12-22-2009, 09:08 PM
Beamish, Tetters, DocWayne, Mountain Man:
I appreciate the discussion on screws versus nails. There are good points to each. I definitely prefer screws over nails for a few reasons. I personally think it results in a stronger finished product. With hammer and nails, when pounding in one, sometimes you are making others get loose. We've all seen that. With screws, that is not an issue. Of course, a good carpenter probably knows the procedures to lessen the loose nail syndrome, but nobody ever said I was a carpenter!
A screw definitely has more "suction" to pull the framing members together and make tight joints. I like that. For example, the rafter is a little warped, and it needs to be connected to the ceiling joist which is straight. With the screw, bingo, sucked together nice and tight. With the nails, I suppose you'd have to hammer in a couple at different angles to get the joint to hold.
Nail gun? I don't have a compressor, plus it is much easier to carry around the DeWalt drill versus that HEAVY nail gun!
As for shear strength, if those deck screws are actually breaking, then the building was coming down anyway! Nails wouldn't have done any better! Seriously, I can't think of anyplace where there would be enough shear to break a 3" long deck screw. Or actually 3 or 4 screws! I use alot, I am sure more than needed.
Most of the load bearing members are resting on other members anyway. Rafters and joists on walls or the center beam/posts. Walls on concrete. The screws just hold everything in place (and tightly too.) Well, except where the ceiling joists tie to the beam. I used metal hangers for that.
Those are just my thoughts. I am certainly not an engineer so everything I said above is strictly anecdotal!
I think MountainMan has it right. Bolt all the major structural stuff together, then screw the rest. I have some 3/8 all-thread rod that I plan to use to tie the center beam members together.
I will say that using the screws is definitely slower than a nail gun. Especially considering that I am drilling pilot holes for the screws. For example, connecting a 2x4 to another - drill the hole in the first board, then run the screw through and into the second board. This makes for a super-tight joint!
Thanks again for the interesting commentary!
I appreciate the discussion on screws versus nails. There are good points to each. I definitely prefer screws over nails for a few reasons. I personally think it results in a stronger finished product. With hammer and nails, when pounding in one, sometimes you are making others get loose. We've all seen that. With screws, that is not an issue. Of course, a good carpenter probably knows the procedures to lessen the loose nail syndrome, but nobody ever said I was a carpenter!
A screw definitely has more "suction" to pull the framing members together and make tight joints. I like that. For example, the rafter is a little warped, and it needs to be connected to the ceiling joist which is straight. With the screw, bingo, sucked together nice and tight. With the nails, I suppose you'd have to hammer in a couple at different angles to get the joint to hold.
Nail gun? I don't have a compressor, plus it is much easier to carry around the DeWalt drill versus that HEAVY nail gun!
As for shear strength, if those deck screws are actually breaking, then the building was coming down anyway! Nails wouldn't have done any better! Seriously, I can't think of anyplace where there would be enough shear to break a 3" long deck screw. Or actually 3 or 4 screws! I use alot, I am sure more than needed.
Most of the load bearing members are resting on other members anyway. Rafters and joists on walls or the center beam/posts. Walls on concrete. The screws just hold everything in place (and tightly too.) Well, except where the ceiling joists tie to the beam. I used metal hangers for that.
Those are just my thoughts. I am certainly not an engineer so everything I said above is strictly anecdotal!
I think MountainMan has it right. Bolt all the major structural stuff together, then screw the rest. I have some 3/8 all-thread rod that I plan to use to tie the center beam members together.
I will say that using the screws is definitely slower than a nail gun. Especially considering that I am drilling pilot holes for the screws. For example, connecting a 2x4 to another - drill the hole in the first board, then run the screw through and into the second board. This makes for a super-tight joint!
Thanks again for the interesting commentary!
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