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I am builing a covered front porch for myself, primarily we use Trex and do everything from attaching it with screws to 2 1/2 senco finish nails. I have had sucess with both. I am going to be using 5/4×4 on my own deck due to cost and the fact that it is covered should protect it some for m the elements. In the past I have hand nailed it cedar with an 8d siding nail, but due to the sucess of shooting down trex with a finish nail I am considering doing the same to cedar. Does anyone have any experience with this good or bad? Being as that this is my own deck I am able to try something and not have any call backs other than my wife.
Thanks,
Mark
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From building boxes and fitting face frames to installing doors and drawers, these techniques could be used for lots of cabinet projects.
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Replies
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Don't do it! I've sampled about every nail I can think of on cedar and finish nails will not hold. We use a 2 1/2" galvanized or stainless ring shank nail and they hold after 10 years, of expansion,contraction,cleaning,and staining. Bob
*I don't recommend the trim nails either.You need something with a good head on it.You know there's a joke in here somewhere but I'm not gonna touch it , today. Dave
*Stainless or double dipped galv. ring shank all the way.
*SS siding nails...they have small heads and are great...near the stream,aj
*SS finish nails with glue ...on a porch... I like that...near the stream,ajI have never seen prime cedar move much....
*I recently cleaned and restained a deck that the builder used finish nails diagonally through the sides of each board (sort of like toe nailing).He must have used a nail set to sink half of 'em.The deck is about 15 years old, and seems to be holding up well. NONE of the nails are visible on the top.
*how about avoiding the problem of nailing or screwing from the top side and use the new metal brackets from the underside. you end up with a smooth floor. And they can be installed from the topside
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I am builing a covered front porch for myself, primarily we use Trex and do everything from attaching it with screws to 2 1/2 senco finish nails. I have had sucess with both. I am going to be using 5/4x4 on my own deck due to cost and the fact that it is covered should protect it some for m the elements. In the past I have hand nailed it cedar with an 8d siding nail, but due to the sucess of shooting down trex with a finish nail I am considering doing the same to cedar. Does anyone have any experience with this good or bad? Being as that this is my own deck I am able to try something and not have any call backs other than my wife.
Thanks,
Mark