Adirondack Chair Screws

[RJT123]

Calls for SS or solid brass wood screws. Seems like coated deck screws would work. SS and brass are really soft. What y'all using? Where ya buying?

[jamesglenn]

Calls for SS or solid brass wood screws. Seems like coated deck screws would work. SS and brass are really soft. What y'all using? Where ya buying?

I actually build mine with exterior grade pocket screws. But if I have an exposed screw, then I use the SS trim screws. No rust and only have a small hole.

[cams2705]

I just used some SS screws for an outdoor project.  No problems at all if you pre-drill.  I also scrape each screw on a block of paraffin wax (from the canning aisle in the grocery store) as lube.  Never had one break.

Also ... I always order things like this through McMaster-Carr (SS Screws)

[Splinter Puller]

Calls for SS or solid brass wood screws. Seems like coated deck screws would work. SS and brass are really soft. What y'all using? Where ya buying?

I use coated deck screws for everything outside.  They last longer then the wood they are usually attached to.  No issues unless you sand the finish off.

[Admiral]

I use coated deck screws for everything outside.  They last longer then the wood they are usually attached to.  No issues unless you sand the finish off.

Mine are made with coated deck screws; but I painted the chairs, made of plain old pine (but with 5/4 pine for the long and vertical legs as I have 300 lb relatives and need the extra support); 9 years now, every two years I put a light coat of house paint on them and they look as good as the day I made them. When I made them I primed before assembly, then two coats of white latex house paint. I'll see some rust poking through the paint, maybe every 5 or 6 screws, but none have failed so far.... I try and keep it simple.

[R Clark]

I use coated deck screws for everything outside.  They last longer then the wood they are usually attached to.  No issues unless you sand the finish off.

+1.

I have a couple of adirondack chairs right now that are awaiting refinishing; the chairs were built with coated deck screws.  They've been out in the Midwest weather since 2007; no issues and just as rock solid as ever.

[barnowl]

I built a seasonal fence to refrain our dogs from the pool in the winter.

The sections were fastened to each other with lag bolts, 

but the components were assembled with galvanized deck screws that I bought from Home Depot.

When our dogs passed, and I disassembled everything, and the deck screws were but a mere shell of their former self.

Just a rusty wire surrounded by rust.

I'd use Stainless.

[daddo]

Coated construction screws. They just aid in the glued joints.

[R Clark]

... assembled with galvanized deck screws that I bought from Home Depot.

... and the deck screws were but a mere shell of their former self.

Just a rusty wire surrounded by rust.

I'd use Stainless.

Yeah, galvanized screws will corrode like that.

I've used coated deck screws almost exclusively on outdoor projects and fix-ups over the past 15 years. If I disassemble something, I always keep those coated deck screws for reuse.  The screws are designed for treated lumber, but I use them on almost everything.  If I don't want to see the screws in the finished project, then I'll plug the holes.  That's what I did on the adirondack chairs.

I buy Grip-fast brand at Menard's.  About $23 for a 5lb box.  I keep a 5lb box each of 2, 3, and 4 inch screws on hand in the shop.

[Rich_Dixon]

I've built over 100 of Norm's Adirondack chairs. Some from PT lumber (hey, it was the late 90's), most from Cypress.

In the early years, I used the cheap lumber yard galvanized deck screws, well, because that is about all that was available. I then graduated up to McFeely's square drive galvanized deck screws. I don't think I ever used stainless, maybe once or twice.

If I were building them today, I'd use the DeckMate coated screws that you buy at HD or hardware stores. In fact, I'm using them in replacing the deck boards on our deck now.

I financed many woodworking tools and other small expenditures over the years building those chairs. I'd build 10 at a time. It wasn't hard to find 5 people to buy a couple at $100/each (cypress), especially in late spring. I'd try to do 2 rounds of 10. One in February right as the income tax refunds were hitting and one in early April as people were buying stuff for outdoors.