Screws for featheredge fence? - Featheredge fence & drywall screws

[MsCabbage]

I have got about 60M of featheredge fence to put up this summer and decided to go for 38mm screws instead of nails for extra grip and ability to undo mistakes :p .

Thing is I thought outside - so use stainless steel screws - but they add nearly £1.50 to each 1.8m section - eek. However, if I use those black drywall screws it only costs pennies. I figured as plaster is wet the little blighters must be rust resistant? Even if they are a very poor relative of its stainless cousin, surely it kicks the ass of a regular nail?

Is this a reasonable idea or is it dum for some reason I am not aware of?

One day I will get the courage to reply to someone else's post - I certainly read a lot of them!

[alan ditchfield]

Personally i would stick with ribbed grip nails, firstly the job will look tidier as they are not as visible as screws, secondly you are likeley to split the boards with screws and you will find it a lot cheaper, faster and just as strong using the nails.

[Tool]

i screw everything personally the hammer and nails went out with noah.

i use two drills, one with a drill bit in the other with the screw driver bit.

or you could buy a flip driver if you only have one drill.

Go for a external screw you will need a 4/35 or a 4.5/38.

The only time i use a hammer these days is knocking in noggins when i am decking.

my m8 who is a joiner said his has gone rusty lol.

[dig dug dan]

Hammer and nails may be dead, but the compressed air nailgun isn't!
I use one, coupled to a portable compressor, that fires 2" ring nails. Using this method, I can nail up a 3m section of closeboarded in around 5 minutes.
This method allows the nail head to sink in slightly making it almost impossible to prize off the board.
Screws wont be any stronger, they are more expensive, but if you have plenty of time, why not. You needn't worry about mistakes, if you are careful, and use a level at regular intervals, you cant get it wrong.
the hammer and nails are not dead,They're just semi-retired! :;):

[MsCabbage]

Gosh! - A war has started between 'The Screw' and the 'The Nail'

Thanks for the input all!

[Tony McC]

As much as I enjoy a good screw, I have to admit to being a nail man when it comes to fences.

It's a fence, for chrissakes! There's more important things to be doing!