Warning for Biltema's decking screw

[Scsi]

No one mentioned, no one forgotten. But several of the brands you mention above are purchased from Asia in large batches. The majority of the screws only receive their surface treatment here in Sweden. I believe more in what many mention about a bad batch. I have personally assembled decking with biltema screws and it still holds after 4 years.

 

[total]

This is the first time I'm reading here about problems with Biltema decking screws.

I've read about 20-30 people having issues with their screws from ESSVE breaking.
(and that's on a forum for carpenters)

See this link as an example:
https://jarnbyggfarg.se/nyheter/743-kunder-klagar-essves-skruvar-gar-av

And the solution that several have already mentioned is to use A4 stainless and skip the cheap C4.

 

[HenkB]

Essve, you'd be hard-pressed to find worse screws...

 

[HenkB]

ESSVE...you'll have to look hard to find a worse screw...

 

[Simsgrodan]

Have had similar problems with kvailtetsmärken when trying to screw in the screws. I now set a lower torque, if it's hard to turn I'm warned. If you go through a larger knot, I think most screws will have problems. If most of them break, you should complain, that's not how it should work. I've never had problems with the screws breaking later on.

 

[Winsa]

I just want to share a warning about Biltema's decking screws, see images below. I installed 20 sqm of decking in spring 2018, the first 15 with screws of an unknown brand and about 5 sqm with Biltema's screws.
There are no problems with the unknown brand but now I notice that about 90% of Biltema's screws have simply broken.
It’s hard to find worse crap and I hope not many of you have bought and used the same junk!

[image] [image]

I bought Jula's 55 mm stainless decking screws. After two years. No problems. No problems when they were fastened about 400 pieces. About 50% cheaper than at Biltema, too

 

[Anders_Nilsson]

Sorry, I wrote the wrong question, it shouldn't be who but why?
It seems better to me to buy a screw that is made of stainless steel and is tough. The C4 screw only has a protected surface and is hard and breaks easily. Made from the worst steel. It's designed to be cheap. Or have I misunderstood this?

Yes, you have misunderstood. Most people trust that well-known brands are honest with the customer. Most people don’t have much knowledge in metallurgy. If a respected brand says that their C4 decking screw is the one they recommend for outdoor decking, people trust that. This is the very idea of brands, that you know what they stand for and that you can trust what they say. Or not, if it is a junk brand.

 

[M.Eriksson]

Similar to when I bought screws at a construction firm (can't remember which, don't want to blame the wrong one). They broke right at the head when I tightened them by hand. Where was I screwing? An angle bracket on the dining table..... Damn, I was furious... Every screw that went into a newly drilled hole broke. So, it took 2 screws per hole...

Was it a screw with a countersunk head or with a flat underside?

If it was countersunk, it's not surprising that it broke as you get too poor a contact surface, I've unfortunately made similar mistakes myself but have now learned how important it is to use the right screw for the right type of job.

Similar to when I bought screws at a construction firm (can't remember which, don't want to blame the wrong one). They broke right at the head when I tightened them by hand. Where was I screwing? An angle bracket on the dining table..... Damn, I was furious... Every screw that went into a newly drilled hole broke. So, it took 2 screws per hole...

 

[Kjell grebo]

I just want to share a warning about Biltema's decking screws, see pictures below. I laid 20 sqm of decking in the spring of 2018, the first 15 with screws of an unknown brand and about 5 sqm with Biltema's screws.
The unknown brand is fine, but now I notice that about 90% of Biltema's screws have simply broken off.
You'd be hard-pressed to find worse junk, and I hope not many of you have bought and used the same rubbish!

[image] [image]

I also bought these junk screws, which break off.
Put them on the blacklist.

 

[optimum]

Try to bend the screw yourself. Take two pliers and try to break the screw in the middle.
Good stainless steel screws are hard to bend off, and cheap screws break immediately.

If they are then placed in decking that changes dimensions depending on whether it is dry or wet, you can understand what will happen with a bad screw. It might work with the old standard of 22x95 decking but not as most people now lay 28x120 or 28x145 or 34x145.

 

[Grävkalle]

The only decking screws I've had problems with are Essves, what crap! I ended up throwing away the packages and using Byggmax instead. Since then, I've only used "low-priced" screws and have had very few problems with them, it's basically only if you try to screw into a knot. However, I have never experienced a mounted screw breaking.

 

[dulle85]

I only buy screws from well-known brands because I trust them.

It's important not to mount the decking boards too tightly together because when the boards expand, the decking will buckle, and the screws will break.

Wet decking dries, creating gaps.

 

[dulle85]

Try bending the screw yourself. Take two pliers and try to snap the screw in the middle. Good stainless steel screws are hard to bend and cheap poor-quality screws break immediately.

If they are then in decking that changes dimension depending on whether it is dry or wet, you understand what will happen with bad screws. It might work in the old standard with 22x95 decking but not as most now lay 28x120 or 28x145 or 34x145

Have Essve screws on 34x145, all are holding. 110 sqm.

 

[Henke203]

I have used most screws available on the market and I've come to the conclusion that it's not always the price that determines quality.
Essve is expensive and mediocre, although they have a really good system with their bags/boxes.
Fast is a really good brand, in my opinion, which I buy when it's for quick projects.
But now, when I'm about to start a project, I order real screws from https://www.proffsproduktershop.se clearly among the best I've used at a price none of the others can compete with.
PS: I don't work for Proffsprodukter and I'm not sponsored by them either S

 

[optimum]

Hardened deck screws that undergo surface treatment can encounter quality issues due to hydrogen ingress into the material. Thus, during the surface treatment of hardened steel, so-called hydrogen embrittlement can occur. It is the process within the surface treatment that adds hydrogen via the baths in which the screw is dipped, as well as the current applied to the process. The current releases hydrogen from the baths, which can consist of hydrochloric acid and other substances.

Properly managed, one should conduct hydrogen embrittlement out of the material during surface treatment. If not done correctly, the screws become brittle and easily crack.

These issues can occur with any brand of screws, but those with proper quality assurance in their processes should detect flaws in the process so that faulty products do not reach customers.