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Dear Pat: The last time I built my deck, I used nails, and now they look bad and many are loose. I am planning to redo the deck and some other outdoor projects. Should I use screws this time? — Ned B.

The answer isn't as obvious as most deck builders assume.

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. If someone grabbed a random screw from a woodworking shop and asked you to identify it, what would you say? If you just said, "it's a screw, ...

Screws may be commonplace, but that doesn't mean they're simple. A screw is any shaft with a corkscrew groove carved around its surface and, regardless of their design, screws are usually used to ...

Dear Pat: The last time I built my deck, I used nails, and now they look bad and many are loose. I am planning to redo the deck and some other outdoor projects. Should I use screws this time? -- Ned B ...