Deck Screws

The best deck screws for your project will depend on your decking materials. If your deck is made of composite material, check out our screws specifically designed for composite decking. For a wood deck, try our wood screw category.

Corrosion-resistant stainless steel screws are best for wet climates, coastal applications, or pressure-treated lumber.

Flat head deck screws feature a larger head and are designed to sink into your decking until the top of the head is flush with the top of your deck surface. Trim head deck screws have a smaller head and sink below the surface of your decking. They can be combined with plug systems to effectively disappear beneath your deck surface.

Flat head screws generally offer better holding power, and are more commonly used with pressure-treated wood decking. Trim head screws tend to be more visually appealing, and are more often used with composite decking or cedar.

Most of our deck screws feature star drive heads. You can find star drive bits in our deck screw accessories category above.

Depending on the type of screw and type of decking material you’re using, you may or may not have to drill pilot holes.

For most hardwoods, it’s a good idea to drill pilot holes before driving your screws. One of the many advantages of composite decking, on the other hand, is that the screws usually do not require pilot holes.

For example, the Cap-Tor Xd Epoxy Coated Deck Screw by Starborn is designed to eliminate the need for pre-drilling. If you're using the Headcote 305 Stainless Steel Trim Head Deck Screws by Starborn on a hardwood deck, though, you will need to pre-drill.

If you're not sure if you'll need to drill a pilot hole for your screws, give one of our decking experts a call at 1-888-824-5316. We'd be happy to help your deck project by giving you the best recommendation!