We've rebuilt more decks and fences due to failed fasteners than actual wood rot. The lumber's usually fine. It's the cheap screws that we needed to replace. Destroyed by the same copper preservatives that protect the wood.
After 28 years in timber construction, we know what works and what fails. We've kept track of the best products for every job, and here's our list of the best screws for pressure treated wood that don't let us down.
TL;DR
- The best screws for pressure treated decking and fencing are Eagle Claw 304 SS screws.
- The best pressure treated screws for coastal use are Eagle Claw 316 SS screws.
- The best premium alternative is Simpson DWP SS deck screws.
- The best budget option pressure treated screws are Simpson coated wood screws.
- The best structural pressure treated fasteners are Simpson SDWS 316 SS screws.
- The best pressure treated fasteners for hardwood decking is Simpson DPHD SS screws.
What Screws to Use on Pressure-Treated Wood?
The best screws to use on pressure-treated fences and decks are hot-dipped galvanized screws (the building code minimum), 304 SS, and 316 SS screws.
Material and coating matter most, but the screw design itself determines whether it'll actually work in pressure-treated lumber.
How To Choose The Best Pressure Treated Fasteners
You can have the best pressure treated fasteners in the world, but if the fastener has wrong threads or a cheap Phillips head, you're still fighting splits and stripped bits all day.
Here are the features of the best screws for treated lumber for your fences, decks, and more:
1. Coarse threads
Treated lumber swells and shrinks way more than regular pine because it's loaded with moisture from the chemical treatment. Coarse threads hold tight when the wood moves. Fine threads strip out when boards shrink.
2. Type 17 point
Treated lumber is denser and harder than untreated wood due to chemical saturation. Standard blunt points wedge the dense fibres apart, causing splits especially near ends.
3. Bugle or flat head
Bugle heads countersink naturally in treated lumber's softer surface layers without crushing fibres underneath. Flat heads work better for trim where treated wood density varies. Both prevent mushrooming that happens when wet treated lumber compresses around screw heads.
4. Star drive (Torx)
The chemicals make treated lumber denser, which means screws don't sink in like they do with regular pine. Phillips heads cam out constantly in this dense material. Star drive's six contact points let you apply full torque needed for chemically-saturated wood without stripping.
Alright, after nearly three decades installing fasteners in every climate imaginable, here are the best screws for pressure treated wood.
Best Screws For Pressure Treated Decking and Fencing: Eagle Claw 304 SS Deck Screws
Eagle Claw 304 stainless screws works exactly like the expensive brands for fastening deck boards and fence boards, just costs way less. Same 18-8 stainless composition you'd get from brands costing $40 more per box. Same corrosion resistance. Better value.
The manufacturing's done in Taiwan under quality control that's honestly better than some US brands we've tested. They sell direct through distributors which cuts out middleman markup. You're paying for the actual screw, not advertising budgets.
What You're Getting:
- Material: 304 stainless (18% chromium, 8% nickel)
- Drive: T25 Torx star
- Point: Type 17 tip
- Head: Flat countersunk with thread-cutting nibs
- Sizes: #8 through #12, lengths from 1-5/8" to 4"
- Finish: Polished burnished silver
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
Why Eagle Claw Is The Best Screw for Pressure Treated Wood
- The thread design: Aggressive cutting edges on the threads, but smooth shank above them. This combo pulls deck boards down tight against joists while the sharp threads bite deep into wood fibers. You're creating a mechanical lock that holds through decades of wet/dry cycles.
- Type 17 point: Standard screw points wedge wood fibers apart. Type 17 points actually drill through them. Big difference when you're working near board ends where splitting's most likely.
- The T25 Torx drive: Torx locks your bit in with six contact points instead of four. You can lean on the trigger without the bit camming out. It makes installation way faster and saves bits.
You pay more upfront than galvanized. But calculate cost over 40 years and Eagle Claw ends up as the best deck screws because of quality and price. You're never replacing these fasteners. Ever.
Best Pressure Treated Screws for Coastal: Eagle Claw 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel
Living near the ocean changes the entire equation. Salt air carries chloride ions miles inland. We've documented serious corrosion on 304 stainless just 8 miles from the California coast. Inside that 10-mile zone, 316 marine-grade isn't optional. It's required.
The difference between 304 and 316 comes down to molybdenum. Grade 316 has 2-3% molybdenum added. That element is what stops pitting corrosion in chloride environments.
What You're Getting:
- Material: 316 marine-grade stainless with molybdenum
- Drive: T25 Torx
- Point: Type 17 auger
- Head: Flat countersunk
- Sizes: #10 and #12, 2" through 4" lengths
- Finish: Polished burnished silver
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
When chloride ions attack stainless steel, they try boring microscopic holes through the protective oxide layer. That's called pitting. On 304 stainless, chlorides eventually win this battle. You'll see dark spots (pits) forming. Each pit becomes its own corrosion cell growing deeper into the metal.
Molybdenum plugs those holes before they penetrate to base metal. It's like having a self-healing coating that stops pitting before it starts.
How Eagle Claw Pressure Treated Fasteners Saves You Money:
Eagle Claw 316 runs 25-35% less than Simpson Strong-Tie DWP 316. For a 350-count box, you're paying around $75-85 versus $110-130 for premium brands. Same corrosion resistance. Same performance. Lower price.
On an 800-screw deck project, that's $170-220 in savings with literally zero performance compromise.
Best Premium Alternative: Deck-Drive DWP Stainless Steel Deck Screws (316)
Simpson Strong-Tie built their reputation on structural connectors and load-rated fasteners. The Deck-Drive DWP line brings that engineering precision to deck screws.
These are the screws you specify when the project requires documentation, when you need published load values, or when you're working on commercial structures with strict material requirements.
The box-thread design is what sets DWP screws apart mechanically. Instead of standard V-threads that wedge wood fibres apart, box threads feature a rectangular profile that shears through fibres cleanly. This reduces driving torque by roughly 30%, which translates to more screws per battery charge and less strain on your wrist during long installation days.
What You’re Getting:
- Material: Type 316 stainless steel
- Drive: 6-lobe T20/T25
- Point: Sharp penetrating
- Head: Flat countersunk
- Sizes: #8 through #12, various lengths
- Finish: Polished burnished silver
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
You're paying extra for engineering data and brand reputation. When a building inspector questions your fastener choice, you hand them the ICC-ES evaluation report. That documentation matters on commercial projects, multifamily construction, or anywhere liability concerns drive material selection.
The collated version works with Quik Drive auto-feed systems. If you're installing 3,000 screws on a large deck, the productivity gain is massive. One screw every 1.5 seconds versus one every 5 seconds with hand driving. That's the difference between finishing in two days versus a week.
Best Budget Option: Deck-Drive DSV Coated Wood Screw
Not every project needs stainless steel. If you're building a rental property deck in Arizona where humidity stays below 30%, or a shed in rural Montana, you can save significant money with polymer-coated screws while still meeting code requirements.
The DSV coating is a multi-layer system specifically formulated to resist ACQ and CA chemicals. The base layer bonds directly to the steel. Middle layers provide barrier protection against moisture and copper ions.
The outer layer resists UV degradation and abrasion during installation. Total coating thickness runs 2 to 4 mils, which is ten to twenty times thicker than electroplating.
What You’re Getting:
- Material: Carbon steel with Multi-layer polymer coating (Quik Guard)
- Drive: T25 Star (Torx)
- Point: Type 17 auger tip
- Head: Flat countersunk
- Sizes: #8 and #10 gauge, lengths from 1¼" to 4"
- Finish: Tan or Red polymer coating
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
You won't get stainless longevity. Research found ACQ chews through galvanized coatings about twice as fast as CCA did.
The tradeoff is longevity. Polymer coatings break down from UV and moisture. Once that happens, base steel corrodes quickly.
Coated screws can be the right choice for temporary structures, budget-constrained projects, or situations where you'll likely remodel before the screws fail. A deck on a flip house doesn't need 50-year fasteners. Neither does a fence you're planning to replace in a decade.
Best Pressure Treated Fasteners for Structural Applications: Strong-Drive SDWS Stainless Steel Wood Screw (316 Grade)
Standard deck screws are designed for attaching boards to joists. They're not engineered for structural connections. When you're lagging a ledger board to a house, connecting beams to posts, or building a pergola, you need fasteners with published load values and building department approval.
Strong-Drive SDWS structural screws replace lag bolts in most applications. They provide equivalent or superior holding strength without requiring pre-drilling, pilot holes, washers, or nuts. You drill through one member into the next and drive the screw with an impact wrench. The installation time drops from minutes to seconds per connection.
What You’re Getting:
- Material: Type 316 stainless steel
- Drive: 6-lobe T40/T50 for high torque
- Point: SawTooth™ (eliminates pre-drilling)
- Head: Washer head or hex head
- Sizes: #9 through #14, lengths 3" to 12"
- Finish: Polished burnished silver
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
The ICC-ES evaluation report ESR-3046 provides engineers and code officials with exact load values for every size and wood species combination. You can calculate precise connection capacities instead of guessing. This matters when you're building structures where failure could injure people.
Best for Hardwood Decking: Deck-Drive DHPD Stainless Steel Hardwood Decking Screw
Ipe, Cumaru, Tigerwood, and other tropical hardwoods have Janka hardness ratings three to five times higher than pressure-treated pine. Regular deck screws snap like pretzels when you try driving them into these dense woods. The DHPD is specifically engineered for this challenge.
The secret is the winged shank. As the screw rotates into the wood, wings just below the threads ream out the hole to exact diameter. This eliminates the friction that breaks standard screws.
The wings also create a clean countersink without a separate bit. By the time the threads engage, the hole is perfectly sized for maximum holding power with minimum installation force.
What You’re Getting:
- Material: Type 316 stainless steel
- Drive: Star drive
- Point: Reinforced extra-sharp (unique paddle-style drill point)
- Head: Compact 0.270" diameter trim head
- Size: #10 x 2 1/2"
- Finish: Polished burnished silver
- ACQ/CA compatible: Yes
The compact trim head is critical for aesthetics. Tropical hardwoods are premium materials that cost $8 to $15 per square foot. You don't want large screw heads interrupting the grain pattern. The 0.270" diameter head is roughly 25% smaller than standard deck screws, making fasteners nearly invisible from normal viewing distance.
Where To Buy The Best Screws For Treated Lumber
Big box stores sell screws labelled "exterior" that look like they'd work in pressure-treated wood. Most won't. That label doesn't mean ACQ/CA compatible. We've seen it play out hundreds of times in 28 years. Someone grabs exterior-rated screws, drives them into treated lumber, and six months later they're pulling rust-stained boards.
At ATC Construction Fasteners, we stock fasteners that actually perform in treated lumber. Eagle Claw 304 and 316 SS wood screws. Simpson Strong-Tie heavy-duty structural screws. Everything meets IRC building codes for ACQ/CA compatibility.
Not sure which pressure treated screws work for your project? Give us a call or drop an email. We're willing and able to help you find the pressure treated fasteners you actually need.
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FAQs
What Screws Should NOT Be Used in Treated Lumber?
The screws that should not be used in treated lumber include drywall screws, electroplated zinc screws, yellow dichromate screws, and any fastener without "hot-dipped galvanized" or "stainless steel" specification. They violate IRC building codes and fail rapidly in ACQ/CA treated wood.
Can You Use Composite Deck Screws on Pressure-Treated Wood?
Yes, but you're overpaying for features wood doesn't need.
- Reverse threads: Pull down soft composite that mushrooms around heads. Wood doesn't mushroom.
- Smaller thread pitch: Designed for composite's lower density, wasted on denser wood.
- Premium coatings: Often 316 stainless rated for marine use when 304 works fine inland.
- Cost: 40-60% more than standard ACQ-rated screws with equal corrosion resistance.
If you already have them, use them and they perform great. Just don't buy them specifically for treated wood.
