Heco decking screw, worst quality?

[platon1980]

Built a deck with super cheap stainless steel screws from Rusta, not a single screw has broken or any plank come loose. But later built another deck and a sandbox with Heco Protect 4 42x55, nearly half of the screws have broken after a couple of years, right at the same spot, where the threads start, or a little further down on the threads.
I don’t get it, shouldn't the screws hold up better?
Sure, there might be a bad foundation causing the deck to move, but the screws should withstand some of that, right? And some boards on the sandbox have almost no load, but still the screws break.

 

[huggan]

It is more often the movement of the wood and not the loads that cause the screws to break.

 

[InsidersUnited]

The Heco screw is probably not stainless steel, it's just coated with something. I usually avoid this type outdoors. How long ago did you screw them in?

 

[platon1980]

That Heco screw is not stainless steel, it's just coated with something. I usually avoid this type outdoors. How long ago did you screw them in?

I was a bit unclear; I've built another deck with stainless steel screws, Rusta's own brand, super cheap, but they hold up really well, while Heco (which I thought was better) breaks.

 

[roli]

There is nothing wrong with Heco stainless screws, I have used them for my large deck and none of them have broken. One should not compare coated screws (expensive or cheap) with stainless screws as they are something completely different. "Protekt" screws, regardless of the brand, should not be used on pressure-treated wood, at least not the ones I have previously tried; they rust or break after a year or so...

 

[Jotsat]

For decks, stainless steel should be used. A2 or A4 depending on proximity to saltwater, but it should be stainless steel. Stainless steel bends without breaking (this can be done with finger strength), while all others (C4, Protect, etc.) have a coating, are harder, and break.

C4, Protect, etc. work excellently on covered decks where the wood does not swell and shrink several times per season.

 

[ramafred]

Stainless decking screws of better quality should not be bendable with your fingers, I'd like to add.

Certain "stainless" screws can also get surface rust, mainly from the cheaper brands, but this typically only occurs near saltwater.

 

[frankeman90]

I used Heco Protect 4 (not stainless) for my deck 4-5 years ago. 12x13 meters - lots of screws

No screws have rusted or broken. And the deck is completely exposed and has a pool in the middle.

I would use these again instead of stainless in roughly the same price range.

 

[mattiasp]

Regarding stainless screws: What the trade calls A2 is ANSI 304 (L), and what is called A4 is ANSI 316 (L). The difference is that 316 contains a bit of Mo, which makes it less sensitive to chlorides. (Cl-). These chlorides are found in saline solution, which is why one should choose A4 when salt will be present in the corrosive environment. The reason it is called acid-resistant also has to do with chlorides, since 316 has greater resistance to HCl (hydrochloric acid). How 316's resistance to other acids is, I don't know without looking at tables.

 

[Papphammar666]

I have the same problem with cheap screws etc. The ones mentioned above... what a load of crap.

I built the back side with screws from the construction site I was on two years ago, not a single screw has broken... screw in, screw out, or jump on the deck, whatever...

For the front side... oh dear I'm writing because right now I'm furious, and in the rage and all the swear words that even the neighbors got to learn, I just tore apart last year's deck... to the problem... the ones that haven't already broken snap when you try to screw them out or tighten again...

Teach me to do it right or tell me that I'm ignorant or unaware, so I don't have to hate cheap screws - crappy stores for the rest of the vacation... and 10 years after