More and more professional decks are going composite! But what holds this miracle material together when it comes to your deck? What’s the big deal about composite deck screws? And why do our pros love them? The Deck Supply has all the answers you need to get decking done right. Here’s everything you need to know about the screws that hold professional decks together.
Our Favorites
The Deck Supply loves to put all of our products to the test, so you can be sure we trust every recommendation we offer. Our pros factor in the cost, quality, and construction of every screw we test. This is why we have a short list that we offer our customers.
CAMO Composite Deck Screw 2-1/2″ With Color Match
Our first recommendation comes with decades of engineering put into one small solution. With a Type 99 double slash point, the augers efficiently cut through material while the trilobular shank reduces torque and prevents mushrooming. By reducing stress on the composite board with precisely cut threads, these composite deck screws leave a clean finish with a uniquely shaped head and color match to camouflage perfectly.
CAMO DRIVE 2-1/2″ Collated Face Screws
These are the perfect composite deck screws when you need to keep time and money in mind. These have the same great technology that the previously mentioned screws do—with one key advantage.
The CAMO drive system is essentially a semi-automatic screw gun. Gone are the days of bending over and carefully drilling each individual screw at a time. The DRIVE system attaches to your drill to fasten entire boards in seconds, not minutes. CAMO’s unique system and these affordable composite deck screws make easy composite decking installation a reality.
CAMO DRIVE 2-3/8″ Collated Edge Screw
CAMO also includes a specially designed screw for non-capped composite decking as well. Non-capped composite decking does not include PVC coatings, but we recommend using the same composite screws in our previous recommendations. These are some of the most versatile composite deck screws we offer due to their ease of use on both green and pre-treated wood as well. While typical composite screws work very differently than wood screws, this option blends the best of both worlds.
What’s Different?
To understand why using true composite deck screws is so important, you need to understand how they work. To the untrained eye, the design may look similar to your run-of-the-mill wood deck screws found at any old hardware store. But in reality, the only similarity these screws have with typical hardware is the function.
Heads
At first glance, you’ll notice the head of these screws looks very different from your typical bugle head. That’s because composite decking’s composition typically presents a common issue called mushrooming. This is where the auger pulls so hard on the material that it brings up a small dimple in the board. As the composite screw completes the connection, this unique head minimizes this dimple leaving a uniform surface.
Threads
As you take a closer look, you will notice that the threads are also very different. Again, this is due to the unique nature of composite materials. Composite deck boards are comprised of fine wood particles held together by industrial bonding agents and coated in PVC. To cut into this ultra-durable material, the threads use an auger tip. As the screw makes its way into the material, the threads change directions to reduce mushrooming.
Stop Screwing Around!
Now that you know all about composite deck screws, what are you waiting for? Get your deck done right with a stop into our showroom, or fill up your cart online! For more insights, sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the down-low on all things decking.