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Trouble with Screws

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bobkro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 28 Mill Spring, NC
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2007-12-31          149754


Gents--

I've got a problem with the skirting around the edges of my deck. Skirting is made of Ever Grain (a Trex-like project) that is fastened to the treated lumber used to support the deck. Skirting was not installed IAW manufacturer's specs, and has expanded in the summer heat, warped, and snapped most, but not all, of the screws used to fasten the skirting to the treated lumber. Screws are stainless steel with square drive head. Skirting is now bowed out on most of the ends of the skirting pieces, and is held fast to the deck by the screws in the middle of the skirting. To repair, I must remove the skirting from the deck, remove about 1/8 inch from the end of each piece of skirting (per manufacture's specs), and re-fasten with three screws every 8 inches. Most pieces of skirting are about 6 feet long by 12 inches high, and about 3/4 inch thick.

My problem is that I cannot get the screws out of the skirting. For those screw heads that have not been buggered (about 2/3 of the screws), and all the heads that have been buggered, the screws merely turn in place when I attempt to unscrew them. It's like the Ever Grain material is so soft (even in today's relatively cool 50 degree weather) that the screw threads just won't bite to permit unscrewing. It is difficult to get any kind of tool behind the screws (that is, between the treated lumber and the back side of the skirting) to help in the extraction because the board is still held in place by some screws (usually in the center).

Any ideas? I an considering just prying the boards off and ripping the screws that are still in place through the skirting, hoping that I do not bugger the boards too badly, but that is not my preferred course of action.

Other than that, I'm having a good time, and I hope the Holidays have been good to you.





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Trouble with Screws

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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2007-12-31          149755


Bobkro,

Rather than trying to get a tool between the skirting and the deck boards -- try getting a tool under the head of the screw, instead.

In most cases, a side cutter works well for this job. It's made for cutting wire, but the sharp edges work well to apply a little up-pressure on a screw while trying to back it out.

Simply place the jaws of the side snips at the bottom of the screw's head, then attempt to back the screw out with your power driver. Squeeze the handles of the side cutter together as you begin turning the screw, and the screw will begin to back out.

Worst case scenario........you'll have to take a grinder to your cutters to sharpen the cutting edges enough to get under the screw heads. But, if you use a cheapy cutter, made in China, purchased from K-Mart, you won't be out much.

Joel
....


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Trouble with Screws

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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2007-12-31          149756


Try a screw-grabber pair of pliers. I got mine from Lee Valley for under $20, but I'm sure there's lots of brands. The grabbing end has a recess that can hold a screw firmly, but you might have to remove some of the wood around the screw head to grab it. ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-12-31          149761


Good description! But a picture is well worth a thousand... bad screws.

Seriously though, I've had similar issues with regular treated wood. All I did was drive the screw in more until I could pull the board off. Then, either unscrew the old screw or break it off. If you break it off just be sure to always put the new ones to either side of it.

Rather than using stainless to repalce hem have you considered the ceramic-coated ones that have a slight bugle head on them made specifically for composites?

And going back to the old skirting and moving the screws, and installing new, you might consider either flipping the boards end for end to get a new hole going, or even filling in the new holes with colorized caulk/sealant. I'd whack the old screw holes slightly and make a dimple with a small ball peen hammer. ....


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bobkro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 28 Mill Spring, NC
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2008-01-01          149766


Gents--

Thanks for the suggestions. I should have explained that in most cases, the head of the screw is embedded in the skirting as much as 1/16 of an inch. This makes gripping the screw, or getting a pair of side cutters underneath the head, very difficult unless I dig out some of the material around the screw head--which I'm reluctant to do at this point. if I do that, it seems to me that the chances are good that I'll have a pretty ugly looking board when I get finished.

Sorry to make the problem more difficult, but . . .

b ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2008-01-01          149769


Try left hand drill bits either turns the screw out or drills offthe head so you can pull the board off the screw. Grab whats left with vise grips. ....


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bobkro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 28 Mill Spring, NC
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2008-01-01          149797


Harvey--

Do not recall having run accross left handed drill bits before, but maybe that's becasue I was not looking for them.

Is that a specialty item from a catalog or a standard hardware store item?

b ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2008-01-02          149808


You should be able to find enough left hand drill bits at the better hardware stores or automotive parts stores for your need. Might want to start with automotive stores as they are realative common to remove broken bolts. There are also tools with different head designs to engage those damage heads. Can you get a very thin pry bar with a "V" in the end of it behind the boards to slip around the threads to give the screws something firm to back out against? kt ....


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Hettric
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 133 MA
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2008-01-02          149811


You can find left hand bits and pretty much anything else here http://www.mcmaster.com/
I think I would try just drilling the heads off(with right hand bit)then prying the boards off as suggested.
I believe "cobalt" bits will hold up better in stainless. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2008-01-02          149813


I got my left hand bits from Fastenall. ....


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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2008-01-02          149821


Plan B.

Use a Dremel-type (small high-speed rotary) tool with a little saw-blade to cut a slot in the screw head (changing it from a Robertson to a slot). Set a big screwdriver (you could grind it into a half-moon to match the curve of the saw) into the slot, tap it set with a hammer, lock a vice-grip on the driver handle, and the screw will back out. And apologize for the trouble.

Plan C needs a crowbar, blowtorch and sledge. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-01-02          149822


Start with any place that the skirting is bowed out and slip a very thin pry bar between the skirting and the PT lumber, then slide the bar as close to the first screw as possible and then tap it closer still with a hammer, as the bar gets closer to the screw it will cause enough force to get the screw out of the PT, then place the bar directly behind the screw point and push the skirt board back against the PT and bar, turning the screw will now cause it to back out of the skirting board. Once it is proud of the skirt you can get something like screw pliers behind it and get it the rest of the way out.

Best of luck. ....


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bobkro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 28 Mill Spring, NC
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2008-01-04          149861


Gents--

Thanks to all who contributed to these posts.

I got six pieces of skirting off by using a combination of techniques, including 1) bending the skirting out from the deck enough so that I could slip a saw blade between the skirting and the treated lumber, to saw the screw in the middle, and 2) inserting the square drive bit into the screw head and smacking the @#$% out of the screw to loosen it from the grip of the treated lumber, permitting me to back it out with a screwdriver.

The second technique was the most satisfying becasue it gave me a chance to vent my frustrations.

Am looking into use of ceramic coated screws for the re-install job. Existing screws should not have failed in the numbers they did.

Thanks again for all the help.

b ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-01-04          149868


Bob, first off, I'm glad to hear you are making progress.

Secondly though, be aware that the 'deck screws' are not going to be anywhere near as strong as the stainless steel ones you are replacing. IMHO the problem was the amount of expansion and contraction in the material, NOT the screws themselves. Any time we have used man-made lumber we installed it using fastening strips, these have elongated holes or slots in them and as the material expands and contracts the screws just slide back & forth in the slot. I suggest you look at something similar in your case.

Best of luck. ....


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bobkro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 28 Mill Spring, NC
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-01-07          150024


Murf--

Thanks for the tip on fastening strips--I'll see what's available, and may come back for your experienced advice.

My hope is that by shortening the boards each by 1/8 of an inch, I'll do away with the warping problem. The fastening strips may solve the screw breakage problem.

Tks again. Hope the winter is being good to you, and you are getting some kick-back time.

b ....


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