How Long Should Wood Fence Screws Be

I ve installed this kind of fence for 15 years so i know what works and only one screw per stringer is a bad idea as the pickets will eventually cup.

How long should wood fence screws be. On the other hand the threads of general purpose wood screws often lead a smooth shank past the screw shaft s halfway point. 3 screws for fence pickets as of august 2020. Good job on the three 2x4s that s exactly as it should be. To attach individual pickets to the backer rails we recommend 8d to 10d nails or 1 1 4 in.

Considering that rule and the fact that a finished 2 4 is 1 5 x 3 5 inches you would need a 4 5 inches long screw to attach it to another piece of wood. These need to be about 1 from each side. While utility screws are typically 8 or 10 gauge steel wood screws are available in a much wider selection of gauge diameters. Whether you choose to use screws or nails the length is crucial to the success of your fence.

Grip rite prime guard maxs62690 screws are high quality hard to strip due to their stainless steel. It says that the anchor length of a fastener should be twice that of the workpiece you are fastening. I have always put at least two 2 nails per stringer for a total of 6 nails per picket. Made from stainless steel these screws require no extra coating as their strength and durability is built from the material itself.

Larger gauge numbers indicate screws with thicker shafts. To attach preassembled panels or backer rails to posts we recommend 18d to 20d nails or 3 1 2 in. The type of wood screws used on a wooden fence rail are often called deck screws.