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Composite Deck Screws

24K views 32 replies 9 participants last post by  John_F 
#1 ·
Hi all,
I'm in the process of building a deck. I'm using those dual threaded screws for composite deck boards. I've had a few that right as the head touches the board it strips. These are buggers to get back out at that point. Does anyone have any ideas on how to sink 'em the rest of the way? Can you use a punch and drive them below flush and then use a rubber mallet and flatten the material over the head? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
John
 
#5 ·
Please Please, Do NOT use a mallet on that beautiful expensive composite decking. You spend lots of money on that sweet decking for its looks and low maintenance. When someone takes a hammer to 'fill in' the holes made by the screw, in my opinion, it ruins the look. It looks shoddy (that a word)?


Instead use a clip system to fasten the boards or if you have to screw from the top at least use a countersink bit and counter sink your screws. It will look much better trust me. It takes more time, but looks much better (and professional).

And yes never screw deck screws with a drill---spend the cash on a impact driver. You will wonder how you got by without one.

Hope that helps.
 
#6 ·
Thanks all for the replies. Let's see, it's the PT joists that strip, I'm using 2-1/2" screws, I own an impact driver but was told not to use it. I've been pre-drilling the holes and following that with my cordless and a torx bit to set the screws. I was thinking I would drop down 1 drill size and see if that helps the stripping. I have about 6 screws so far that the head sits up above flush. Any guesses on how to sink them down a touch more?
Thanks again for the help,
John
 
#11 ·
now i understand what's going on... i thought the screw wasnt driving all the way down and the head was striping.. Danger is right you have to be hitting something....hanger clip or something... i would say move the screw, but you dont want 2 holes, i would just try to angle the srew slightly the other direction and see if it goes in smooth... again you have to be hitting some metal on concrete thats stopping the screw...
 
#13 ·
Is it possible that by predrilling the holes in the PT joists, the screw doesn't have enough PT wood to bite on and just strips the wood and then spins freely in the hole?

I would try a couple where you only predrill through the composite and not the PT joists. See if the screw can bite into the PT lumber and tighten up.
 
#16 ·
The manufacturer only talks about pre-drilling at the ends of boards. I was told that pre-drilling would ease the install process, although it adds time. I think I'll try drtbk4ever's advice and try drilling only the composite.
I'm still left with about 6 screws standing tall. Any ideas to remedy this?
Thanks again,
John
 
#23 ·
The manufacturer only talks about pre-drilling at the ends of boards. I was told that pre-drilling would ease the install process, although it adds time. I think I'll try drtbk4ever's advice and try drilling only the composite.
I'm still left with about 6 screws standing tall. Any ideas to remedy this?
Thanks again,
John
Sorry forgot to add this in.... take out the rest of the screws in the board that has the screws that are stripped.... once they are the only ones left, carefully have someone pull up the deck board to put pressure on the screws ( DO NOT YANK IT OUT) just enough pressure to make the screw bite a bit and then reverse the screws out...they should come right out (need to start with the ones closest to the raised end of the deck board you are lifting and work your way to the farthest screw).
 
#17 ·
fill 'em in and drive 'em agin'!
i'd try pot-sticker size doweling and don't predrill since it's already weakened.
use a flat ended scrap dowel and shove the pieces down enough to just fill the PT part (1"?), this should allow them to tighten properly.

DM
 
#18 ·
The only problem with that is that once they spin, then they don't want to come out. I don't know if that is because of the right and left handed threads on each screw or what. The ones that drive correctly seem like they would be able to be driven right through the board. I'm not real sure I'm a fan of these screws. When they work right they really do look good, when they don't ...:furious:
 
#20 ·
slide a hard drive ceramic magnet to the end of your driver bit, touching the screw head and then hit reverse (forward?) slowly, that should help pull it back up. once you can get a hammer or crowbar or pliers on it, just pull it up.

DM
 
#22 ·
the only thing I can think of has been stated already. When you pre-drilled you ended up pre drilling into the joist. When you pre drill your deck boards, only drill the deck boards..never the joist. You need a tight fit on the joist.

If you have trouble pre-drilling too deep, set your bit in farther so it cannot go past the decking when you predrill.

As far as someone telling you to not use an impact:huh: the only reason not to use an impact is you can strip or over screw very easily as it has so much torque. However with a little practice you can get the right amount in and know when to stop. It is MUCH better then a drill..trust me :thumbsup:

By the way...TORX ROX :thumbup:
 
#24 ·
Thanks rahfiki. You are correct I WAS drilling into the joists (heavy on the was):yes:. Luckily I have only started screwing the boards down. We did the ends and the middle. I figured I could get all the boards on and then come back and do the rest of the screws (bunches of 'em). I'll try your method on the stripped ones. That seems like a fairly straight forward method.
Thanks again,
John
 
#25 ·
Sorry it took so long to get back, things always seem to come up. Anyways, I was going to start taking out the good screws in order to get to the stripped ones and didn't have to go very far. When you back out the good one the board wants to climb the left handed top threads and applies enough pressure on the stripped one to allow it to be removed. The process messes with the appearance of the good one slightly, but all in all, it seems to work just fine. I will do the rest of them and continue on ONLY PRE-DRILLING THE DECK BOARDS :whistling2:. I appreciate all the help and comments.
Thanks again,
John
 
#28 ·
OK I spoke to soon (that's normal) on the ease of getting the screw out. The first one I did worked perfect, after that no go. I stumbled across a method by accident. OK, really it was frustration. I had a stripped one that would do nothing but spin. I got frustrated and spun it forward at high revs., the left handed threads caught and jumped the head up clear of the board. It was enough that I could get my small pry bar under it and then reversed it out of the hole. :thumbup:. I got the rest out that way.
Thanks again all for the help.
John
 
#29 ·
Hey all,
Just a little follow up and closure. I finished 1-1/2 weeks ago, but just got around to uploading pictures. :whistling2:. I want to thank all who gave advice. It helped a ton. Once I stopped pre-drilling into the joists everything worked great. I didn't have 1 screw spin after you showed me the light. Thanks again. Here's a couple of pictures showing a during and almost complete. The after was taken before the deck had been washed off. It's pretty dusty. Thanks again all
John
 

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