Desire for speed, code restrictions and new materials are creating more highly engineered fasteners with more effectiveness—if installers choose the best one for their application.
Customers are looking for faster, more efficient ways to use fasteners, and manufacturers are responding with new features and specialty fasteners. That creates a more complicated task in finding the best fastener for each application, but the payoff can be worth it.
“There are more varieties of screws all the time, with more bells and whistles,” says Drew Sundholm, director of strategic marketing for branded fasteners at PrimeSource. “That’s not a bad thing, but it can get confusing and make it more difficult to ensure the customer gets the right fastener. You have to separate the engineering from the marketing.”
 The Strong-Drive SDWH Timber Hex-HDG screw from Simpson Strong-Tie was designed specifically to resist severe corrosion levels in heavy-duty marine and coastal applications. It requires no pre-drilling and replaces bolts, washers and nuts. The 0.276-inch-diameter, hot-dip galvanized screw features a SawTooth point and oversized integral washer. |
“The fastener world is so competitive that we really focus on the key issues confronting customers to find new solutions all the time,” says Brent Kreutzer, product manager for fasteners, anchoring and tools at MiTek Builder Products. “It may involve creating a new product or using existing products in new ways, with a new type of value to make things easier. New generations of builders are open to new ideas and new technologies. Fasteners are becoming more highly engineered to meet specific needs and create an optimum design.”
That’s definitely the case with deck fasteners. “We see a real market demand for more application–specific deck fasteners,” says Steve Gertner, marketing manager for Starborn Industries. “It’s not just one size fits all—it actually takes many sizes, colors, materials and types of screws to build the decks that homeowners want. Besides creating the best-looking and best-performing decks, having the right fastener for the job saves a lot of time and money.”
 GRK Fasteners has introduced cabinet screws with a white powder-coated head that provides a matte finish and more durability than is provided by a painted-head screw. The screws, manufactured in a #8-gauge (4-mm) diameter, are designed specifically for cabinets. They are thin enough to prevent most material splitting while ensuring a secure installation. |
