Deck Fasteners of Stainless Steel

Q. Your last caller of the program wanted to know if
he should use galvanized fasteners to build a cedar deck.

Your associate said tha glanvanized fasteners would stain the deck and that your company uses stainless steel fasteners. Please clarify.

A. Stainless fasteners are the PREFERRED choice by both the
western cedar association (WRCA) and the treated wood manufacturers.

Galvanized fasteners are used because they are.....well, cheaper! But they come with a risk. Builders and homeowners are being sold electroplated galvanized nails and screws, which have proven to not hold up to either chemical wood treatment, or to the weather and humidity of exterior decks. Their coating breaks down over time and results in the steel nail rusting and black streaks on the wood.

The best fastener remains stainless steel. They never rust the wood and their increased cost is minimal compared to the total cost of the wood deck.

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