9 Best Deck Screw for Pressure Treated Wood-(Reviews & Guide)

One of the most common mistakes made while handling a decking project is the use of wrong fasteners for decking. To get the most out of your wood decking, you have to use the best deck screws for pressure-treated wood.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for hobby builders – and sometimes even professionals – to use traditional steel screws on treated wood. Maybe they don’t know how to tell if lumber is pressure treated or it’s downright ignorance.

Consequently, the copper-based preservatives used in treating timber corrodes these screws quickly, leading to architectural failure.

Even when you learn that specific types of screws are designed to help enhance and maintain structural stability in decking, choosing becomes difficult. And there is a whole lot to choose from! This post makes things simpler by sampling and providing you with deck screws for pressure treated wood reviews

Best Deck Screw for Pressure Treated Wood

• Bolt Dropper Stainless Wood Screw – (Best for resisiting corrossion)
• Eagle Claw Stainless Steel Deck Screws – (Best stainless steel screws)
• SNUG Fasteners Tan Fence & Deck Screws – (Best for long-lasting hold)
• Power Pro Hillman Premium Exterior Wood Screw – (Best steel grade screws)
• Bolt Dropper Stainless Steel Screw– (Best for thin wood decks)
• CAMO Edge Deck Screws – (Best hidden screws for wood decking)
• Power Pro 48611 Premium No Strip Wood Screw – (Best 3″ wood screw)
• FastenMaster GuardDog Exterior Wood Screw – (Best for easy and fast driving)
• Simpson Strong-Tie SD9212R100#9×2.5 – (Best for fastening connectors to thick widths)

Best Deck Screws for Pressure Treated Wood (Updated List)

Following our comprehensive research, we bring you the best deck screw for pressure treated wood. You can trust to perfect your project with this list.

1.  Best for Resisting Corrosion-Bolt Dropper Stainless

Is the fear of corrosion your major concern? Well, now you have nothing to be scared of. Bolt Dropper 18-8 (304) marine grade screw is a 100% solid stainless steel screw specially designed to withstand the corrosive effects of wood preservatives.

Pressure treated cedar and redwood lumber are considered the most problematic materials to work with whenever corrosion is the subject. But this product gracefully weathers all the storm these materials can throw at it. And it gets better; Bolt Dropper #12 x 2 ½” is also perfect for constructing decks near saltwater.

The manufacturers meant it when they offered a life-time guarantee on this product. Various user experience testimonies have shown them to be truly corrosion-resistant as much as the manufacturers claim. Thus, this screw for cedar is easy to see why they are a favorite for professionals and hobby builders, both for interior and exterior applications.

Key Features

• 100% pure marine grade stainless steel, without coatings or finish. It is not prone to chipping.
• Guaranteed life-time corrosion- resistance, it can be used anywhere.
• Deep cut Phillips drive ensures no stripping
• Truss head with integrated washer allowing for evenly distributed load
• Coarse threads – ensures easy fastening and compatibility with softer materials.

PROS

Doesn’t strip
Good for interior and exterior applications
Good price for value
Easy fastening

CON

They are not self-tapping, therefore, might need to pre-drill.

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2. Best Stainless Steel Screws -Eagle Claw Steel Deck Screws

This is a highly recommended product when working on any sort of pressurized wood structure, decks inclusive. They are suitable for use in moist environments, a defining factor that makes them well recommended for outdoor deck applications, especially in coastal areas.

Just like the Bolt Dropper, this fastener is made using stainless steel. In turn, this feature makes it resistant to corrosion. While some corrosion-resistant screws cannot withstand the corrosive effects of cedar and redwood, Eagle Claw stainless steel deck screw stands supreme against those effects.

Also, they hardly ever leave marks or rust stains on the deck boards due to their stainless steel nature. This product is suitable for all types of deck woods, be it softwood, hardwood, or pressure treated woods.

Features

• Made of stainless steel
• Torx (T25) tip for non-split drilling
• Torx driver included
• Comes with a star drive bit
• Flat head for neater finishes

PROS

Versatile, it can be used on all pressure treated lumber.
Allows for easy driving due to type 17 point
Suitable for use in all outdoor applications

CON

It is not so strong

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3. Best for Long-Lasting Hold-SNUG Fasteners Screws

This product comes off as one of the cheapest but strong screws in the market. It is coated using an ultra-guard tan coating, which also makes it a high-performing corrosion-resistant screw – it is less prone to rust and other corrosion effects.

Its distinctive characteristic is the ability to maintain a consistent hold on wood materials for a very long time. The principal material composition of the screw is stainless steel, which further reinforces the product’s status as a strong material to work with.

Features

• Possesses a star drive recess and bugle head, which allows for easy installation
• Fully threaded with sharp cutting edges to provide long-lasting hold.
• Premium ultra-guard tan coating prevents screws from rust and corrosion effects of treated wood.
• Stainless steel composition makes it suitable for other applications such as fencing.

PROS

It’s a strong screw.
Resistant to rust and corrosion.
Can be used on all pressure treated woods, including redwood and cedar.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Doesn’t strip

CONS

Coating color tends more towards gold-ish than tan.
Doesn’t really blend with materials.

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4. Best Steel Grade Framing Screw-Power Pro 48610

If you need some framing done on your decking, then this is the screw you should be looking for – they are simply the best. That aside, with a standardized 1,000-hour salt spray test conducted under ASTM B116, they have been proven to be incredibly resistant to corrosion and rust. This is all thanks to their epoxy bronze ceramic coating.

Accordingly, they are designed with both professional users and hobby builders in mind, as their designs allow for easy use and reduced probabilities of wood splitting. The patented design also means that you don’t have to pre-drill before driving in your screws.

The major composite of its makeup is 1022 grade steel, a solid material that assures the product’s durability. As an additional peck, the bronze polymer coating allows the screw to blend in with most wood finishes. They are best used for attaching planks to joists.

Features

• No strip star drive with six points of contact allows compatibility with high torque applications
• Counter-sinking blades to ensure even surfacing at the entry point.
• Bore-fast thread means you don’t have to pre-drill.
• No split twist shank prevents splitting.

PROS

Great product for treated decking
Easy workability
Durable
Fast-sinking and counter-sinking abilities
Head doesn’t break with an impact driver

CON

Slightly expensive

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5. Best for Thin Wood Decks-Bolt Dropper Stainless Steel Screw

This is the second entry a Bolt Dropper product is making in this list, this time around as a top choice flat head screw for working on thin wood decks. Unlike the first entry, this doesn’t boast of a life-time guarantee on its corrosion-resistance abilities, but it stands bold as one of the best there is.

It comprises a Black E-coating, which is one of the best materials for coating metals against corrosion. This product possesses a self-drilling head, which means that you don’t have to pre-drill a pilot hole before driving it in, as the sharp point allows it to cut through materials with ease.

It is made of stainless steel, which to a great extent assures its durability

Features

• Type 17 self-drilling point
• Black E-Coating against corrosion and rust
• Stainless steel composition
• Flat head with Phillips drive

PROS

Highly durable
Very strong. Can be used on hardwood and metal
It is self-drilling
Corrosion resistance against wood preservatives

CON

Low price, compromising quality

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6.  Best for Wood Decking-CAMO Edge Deck Screws

If you are keen on having a neatly finished deck, the CAMO Edge is a good choice to start from, especially if you are working with pressure treated wood. You don’t only want your project to come out neat with the priming and painting pressure-treated wood deck only, but also want to ensure the fasteners on it are not prone to corrosion.

This product comes highly recommended for installing fastener-free deck surfaces and securing joists firmly to limit boards from moving. It features a patented rake tip that eliminates the possibility of cracking or splitting.

Another impressive patent this model boasts of is the ProTech coating, which surpassed a 1,500-hour salt spray test to stamp the screw’s credibility as a corrosion-resistant material. Thus, it is perfect for use on treated lumber, both in outdoor and indoor use. 

Features

• Truss head for easy driving.
• ProTech coated edge. Suitable for treated decking.
• Patented rake tip

PROS

Can be used in coastal environments, saltwater inclusive.
Doesn’t require a pilot hole
Doesn’t split materials

CON

 Its holding capability is arguable

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7.  Best 3” Wood Screw-Power Pro 48611 Premium

If you are conversant with industry techniques, then you should be familiar with Hillman screws and probably wouldn’t be surprised to see their product making another entry in this list. Power Pro 48611 is quite similar to the 48611 model, with just slight differences in their structure.

This product comes highly recommended as the best 3inch deck screw for use with treated lumber. It is a wood-friendly product with a no-split twist shank, which eliminates the possibility of wood splitting or cracking. Additionally, it possesses a StarDrive technology – a design that allows for effortless screw-driving by eliminating cam-outs.

Features

• Counter-sinking blades to ensure tight grip
• 6 points no-strip start drive allowing for the maximization of drive torque
• No split twist shank prevents wood splitting and reduce drive friction
• Bore-fast thread eliminating the need for pre-drilling
• 1022 grade steel with bronze polymer coating

PROS

Corrosion-resistant
Doesn’t require pre-drilling
Easy to use
Compatible with all types of treated lumber

CON

The price is costly.

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8. Best for Easy and Fast Driving-FastenMaster GuardDog

During deck installation, it is the smallest thing that could cap your productivity. In this case, screws could be the culprit, especially when they don’t allow for smooth, effortless driving. FMGD212-350 is a delight to work with, most especially because of the ease of driving.

The combination of a flat, bugle head with a pozisquare drive makes for an ergonomic design, which also prevents wood stripping and cam-outs. However, the defining characteristic that makes these screws easy to work with is their sharp points and thread, which boosts fastening and secures the screw in a firm, fixed position.

Features

• Pozisquare drive to eliminate cam-out
• Versatile head style
• GuardDog’s sharp thread for quick penetration and lucking

PROS

Corrosion-resistant – Specially coated for ACQ treated lumber, copper azole, cedar, and redwood.
Increased productivity
Compatible with other driver bits

CON

Pozisquare drive are sometimes incompatible with screws

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9. Best for Fastening Connectors to Thick Widths-Simpson Strong-Tie

These are mechanically galvanized structural screws, rated as one of the best connector screws for working with pressure treated woods – they are code and ACQ compliant. Thanks to the hex-head comprising a built-in flange, driving and gripping become a very easy task.

If you are working on a decking project, you would definitely need these to fasten your structural connectors to two or three-ply beams or other thicker wood widths.

Features

• Hex head with built-in flange/washer
• Screw-in hooks included

PROS

Highly dependable with pressure treated decking
High load rating
Meets all national building codes for decks
Very easy to use with impact drill
Corrosion-resistant

CON

Some screw heads might come with excess coating, hindering full engagement.

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Factors to Consider when Buying Deck Screws for Pressure Treated Wood

Being able to make an informed choice while buying screws for your pressure treated wood deck is a step in the right direction towards ensuring the durability of your decking. Though it is not really a cause for concern, it helps a bit to know the preservatives used in treating woods for decking.

With that out of the way, let us take a look at some of the most important factors to consider.

1. Screw Type

Each new year sees the advent of new types of screws in the market, each promising to help you achieve one thing or the other. It takes some level of experience to be able to differentiate one screw type from the other appropriately. As a matter of fact, there is a lot to learn about screws suitable for wood decking.

Screw types are differentiated into different categories based on their tips, coating, and recesses. Across these categories, some of the identifying features help determine their suitability for wood decking projects. The features for each category as listed below.

  Screw tips:

• Auger tip
• Serrated tip
• Fluted tip

Recesses:

• Phillips drive
• Phillips/square drive
• Square drive
• Torx (star) drive

Coating:

• Stainless steel
• Silicone bronze
• Steal coatings (up to six types)

2.  Area of Usage

Are you constructing a wood deck for interior or exterior use? Is the board hard or medium? Is it thick or thin? Is it for a trailer floorboard? Which part of the deck do you need the screws for – the ledger, connectors, framing, joist, blocking, or deck boards?

Just as various parts and components of your electrical appliances are fastened using different screws or nuts, so are various parts of your decking fastened with different types of screws. Bear this in mind when buying screws and ask for recommendations, and you can be sure of avoiding various technical issues while working.

Related: How to screw into wood without Drill

3.  Screw Quality

Sure enough, you will see lots of screws with all the bells and whistles promising unfailing perfection. But really, how are you sure that the screw you are getting is of top quality? For decking, the best quality screws are mostly, if not always, screws made of stainless steel.

You should note that while this does not negate the quality of other screw types, it does not assure the quality of stainless steel screws as absolute. However, it is certain that screws that have positive results after being test-rated for a minimum of 1,000 hours are more likely to be of good quality than those that weren’t.

Also, check to know if the screws in question are code compliant. Fasteners certified within relevant industry codes are likely to be of good quality, assuming that they have undergone some industry-specific tests before being awarded the compliance.

4.  Corrosion-Resistant Feature

There is no definitive determinant that slams the gavel on corrosion resistance qualities of screws. Some screws might do better in some types of pressure treated wood than they would in others. When buying woods for your deck, the trick is to ask the seller if there are recommended screws and fasteners for that particular wood.

For example, a lot of deck screws are not suitable for redwood and cedar decking. This is due to the fact that the composite tannic acids used in treating them can corrode most corrosion-resistant screws. In cases like these, multicoated screws with proprietary anti-corrosion technologies are easily the best tools for the task.

With that said, it is important to know that irrespective of the coating applied, any screw can be corroded. The underlying difference is that while some might corrode quickly, others would take a very long time.

FAQs

What Screws are Best for Pressure Treated Wood?

The best screws for pressure treated wood are coated or multicoated screws with square-drive or Torx recesses, and the tips should either be serrated, fluted or auger tips. However, the design of the screw might be, it must be a corrosion-resistant screw; otherwise, the following results after decking might not be satisfactory.

ii. Do You Need Special Screws for Pressure Treated Wood?

Yes, you do. In the preservative-treated wood industry, stainless steel and hot-dip galvanized fasteners are the most recommended options for working on pressure treated lumber. It is important to ask for the composition of the chemicals used in treating the wood. This would help you determine the best screw to use on the lumber, with minimal risk of corrosion.

iii. Can I Use Galvanized Screws in Pressure Treated Wood?

Yes, you could. Hot-dip galvanized screws are generally recommended for woods treated with copper-based preservatives. Whether the wood is treated with traditional Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), Copper Azole (CAB), or Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ), hot-dip galvanized screws are mostly preferred over stainless steel screws.

However, electroplated galvanized metal screws are not recommended for exterior applications.

iv. Is Pressure Treated Wood Safe for Decks?

Yes, they are. However, there are some Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerns over the safety of CCA-treated wood. Still, in the same line, EPA has also confirmed that by following simple maintenance and precautionary practices, CCA-treated wood can be regarded as safe for family use.

v. What Size of Deck Screw do I Need?

This is a bit dependent on the features of the wood you are working on regarding their width or thickness. However, the minimum length for deck screws is 2 ½ inches, though the commonly available screw size is 3 inches. The thickness of the surface should help you decide which screw to use.

Again, you need to check your screw gun. For more inspiration, you can read our best deck screw gun reviews.

What are the best screws for hanging cabinets?

The best screws for cabinets are those that are strong, durable, and able to hold the weight of the cabinet securely. Some of the best options include cabinet screws, deck screws, and structural screws. Ultimately, the specific screw you choose will depend on the type of cabinet and the installation method.

What’s the Best Screw for Pressure Treated Wood

There are quite several deck screws out there, but those listed above are the best deck screws for pressure treated wood. In all, the common similarity is drawn from their ability to resist corrosion, a defect that traditional screws suffer when used with treated timber.

Bolt Dropper stainless wood screw #12 comes out as the top pick in this review of deck screws for pressure-treated woods, and rightly so for some reason. The model encompasses all the necessary features a screw can ever need to thrive in treated wood – more so, they are affordable.

Nevertheless, always bear in mind to check with your wood retailer to know if there are features you need to know about the deck boards,so you are properly informed on the screws to purchase.