Which is Better for Fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga: Nails or Screws?
The type of fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga you use should always be chosen based on project parameters.
Nails and screws each have their own benefits and drawbacks, and can’t necessarily be used interchangeably. If you are working on a project that has a detailed plan, you are better off following the plan to the letter and using whatever type of fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga it recommends. If, however, you are working on a DIY project, you may have greater flexibility to choose your own fasteners.
Grove Construction Hardware carries a huge variety of nails, screws, bolts, and other fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga for all kinds of applications, from concrete and sheet metal to drywall and wood. To simplify matters, this post will focus only on screws and nails for wood.
Load Type
One of the biggest factors to consider when choosing your fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga is what type of load the fastener will be subjected to. There are basically two types of forces or loads that a nail or screw must resist: shear and pull-out. Shear forces want to slide two pieces of wood apart, while pull-out forces want to pull the wood apart. In general, screws are better for resisting pull-out forces, while nails are better for resisting shear forces.
This is easy to see for yourself—just try to pop out a fastener with the claw end of your hammer. The nail will slide out, while the screw won’t budge. Now drive a fastener partway into the wood and hit it from the side with your hammer. The nail will bend but the screw may snap. This isn’t to say that nails can never be used in situations involving pull-out forces and screws can’t be used where shear forces are present. You must simply make sure you choose a fastener that has sufficient length and material strength to resist the forces. Some nails have patterns on the shanks to improve hold, and some structural screws are engineered to better resist shear forces.
Driving Ease
Nails are typically easier to drive than screws, especially if you have a nail gun. However, screws are easier to remove without risking damage to your wood. It’s basically a trade off in this respect—do you want to spend time drilling pilot holes for screws, knowing you will be able to remove them easily if you make a mistake, or are you confident enough to use time-saving nails?
Impact on Durability
One problem that screws can bring is potential damage to the wood. Screws are typically thicker than nails due to their threads, and may cause wood to split. The larger holes may encourage moisture and rot more quickly than smaller nail holes would. It’s also easier to accidentally over-tighten a screw, driving the head down below the surface of the wood, which will not only look ugly but also potentially shorten the life of the wood.
Before You Decide
Before you make a final decision regarding the type of fasteners in Rancho Cucamonga CA to use, consult the experts. You can ask the pros at Grove Construction Hardware for advice, and also be sure to talk to your municipal building department to make sure a deck or other project using screws will be eligible to pass inspection.
