What Size Screws For Decking Joists

For indoors use common not sinker type nails.

What size screws for decking joists.

Decking screws are coated for corrosion resistance are sharp tapered and self sinking. For deck framing structural wood screws such as simpson sds 1 5 screws work with joist and stringer hangers as well as post beam brackets. Joist spacing o c 12 16 24 species. Then use spacers at each joist to keep the gap between boards consistent and to keep the boards running straight.

For best results refer to our wood and composite deck joist span table. Toenail joists to the ledger. Toenail decking joists into position along the wall ledger using a galvanized 16d nail. 6 gauge 1 inch screws are suitable for attaching these.

Align the first row with the chalk line and nail or screw the boards to the joists. For example a 2x8 joist hanger is about 6 5 8 inches tall. Screws come in an astonishing array of styles. As with your joists stair stringers are supporting a load which is why you want to use nails instead of screws to attach them to your deck.

Railing posts require diameter galvanized or stainless steel through bolts while railings will need 3 5 coated deck screws for balusters and rails. With a cordless drill driver you can drive them about as fast as nails. Lateral joists are often hung from the rim joist by means of joist hangers. A good all around choice is 10 decking screws generally in 2 1 2 to 3 1 2 inch lengths.

In typical deck construction with a ledger on one side of the joist and beam on the other the size of the joists is driven by the size of the deck and based on the general maximum spans mentioned above. Although standard deck screws aren t designed to provide the type of strength required by joist hangers there are several nails and screw like fasteners perfectly suited for the job. As with the deck boards that make up the floor of your deck you need to use the same 3 1 2 inch deck screws to attach the stair treads to the stringers. Remember nails bend but won t break like screws.

For outdoor work use hot dipped galvanized nails. Joist hangers are sized by joist depth and run about 1 2 inch shorter than the nominal size of the joist you can size deck joists by referring to table r507 6 in the 2018 irc which lists spans for deck joists sized from 2x6 to 2x12. Note that the most reliable way to determine the right fastener for a particular product is to consult the manufacturer s guidelines.