Screws, Drills, and Drivers
Since everyone isn't familiar with the nuances of power tools and various fasteners, we thought it would be a good idea to cover a couple of things.
SCREWS
The screws we use are #14 x 1.5" Torx T25 Structural fasteners and we include a driver and 3/16" dill bit for pre-drilling fastener holes with each order. These screws have a very high shear value and tensile strength and are ideally suited for this application.
DRILLS vs DRIVERS
If you use an electric drill to drive drive screws, especially in dense lumber, you may strip some. Rather than risk this it would be best to pre-drill the holes to relieve the tension on the tip as you install the screws. And we always recommend the use of an electric screw driver rather than an electric drill.
So the suggestions are three:
(1) Pre-drill the holes with the provided 1/16" drill bit.
(2) Use a Driver instead of a Drill.
(3) If the space is tight, with obstructions, or odd angles, it may be difficult to seat the seat the Driver into the square drive screw, and this will increase the risk of stripped screws. In this case, investing in Right Angle Driver attachment should really help. Most hardware stores have them, and of course Amazon, for under $30.
