Deck question: screws or nail gun?

I am going to replace some of the boards on my deck and replace some railings which are bad. I was going to use screws but I have the opportunity to borrow from my buddy a Porter-Cable nail gun with compressor. I believe this particular tool is capable of driving nails with heads on them. I thought it would be faster and easier but was wondering what opinions everyone has.

Reply to
Mikepier
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"nails with heads on them"...? I sure hope so!

Faster - yes. Easier - yes. Better - maybe not.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

nails are fine. just make sure to use the right ones.

i prefer to predrill and screw it myself, but if i had an air nailer handy, i might rethink it.

randy

Reply to
xrongor

On 28 Mar 2005 13:27:37 -0800, "Mikepier" scribbled this interesting note:

Screws hold better. Ceramic coated screws stand up to treated lumber very well. Treated lumber is usually yellow pine which has a well known tendency to warp. Even ring or screw shank nails won't hold it in place.

I've got all manner of pneumatic fastening equipment and I'd use screws in this application (it also makes repairs over time easier to perform...)

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Reply to
John Willis

Screws.

Reply to
The Real Tom

Nails are faster; screws hold better over time. Your call.

Reply to
Andy Hill

Screws are best. You can get all manner of deck screws at

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They have better quality that the big box stores. If you want to do a patch job and move next years, nails will be OK, but be sure you get the proper ones that will hold up on a deck.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Stainless steel screws ;)

Reply to
Nick Hull

Tell you the truth, I don't like SS screws. Go with teh colored ceramic ones. They blend in better with the type of wood/stain you plan to use.

;)

later,

tom @

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Reply to
The Real Tom

Reply to
nospambob

They are nailed in. I can just pry it up with a crowbar.

Thanks for everyones input.

Reply to
Mikepier

Pick up a small cats paw at HD. Chould help with areas where a bad board is surrounded by good boards.

hth,

tom @

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Reply to
The Real Tom

In addition to the good advice you've already gotten regarding the superiority of screws over nails, I'd like to suggest that if you've never used a nail gun before, you might want to Google up some information about nail gun accidents.

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Then evaluate whether you *really* want to use one. I'm not saying they're unsafe, I'm just pointing out that a lot of inexperienced people manage to find unbelievably creative ways of hurting themselves with nail guns. Don't be one of them.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Reply to
Doug Miller

I've found the ceramic ones are thin and with a bit of corrosion they will snap off instead of comeing out. If you change them every couple of years before they corrode too much you might be OK but after 20 years most will just snap off when you attempt to remove them.

Reply to
Nick Hull

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