# Composite Deck Screws



## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## jpelzer (Feb 21, 2009)

Are you using an impact driver? (Not a hammer drill) If no, go get one (the impact driver).


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

what exactly strips? the board? the hole? the head of the screw pops off? i'm confused, as usual.

DM


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## f8lyer8s (May 15, 2009)

How long are your screws? if you dont want to buy the impact driver use soap on the threads.... 2 people.... one to soap up, one to drive... i swear it works...


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## rahfiki (Jun 23, 2009)

John_F said:


> 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


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.


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

i still do not understand how they're stripping the PT unless you're hitting concrete underneath or perhaps metal?
if that's the case, use shorter screws?

DM


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

rahfiki said:


> on that beautiful expensive composite decking. You spend lots of money on that sweet decking for its looks and low maintenance.


That's a joke, my PT deck is low maintenance
Composite may need to be properly cleaned 2x a year


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

Hi Dangermouse,
I don't fully understand either, but there isn't an obstruction in the path of the screw ( the drill didn't hit anyting ), the screw starts in fine and then right at the end it stops driving and just spins. I'm stumped


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

got any pics? deck and screws?
this is too weird.... if it's wood all the way, the screw will not stop.....

DM


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## f8lyer8s (May 15, 2009)

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...


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

Here is a picture of the screw (except mine have a torx head). I'm using a 2x6 joist and a 2-1/2" screw. I don't think there can be anything under the screw to stop it. I'll try and take a picture of one of the problem screws tonight. Thanks again


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

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.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

drtbk4ever said:


> 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.


I'm with Bill. What does the manufacturer recommend?


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

if there is no plate underneath, i think ol' bill hit the nail right on the head... or the screw, as it were.

DM


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

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


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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:


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Can you get a tack puller under the head and pry up as you spin the screw?


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

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


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

Thanks guys. I'll give that a try when I get home.I'll keep you posted.
Thanks again
John


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## rahfiki (Jun 23, 2009)

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:


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## rahfiki (Jun 23, 2009)

John_F said:


> 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).


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

Report back in once you have completed that deck and please post a photo. I would love to see how it turns out.

Cheers.


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

Will do drtbk4ever


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

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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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

Thanks for posting back your results John.

The deck looks great.


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

Thanks Bill


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## II Weeks (Jan 6, 2009)

looks good. thats a ton of blocking you did and whats up with the handrail? 

By the way, we pre-drill all the trex but only the trex and about 2/3rds down. Helps eliminate that mushroom effect of those screws.

theres a way to modify these things too to speed things up


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## John_F (May 20, 2009)

I was wondering if anyone would notice the hand rail. It was the original one the builder put on. The wall that it's attached to used to be the only thing there. It seemed out of place. I (with several friends) poured the steps and my neighbor (a mason) and I built the block walls. That stub wall was just there. That hand rail is going to be replaced with a full length one and I'm going to turn the corner and come down both sides of the steps. I would like to know how you altered the spacers to speed things up.
Thanks again all,
John


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