Is it better to screw or nail subfloor?
Ideally, nail down your subfloor using corrosion-resistant nails that will securely hold it in place and last a long time. Screws are a great alternative that you can easily remove, but they are not as sturdy. Screws are superior in terms of reducing floor squeaks, but the installation is slower.
How do you secure a subfloor to joists?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: The panel's maybe glued to the joists for optimal floor stiffness and reduce floor squeaks. Apply a bit of glue along the joist. And in the panel grooves.
What is used to attach the subfloor to the floor joists?
There are many types of screws for plywood and OSB subfloor. You’ll want to use #8 1-1/2 inch wood screws spaced 8 inches apart to secure a 5/8″ OSB subfloor to the floor joist or floor truss.
Should I screw or nail joists?
Screws are a “superior” fastener over a nail (they have far superior tensile strength) – especially if you’re talking about screwing down decking. Using your deck example – you should use nails to attach the joists to the deck framing but use screws to fasten down the decking itself.
What screws should be used for subfloor?
Most construction experts use 3-inch steel screws for plywood subfloors. To find out which length of screw you’ll need, you first have to know how thick the flooring is. You’ll want the screw to go about an inch past the plywood into the joist or underlying layer beneath it.
What nails should I use for subfloor?
Generally, nails (6d ring or screw shank, or 8d common) should be spaced 6 inches on center along supported panel edges and 12 inches on center on the panels’ interior supports, or as specified on the construction drawings.
How long should subfloor screws be?
If it’s wider (not likely, but possible) the subfloor can be up to 1 1/2 inches thick for a 36-inch span. The 3/4-inch-thick subfloor takes a 2-inch screw. A thicker subfloor takes a 3-inch screw.
Should I glue subfloor to joists?
The answer: Glue. Although using a subfloor adhesive (or subfloor glue) is not required by code, it is a standard practice that can help prevent floor squeaks by reducing the chance for movement at the panel-to-joist connection. A quality subfloor adhesive will also increase the overall stiffness of the floor.
What size screws 3/4 plywood subfloor?
Steel Screws
The proper steel screw sizes for securing 3/4-inch plywood to the floor joists are #8, #10 and #12 screws. The number refers to the thickness of the screw. Each is available in lengths from 1 1/4 to 3 inches. Typically, the 3-inch variety is used to secure plywood subfloors.
Why would you use nails instead of screws?
Nails are the fastener of choice when laying down hardwood floorboards because they’re not as likely to split the wood as screws and don’t mar the surface with screw heads. Nails also flex a bit more, to allow for the natural expansion and contraction of the wood, without loosening their grip.
Can I use screws for joists?
While structural nails are typically used to fasten joist hangers, you may be wondering if screws can be used instead. You can use screws explicitly made for joist hangers. However, avoid using any other types of screws as they cannot support joist loads and are not designed to withstand shear force.
When should I use nails or screws?
While screws are better fasteners when grip strength is needed and nails the best fastener for when shear strength is needed, either one will work in most situations. Even seasoned builders will use screws when a nail would have been better simply because it’s easier to remove a screw in case of a mess-up.
What are the disadvantages of screws?
Screws can rip right through certain materials, making them a poor fastener choice for weak, thin woods. Door skin (1/8-inch plywood) and similar materials may allow screw heads to sink or rip right through. Very soft woods such as balsa will also sink or dent under the pressure of a screw head being driven in.
Are construction screws stronger than nails?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: All that's all good screws hold well they you know the threads draw and they they usually hold better than a nail. But part of the problem is that most normal screws actually will snap off their shear
Is it OK to frame with screws?
Our inspectors have seen a disturbing trend of late: people using wood or deck screws when building structural elements. This means ordinary wood screws cannot be used to attach rafters to top plates, or joists to beams.
What size nails should I use for framing?
Most contractors agree that you want to use 16d nails, also referred to as 16-penny nails. These are the perfect length at 3 ½ inches. There are two distinct varieties of these 16-penny nails: common nails and sinker nails.
What size screws should I use for framing?
The most common screw for joining two-by-fours is hardened steel, structural, No. 9, 2 1/2 inches long with a Phillips head. Other screw types appropriate for studs are specialized and may be harder to find and more expensive.
How far does a screw need to go into a stud?
The ideal depth a screw should go into a stud is 3/4 of the length of the screw’s bottom part. Experts say that half of the length is alright. You’ll have to consider any material between the screw and the stud.
Should screw be longer than anchor?
Since the purpose of a drywall anchor is to stabilize a screw, it must be at least one size bigger than the screw.
How deep should wood screws go?
The general rule is that two thirds of the length of the screw should penetrate into the lower piece. For example, if the upper piece is 3⁄4” thick, I use a screw that penetrates twice this thickness (11⁄2“) into the lower piece. The total length of the screw should be in the range of 21⁄4“.
