5 Best Screws for Cedar Fence – 2023 Updated!

Are you planning to build a sturdy and long-lasting cedar fence? Look no further!

With the right screws, you can ensure the stability and durability of your fence while enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

Among the various options available, steel screws are the ideal choice for cedar fences. Steel screws, known for their strength and corrosion resistance, are the preferred choice for cedar fence installation, providing exceptional durability and stability for your outdoor project.

In this updated guide, we’ll learn about the 5 best screws for cedar fence, so your fence can serve you with its durability and visual appeal for years.

Best Screws for Cedar Fence – Product Review

In this section, I will analyze and compare the top options available, helping you make an informed decision for a secure and durable cedar fence project.

Comparison FacorsVelocity Exterior Wood ScrewFMhotu Heavy-Duty Outdoor Deck ScrewsFastenMon Stainless Steel Wood ScrewsDeck Plus Wood ScrewsWELLOCKS Deck Screws
MaterialSteelAlloy SteelStainless Steel 304Galvanized SteelCarbon Steel
Corrosion ResistanceYesYesYesYesYes
Drive SystemHexstix (compatible with star drives)Star driveStar driveStar drive (Torx)Torx drive (T25)
Self-DrillingYesYesYesYesYes
FinishExterior steelRust-resistant coatingStainless steelCeramic coatingTan plated metal
Head StyleHexstix drive system (compatible with Phillips)SerratedFlat headFlat headFlat head
DurabilityHighHighHighHighLifetime guarantee

Velocity Exterior Wood Screw

Experience the superior performance and convenience of Velocity Exterior Wood Screw 5LB Contractor Pack for your cedar fence installation needs.

These high-quality wood screws provide fast driving, durability, and reliable engagement, making them an ideal choice for both professionals and DIY enthusiasts.

Features

  • The Contractor Pack includes 250 exterior screws in size #10 x 4, specifically designed for use on cedar fences.
  • The Velocity Wood Screws are the fastest-driving screws on the market, allowing for efficient and quick installation on cedar fences.
  • The low-energy screw threads ensure smooth and rapid driving.
  • The screws come with a sharp tip that enables instant ripping, making it easier to penetrate the cedar wood and start driving the screws without any delay.
  • These Wood Screws feature a patented Hexstix drive system that perfectly fits into the recess.
  • The recess is compatible with commonly used star drives, including 6-lobe and Torx drives, providing versatility and ease of use.
  • The Velocity screws are designed with Stick-Tight technology, ensuring stable and anti-wobble engagement during installation on cedar fences. This feature enhances the overall stability and durability of the fence structure.
  • The Contractor Packs are designed to meet the needs of large-scale projects. With 250 screws included in each pack, it provides convenience for bulk buying and reduces the frequency of restocking.
  • The screws come in a recyclable cardboard box, minimizing job site waste.
  • The Wood Screws are manufactured precisely and adhere to high-quality standards, ensuring superior performance and reliability.
  • The Velocity Wood Screws are compatible with Phillips drives, making them suitable for use with various tools commonly used by professional tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts.
  • The screws have an exterior finish made of steel, enhancing their corrosion resistance. This feature ensures that the screws can withstand outdoor elements and provide long-lasting performance on cedar fences.
  • The screws are made of carbon steel, known for its strength and durability. This material ensures the screws can withstand the rigors of outdoor applications and remain sturdy over time.
  • Each Contractor Pack comes with a Hexstix drive bit, allowing for immediate use without needing separate purchases.
  • Additionally, the pack includes a durable bulk screw storage organizer, ensuring easy access and organization of the screws during the project.

Pros

  • Users found the screws to be sharp and easy to start, preventing the heads from stripping out and ensuring a smooth installation.
  • The custom screw head design delivers stability and provides ample torque during installation, making the screws effective for their intended purpose.
  • UIsers have appreciated the high quality and quantity of screws received for the price paid, making it a worthwhile investment.

Cons

  • If the screws are not driven straight, they can strip easily. This can be a problem if you are using the screws on a fence that will be exposed to a lot of wear and tear.
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FMhotu Heavy-Duty Outdoor Deck Screws

Choose FMhotu 4-1/2 Inch Heavy-Duty Outdoor Deck Screws for your cedar fence project and experience the benefits of their durable material, rust-resistant finish, superior grip, and easy installation.

These versatile wood screws offer reliable performance for various woodworking applications, making them a valuable addition to your toolkit.

Features

  • The Heavy-Duty wood screws are made of high-quality alloy steel, ensuring their strength and durability.
  • They are specifically designed to be compatible with ACQ-treated lumber, making them ideal for use on cedar fences.
  • These screws are coated with a rust-resistant finish that protects them from corrosion, even when exposed to harsh outdoor conditions. This feature enhances their longevity and reliability, ensuring they maintain their performance over time.
  • The serrated thread design of these Heavy-Duty wood screws provides an exceptional grip, ensuring a secure and stable connection. This feature is particularly important for fencing and decking projects, where the screws need to hold the boards firmly in place.
  • The star-drive design of these wood screws maximizes torque and reduces cam-out, protecting both the fastener and the bit. This design feature allows for easy and efficient installation, saving time and effort.
  • The sharp, pointed tip and self-drilling capability make it effortless to drive these screws into the fencing, decking, and other wooden surfaces.
  • These wood screws are designed for use in various materials, including thin sheet metal, PVCu, MDF, chipboard, softwood, and hardwood. This versatility makes them suitable for a wide range of woodworking projects, such as decking, framing, fencing, and other outdoor applications.
  • The FMhotu wood screws are available in different sizes, including 2-7/8 inch, 4-1/2 inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch. This variety ensures you can find the right screws for your cedar fence project.
  • These Heavy-Duty wood screws provide a strong and reliable connection, securely fixing two objects together without breaking or compromising the structure’s integrity.
  • Their durability and performance make them valuable tools for outdoor construction projects.

Pros

  • Users found the screws to be heftier and more substantial than expected, providing a solid and sturdy hold.
  • The screws successfully secured posts, rails, and blocking tightly, ensuring a secure connection.
  • Users have appreciated the black coating on the screws as it not only adds to the aesthetic appeal but also helps prevent rust and ensure long-lasting performance.
  • Users praised the screws for their self-tapping ability, allowing them to easily penetrate wood without damaging the surrounding material.
  • The screws feature large heads that neatly cover any broken wood adjacent to the hole, providing a clean and finished look.
  • Users found these screws suitable for various outdoor projects, including timber, log, and landscaping wood applications.
  • They are particularly recommended for visible projects such as pergolas or attaching components to outdoor fixtures.

Cons

  • The head of the screw is not completely beveled, which may make it difficult to sink the head flush with certain materials.
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FastenMon Stainless Steel Wood Screws

Choose FastenMon Stainless Steel 304 Wood Screws for your cedar fence project and experience their corrosion resistance, easy installation, and versatile applications.

These wood screws offer durability, reliability, and a flush surface finish, ensuring a secure and visually appealing result.

Features

  • The FastenMon wood screws are #10 x 2 inches in size and come in a pack of 100 pieces, weighing approximately 1 pound. The pack also includes a T25 star drive bit, providing convenience for immediate use.
  • These wood screws are made of high-quality stainless steel 304, offering persistent corrosion resistance and ensuring rust-free performance in most outdoor applications. This feature makes them ideal for use on cedar fences, providing long-lasting durability and reliability.
  • The FastenMon wood screws can be used with hardwood, softwood, and pressure-treated lumber, including ACQ, CA, and CCA lumber. This versatility allows for their use in a wide range of cedar fence projects.
  • These wood screws are suitable for various construction projects, including decks, docks, fences, boardwalks, jetties, and finishing millwork. They are designed to meet the high-quality requirements of these projects, ensuring reliable and secure fastening.
  • The wood screws feature a star drive, also known as a Torx drive, which offers a stable fit and delivers extra torque during installation. This design feature makes it easier to drive the screws without the risk of “cam-out,” ensuring a secure and efficient installation process.
  • The wood screws have a Type 17 sharp point that provides easy penetration into the wood, making it convenient to start the screwing process. This feature enhances efficiency and reduces the effort required for installation.
  • The wood screws have a flat head design with nibs that countersink into the wood, resulting in a flush surface. This flush appearance adds to the aesthetic appeal of the cedar fence, providing a neat and professional finish.
  • The FastenMon wood screws are available in different sizes to accommodate various project requirements. Currently, the sizes and packs available include #10×2, #10×2-1/2, #10×3, and #10×3-1/2. This variety allows for flexibility in choosing the appropriate length for your cedar fence project.

Pros

  • Stainless screws are highly resistant to rust, making them suitable for coastal areas or environments with high moisture content.
  • Users have experienced the durability of stainless screws, as they hold up well even in the corrosive coastal air.
  • The stainless screws mentioned in the reviews are regarded as high quality, with no defective pieces reported.
  • Despite the expense of stainless screws, users found these particular screws to be of good quality and relatively cheaper compared to other options.

Cons

  • Some users experienced a few screws breaking while installing them into treated decking.
  • Users recommend being prepared to use several bits as some screws may not go in all the way.
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Deck Plus Wood Screws

Deck Plus Wood Screws offer a comprehensive solution for finishing fasteners, making them suitable for exterior wood, composite, and trim applications.

Their self-drilling point, ceramic coating, and Torx drive style provide reliable performance and durability for decking, fencing, and other exterior wood projects.

Features

  • The Deck Plus wood screws feature a self-drilling point design combined with coarse screw threads, eliminating the need for a pilot hole. This feature makes installation quick and efficient, saving time and effort.
  • The wood screws are coated with a 4-layer ceramic coating, providing superior rust and corrosion protection. This coating ensures the longevity of the screws, making them ideal for outdoor use on cedar fences.
  • The wood screws have a star drive style, also known as Torx, which reduces slippage and cam-out during tightening. This design feature ensures a secure and reliable connection, preventing damage to the screw head and allowing for easy installation.
  • The screws have a flat-head style, which means they sit flush with the material when installed. This flush appearance adds to the aesthetic appeal of the cedar fence, providing a clean and professional finish.
  • The Deck Plus wood screws are recommended for ACQ, CA, and CCA-treated lumber use. This makes them suitable for cedar fences, as treated lumber is commonly used in outdoor applications.
  • Each package of Deck Plus wood screws includes a free T25 Star bit. This ensures you have the correct driver bit to match the screws, eliminating any guesswork during installation.

Pros

  • The screws have a blunt tip that makes them easy to drive into cedar, even without a pilot hole.
  • The screws are made of hot-dipped galvanized steel, which makes them very rust-resistant.
  • Even in high winds, the screws are strong enough to hold up a cedar fence.
  • The screws are relatively affordable, making them a good value for the money.

Cons

  • The galvanized steel screws are not as durable as stainless steel screws, so they may not last as long in extreme weather conditions.
  • The screws are visible from the front of the fence, so they may not be the best option for fences that are meant to be aesthetically pleasing.
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WELLOCKS Deck Screws

WELLOCKS Deck Screws provides exceptional rust resistance, easy installation with the Torx drive system, user-friendly design, and reliable quality.

With their versatile package options and compatibility with cedar fences, these deck screws deliver a reliable and visually appealing solution for outdoor wood projects.

Features

  • The WELLOCKS deck screws have undergone a rigorous above 1000-hour salt spray test and feature a high-hardness coating. This coating provides exceptional protection against rust and corrosion, ensuring long-lasting durability for outdoor wood fences.
  • The deck screws use a Torx drive system, specifically the T25 size. This drive system offers a more positive bit engagement than other drives, making it easier to drive the screws without stripping the heads. The T25 bit is included in the package for convenience.
  • The deck screws are designed with sharp points and serrated threads, allowing for rapid drilling without the need for pre-drilling. This design also ensures a smooth contact surface and helps prevent wood splitting.
  • The tan plated metal finish matches well with most woodwork, providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
  • The deck screws are made of carbon steel and come with a lifetime guarantee. The combination of affordability and high quality makes these screws a great value for your wood projects.
  • The deck screws are available in a 1.2 lb. box, which contains approximately 212 pieces of size #8×1-½ inch.
  • The package also includes a T25 torx screw drive bit, ensuring you have the correct tool for installation.
  • These flat-head screws are ideal for various woodwork projects such as decks, ramps, and porches.
  • AvThe WELLOCKS deck screws are available in different sizes, including #8×1-½ inch, #9×2-½ inch, and #9×3 inch.
  • They have a self-tapping point style and are partially threaded with a right-hand thread style.
  • The color of the screws is yellow, which complements the natural color of the wood.

Pros

  • Customers appreciated the fast and reliable shipping provided by the seller.
  • The screw head design has a strong ability to resist stripping, providing a secure grip during installation.
  • Users found these screws to be perfect for installing cedar fences.
  • The sharp points and excellent threads of the coated screws make them easy to drive into the material.
  • The screws came with a star drive bit that prevented stripping of the screw heads.

Cons

  • Some users found that the screws did not have an easy initial bite, potentially making the starting point of installation more challenging.
  • Both the supplied driver bit and other brands had issues engaging well with the screws, causing difficulties during the installation.
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How to Choose the Right Screw for Cedar Fencing?

When it comes to building a cedar fence, selecting the right screws is crucial for ensuring its stability and longevity.

In this section, I will walk you through the essential factors to consider when selecting screws for your cedar fencing, helping you make an informed decision.

Material

Cedar is a type of wood that naturally contains oils and acids, making it prone to corrosion and rot.

Therefore, choosing screws made from corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel or coated steel is essential.

These screws ensure the long-term durability of your cedar fence and are specially designed to withstand harsh outdoor elements.

Length and Gauge

Selecting the appropriate screw length and gauge is crucial for effectively securing the cedar boards together.

As a general rule, the length of the screw should be at least twice the thickness of the cedar board. This allows the screw to penetrate deep into the wood, providing a secure hold.

Additionally, consider the gauge (thickness) of the screw, ensuring it’s compatible with the thickness of your cedar boards to prevent splitting or damaging the wood.

Head Type

The type of screw head you choose can impact the overall aesthetics of your cedar fence. Common screw head options include flat head, pan head, and serrated.

Flat head screws are ideal for countersinking, providing a flush surface, while pan head screws offer a slightly raised appearance.

Consider the desired look and functionality when selecting the appropriate screw head type for your project.

Coating

The coating on the screws can offer additional protection against corrosion and enhance their overall performance. Common coatings include zinc plating, ceramic coating, and epoxy coating.

Zinc plating provides moderate corrosion resistance, while ceramic and epoxy coatings offer superior protection.

Evaluate the specific environmental conditions your cedar fence will be exposed to and choose a coating that suits those conditions best.

Screw Bit Compatibility

Another crucial aspect to consider is the compatibility of the screw with your chosen screwdriver or drill bit.

Most screws have a standard Phillips or square drive head. Ensure that you have the appropriate screwdriver or bit size to fit the screw head properly.

This will make the installation process smoother and prevent any damage to the screw or the wood.

Bottom Line

By considering factors such as material, length and gauge, head type, coating, and screw bit compatibility, you can make an informed decision that will contribute to your cedar fence’s overall durability and aesthetic appeal.

Remember to opt for corrosion-resistant screws, match the length and gauge to your cedar boards, choose a suitable head type, consider the environmental conditions, and ensure compatibility with your screwdriver or drill bit.

With these considerations in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to select the best screws for your cedar fencing project, ensuring a beautiful and long-lasting outdoor structure for years to come.

FAQ

What size screws are best for fencing?

It is recommended to use 18d to 20d nails or screws that are 3-1/2 inches to 4 inches long for attaching preassembled panels or backer rails to posts.

On the other hand, 8d to 10d nails or 1-1/2-inch screws are recommended for attaching individual pickets to the backer rails.

Are nails or screws better for cedar fencing?

When it comes to building a cedar wood fence, many experts recommend using nails over screws.

Specifically, aluminum or stainless steel nails are a better choice for this type of project.

Nails have several advantages over screws for cedar fencing. They are typically more affordable, easier to install, and provide a stronger hold.

Additionally, nails tend to flex with the wood as it expands and contracts due to weather changes, reducing the risk of splitting or cracking.

What fence screws don’t bleed?

Galvanized or stainless steel screws are more effective in minimizing bleeding than other types.

It is recommended to use exterior-grade nails or screws for optimal performance.

Stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized (HDG) nails are particularly advantageous as they are long-lasting, resistant to staining, and less likely to rust.