ErrolFlynn
18th Jun 2012, 01:37 PM
I’ve never laid any decking boards before, except pine in an attic conversion, which is not really the same thing (ie. the boards were very soft).
I’m reading a lot about pilot holes in relation to screwing the boards down. Reading things like how good Smart-Bit turns out to be, also like how Smart-Bit is made to US standard sizes and that it doesn’t drill a large enough hole and on some occasions resulting in screws snapping off because the dill size is too small, and that US tend to use soft woods which would make things easier. I fancy it would be difficult to remove a screw without a head. You'd probablty have to grind it off. The Smart-Bit is not particularly cheap either; particularly if you have to buy a few before you get it right.
It seems to me that if you drill the correct size pilot hole using the dill bits you we all have at home (ie. a clearance that is equal to the thread dia) and maybe a pilot into the bearer if it’s particularly hard (ie. the dia of the screw core) then the screw should go in easily without any undue friction. Depending upon how hard the boards are the screw might pull into the wood without the need to countersinking it. Or am I completely off beam here, and countersinking is essential?
I’m reading a lot about pilot holes in relation to screwing the boards down. Reading things like how good Smart-Bit turns out to be, also like how Smart-Bit is made to US standard sizes and that it doesn’t drill a large enough hole and on some occasions resulting in screws snapping off because the dill size is too small, and that US tend to use soft woods which would make things easier. I fancy it would be difficult to remove a screw without a head. You'd probablty have to grind it off. The Smart-Bit is not particularly cheap either; particularly if you have to buy a few before you get it right.
It seems to me that if you drill the correct size pilot hole using the dill bits you we all have at home (ie. a clearance that is equal to the thread dia) and maybe a pilot into the bearer if it’s particularly hard (ie. the dia of the screw core) then the screw should go in easily without any undue friction. Depending upon how hard the boards are the screw might pull into the wood without the need to countersinking it. Or am I completely off beam here, and countersinking is essential?