To find out what screw point is right for you, first you need to answer the following questions:

Are you using metal joists?
Are you using hardwood decking boards or joists?
Are you going to pre-drill?

Listed below are the common screw points used for decking applications and what applications they are suited to.

Type 17 Point

This is the most common type of decking screw point. It refers to the long cut section at the point of the screw. The type 17 point:

Helps to remove debris when being driven through the decking timber
Drives through the timber easier than a needle point screw

Drill Point:

Drill point refers to the sharp, drill like point at the end of the screw. The drill point:

Cuts into the timber creating its own pilot hole
Reduces the need to pre-drill your decking boards
Can pre-drill into a greater number of timber species, including most hardwoods

Different species of decking timber have different hardness levels. This will determine the need for pre-drilling. You can check the hardness level of your timber by going to the timber hardness page. BLACKHAWK recommends that you always pre-drill the ends of the decking boards as they are prone to splitting.

Winged Point:

Winged point refers to the sharp, drill like point at the end of the screw. The winged point also incorporates two wings that protrude out from the screw and look like ears.

The winged point:

Cuts into the timber creating its own pilot hole, allowing the screw to spin more freely. This makes it easier for the screw to drive through the metal
Eliminates the need to pre-drill the metal joists
As the winged point incorporates a drill point, it can pre-drill into a greater number of timber species, including most hardwoods

Once the wings drive through the timber and make contact with the metal, the wings break off. This allows the thread of the screw to create a thread in the metal joist. It then tightens the decking board to the metal joist.

Blackhawk has made choosing the right screw easy for you. Check out our Blackhawk Calculators page to find out exactly what you need.