My first deck install after watching that YouTube guy

I spent last Saturday replacing three rotted boards on my back deck in Portland after watching a 20 minute video from some guy named Mike. He kept saying to pre-drill every hole even with deck screws, so I did it and not a single board split on me. Has anyone else found a random channel that actually saves you time instead of making things more complicated?

3 comments

3 Comments

kellys787d ago

Pre-drilling every hole on three boards? That's overkill. Mike's just covering his ass so you don't blame him if the wood splits, most decks have been fine with screws going straight in for decades.

dianaanderson6d agoMost Upvoted

But what about the fastener itself... if you're using coated screws or ones with a special thread pattern, driving them straight in can strip the coating off before it even seats, leaving bare metal against the wood. That's how you get rust streaks down your deck boards two years later, especially in wet climates. Pre-drilling keeps the coating intact so the screw actually does its job long term.

hart.sage6d ago

And coated screws are getting pricier too, so why risk ruining them.