screws breaking

[RR]

I had to repair some fencing awhile back due to a big wind storm. I needed to to replace some screws so I bought some Hillman PowerPro 8x2 Bronze Ceramic coated screws. I put them in last november and now have to do some final adjustments on the fence. I had to pull the new Hillman screws out to find that they all were broken about an inch from the top of the head. I did not tighten the screws into the wood extremely tight. I only tightened them to a snug torque since that is all that is needed to snug up the fencing to the 2x4s. The fencing consists or regular untreated ceder planks that are about 1/2 inch thick, about 5 inches wide and 6 feet tall. The 2x4's are regular untreated fir. The screws (what was left) came out real easy. They was no sensation of breaking or snapping. I would know if a screw broke as I was removing the screw. I tried putting in a few screws and immediately removing them, but could not get them to break. I am in Oregon and there has been the normal wet rain with more then normal amount of snow, but can't imagine that the temperature having an effect on the screws. The only thing I can think of is the swelling of the wood which put too must strain on the screws if there was actually swelling in the ceder which I imagine there would be.

[DanG]

Zero experience. I have not noticed anything similar. It sounds as if you did everything right the first time. Contact Hillman and ask for someone in their technical department.

[RR]

I had to repair some fencing awhile back due to a big wind storm. I needed to to replace some screws so I bought some Hillman PowerPro 8x2 Bronze Ceramic coated screws. I put them in last november and now have to do some final adjustments on the fence. I had to pull the new Hillman screws out to find that they all were broken about an inch from the top of the head. I did not tighten the screws into the wood extremely tight. I only tightened them to a snug torque since that is all that is needed to snug up the fencing to the 2x4s. The fencing consists or regular untreated ceder planks that are about 1/2 inch thick, about 5 inches wide and 6 feet tall. The 2x4's are regular untreated fir. The screws (what was left) came out real easy. They was no sensation of breaking or snapping. I would know if a screw broke as I was removing the screw. I tried putting in a few screws and immediately removing them, but could not get them to break. I am in Oregon and there has been the normal wet rain with more then normal amount of snow, but can't imagine that the temperature having an effect on the screws. The only thing I can think of is the swelling of the wood which put too must strain on the screws if there was actually swelling in the ceder which I imagine there would be.

Are these mis-manufactured screws or is there something to with the tightening and swelling of the wood that made them break? or weather?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

That would be my guess. Are you stressing the screw putting them in? Did you drill a pilot hole?

[DerbyDad03]

re: I would know if a screw broke as I was removing the screw.

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they broke when you put them in. The inner core of the 2 x 4 could have been a lot harder than the 1/2 cedar so they snapped when the head bottomed out in the cedar. If you were using a power driver (and I can't imagine you weren't) it's very possible that you never noticed them snapping.

[ur-fired]

How many more times do I have to read this shit? Get some nails, learn how to use a hammer, and learn how to use the internet you idiot !!!!

Better yet, toss your computer in the trash and hire a professional to build your fence. It sounds like it's beyond your mental and physical capabilities. Your newspaper delivery job should earn you enough to pay off the fence repairs in a few years.

[nick hull]

It's perfectly normal, those screws are thin and weak and will break easily when removing AFTER the wood has set up on them after a season. You need fatter screws or SS screws. The ceramic has no strength but it makes the metal too thin.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

[RR]

no, no pilot hole. but I did not notice the screw breaking as i screwed them in. I am pretty sure I would have noticed.

[RR]

Well yesterday, I did a test. I drove in some screws and torqued them as I always do and immediately removed them and none of them broke. So it's gotta be either they dont like bieng frozen or the ceder swelled enough to pop them just inside the 2x4's at about an inch from the head.

[RicodJour]

You should be able to bury deck screws in most all wood, which also means that the wood swelling wouldn't break the screws as it swelled up. The swelling would put an axial load on the screw and that's not how screws break - they break when too much torque or bending is applied. Sounds like some bad screws.

R