schedules" which specify how many of what type, size, and length of fastener are to be used for each particular application.

Wayne