[stymie222]

I have to replace a damaged 6" joist header and maybe the joist hangers

Because of a confined crawl space for swinging a hammer in that area, I was going to use screws instead of nails to fasten the new joist hangers

What type or grade of screws would you recommend ?

Is it OK to enlarge the hanger holes to accept a larger screw ?

 

[Anti-wingnut]

Rent or buy a palm nailer.

There are no non-engineered alternatives to properly sized nails in your application. Enlarging the holes is not allowed

 

[stymie222]

Thanks

I understand integrity but these are only 6" floor joists to re-attach, in a home built in 1952. Room size is 10' X 12'.

I would follow procedure if I was installing a new floor system with 9 1/2 " or larger joists and hangers

 

[Anti-wingnut]

Why bother asking the question then? All you want is justification

 

[Daniel Holzman]

Simpson sells a line of structural screws which are specifically allowed as an alternative to nails on some of their brackets. Download the Simpson catalog, and see if there is a joist hanger that will allow structural screws as an alternative to the standard 10d nails. Else get a palm nailer as previously described.

 

[bluebird5]

exterior 2 inch screws are fine. Screw in fact are stringer than nails.

 

[A Squared]

Why bother asking the question then? All you want is justification

He's asking the question because he's hoping that someone will give him a solution to his situation, kinda like one poster who mentioned the Simpson screws that are intended for hangars, instead of (erroneously) telling hem that nails are the only solution.

 

[Anti-wingnut]

He's asking the question because he's hoping that someone will give him a solution to his situation

Like this hogwash?

exterior 2 inch screws are fine. Screw in fact are stringer than nails.

 

[A Squared]

Like this hogwash?

Yeah, that answer isn't accurate either. That's the trouble with forums like this. You ask a question, and for every correct answer you get, you get several like yours and mr "any screw is good" which are incorrect. You gotta separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[Anti-wingnut]

I am aware of the Simpson products, before I even did my intial respomse, I searched looked for an application. This was difficult given that the OP wanted to attach either a 6" TJI to a header, or 2 X 6 sawn lumber to a TJI. That is why I told him to use nails.

 

[bluebird5]

:whistling2:

 

[Termite]

exterior 2 inch screws are fine. Screw in fact are stringer than nails.

Absolutely incorrect. Screws are nowhere near as strong as nails in shear, which is what they're resisting in a hanger. There is no application for deck/exterior screws (or similar) in the installation of joist hangers, period. The only screws that are acceptable for use are the SD/SDS-types that Daniel mentioned, and even they are normally only specified for use in heavier beam hangers.

The advice to use nails is good solid advice.

 

[Tizzer]

I'm thinking the OP went ahead and used screws anyway.