screws - avoid wood splitting

[Autolycus]

Hmmm. Not sure I see how removing or reducing the clamping force a conventionally-used screw exerts actually weakens the joint.

Well yes: as far as I can see, the Screwfix catalogue only refers to eliminating the need for pilot holes, not clearance holes. My experience of using many thousands of many types of screw, including Turbogolds, is that even just under-sizing the clearance hole can lead to jacking apart of the bits of wood or at best a very definite feel that the two bits of wood aren't being pulled together. If the makers really intended their screws to be fully self-drilling, and used without clearance holes, wouldn't they use a reduced-diameter plain shank throughout the range?

[normanwisdom]

Use nails instead. Quicker, cheaper, neater. And in the end much easier to lift a nailed floorboard than one held down by rusted-in, bent, damaged screws - which is how they all tend to end up.

cheers Jacob

[John Rumm]

Modern screws tend to be straight, undamaged, and galvanised when I stick em in (or want to take them out). What are you driving them with, a hammer? ;-)

[normanwisdom]

Use nails instead. Quicker, cheaper, neater. Lost head flooring brads. Also makes board easier to lift if ever necessary whereas screws would make it impossible once they've been in place a few years.

cheers Jacob thought I'd posted this before but it didn't appear

[dom]

Screw and driver design has come on a bit.

If I was using traditional slotted screws, sure I'd drill the top one, and pilot the bottom one in hardwood. However with modern turbo screws, provided the two parts are held firmly together, it is not necessary to predrill in softwood.

Many chippies & builders are now saying ordinary nails are becoming a thing of the past, when they can whack in a few large screws with an impact driver more quickly and produce a stronger joint.

[normanwisdom]

Yebbut come the dawn several years later - even galvanised screws corrode in, if there is any damp at all or just acidic wood, they may also get their heads worn or slots filled, they may be removed/ replaced with damaged slots etc etc and in the end become impossible to extract. Actually the most likely scenario is ariving to take out screws and bringing the wrong screwdriver and wrecking the slot. Bin there dunnit. Also they look a mess - much bigger head than nails. I see screwed down floorboards as sign of amateur, or cowboy builder.

cheers Jacob

[The Medway Handyman]

Certainly doesnt make T&G chipboard easier to get up if you nail it. If its screwed you can undo them & slide panels out - can't do that if its nailed.

[Jim S]

I use what I think are called 'powerscrews'. They come in black or black and I have only seem 1.25" and 1.75". They have a thinner than usual stem and thread up to the head, which is countersunk.

[Lurch]

On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:40:29 GMT, Jim S mused:

Sound like drywall screws to me.

[John Rumm]

Not had that problem myself.

I always replace screws where there is any sign of damage

I have a pack of all the various sized and type of bits that goes with the drill or impact driver (I very rarely drive a screw by hand).

I don't care at all if it is under a carpet.

If we were talking about exposed boards, then obviously nailing will be neater (concealed edge nailing with T&G being the neatest).

Fitting boards for the first time, the I would agree that cut clasp nails are best. When refitting boards that have been taken up, I find you are far less likely to get a squeaky board if it is screwed back.

This all assumes we are talking about real floor boards here. If I was fitting chipboard sheet type floor, then I would screw that down in the first place.

[Tim Southerwood]

Then use brass screws. OK, we're back to drilling clearance holes but they will last forever - but are prone to slot damage, so use a good quality screwdriver or the correct size. Slots can always be scraped clear of paint or gunk when removal is required.

Cheers

Tim

[Andy Hall]

Brass screws are a good idea. However, in hardwood I tend to put in a steel screw first and then to take it out and put in a brass one. This pretty much eliminates the risk of shearing.