which screw type for fixing hardwood garden furniture?

[john constable]

I want to breath new life into some wobbly garden chairs but I'm not sure which screws to use.

They are hard wood and not rotten but the joints have loosened. They seem to be all wood construction with no metal fittings or screws but wooden pegs. I suppose its possible there are screws covered by wooden plugs but I don't think thats the case.

I like the look of green phosphate screws and was thinking of getting decking screws but I don't know if they are suitable in terms of corrosion resistance and use in hard wood.

any advice gratefully received...

 

[blup]

You could try ordinary single thread wood screws (Spax are good) on one chair and see how it fares after being sat on a few times. Drill pilot holes first.

If the joints in the chair have worked loose it is likely screws will as well, so ultimately you may have to replace them - the chairs, that is.​

Some hardwoods, like oak, stain if steel screws are used but the condition of your furniture may mean avoiding this is not a priority.

Good luck.

Cheers,

Blup

 

[JohnD]

perhaps you could drive out the pegs and replace with new. Or use a modern weatherproof glue. Provided the fixing points are free of rot and have simply loosened with wear.

 

[john constable]

I'll have a think but my facilities are limited and so is my mobility so I thought drawing all the joints together with well-placed woodscrews would be a good compromise in effort, effectiveness and aesthetics.

A lot of the pegs seem to be in blind holes and there's no way to grip them or knock them out so I think I'd have the drill them out which is a bit tricky.

 

[john constable]

You could try ordinary single thread wood screws (Spax are good) on one chair and see how it fares after being sat on a few times. Drill pilot holes first.

If the joints in the chair have worked loose it is likely screws will as well, so ultimately you may have to replace them - the chairs, that is.​

Some hardwoods, like oak, stain if steel screws are used but the condition of your furniture may mean avoiding this is not a priority.

Good luck.

Cheers,

Blup

Are these spax good for anti-corrosion? I wondered about the green coated ones which would look a bit better in the furniture than silver ones. Do you suggest single-thread because this is hard wood?

 

[john constable]

perhaps you could drive out the pegs and replace with new. Or use a modern weatherproof glue. Provided the fixing points are free of rot and have simply loosened with wear.

Sorry, I meant to add that reglueing probably means knocking them apart and gluing and cramping which is a bit beyond me. If I'm desperate t hide the screws I'll use plugs but as long as the screws dont stick out like sore thumbs i'll be happy.

 

[big-all]

to be fair any old decent screw will last as long as the repaired furniture
yes tannin in hard woods will react with steel and rust them but this will take perhaps 3-5 years as long as it takes you to decide you need new furniture
i repair standard fence panels with no8x1 3/4" twins and others with 4x45mm turbo gold/woodspur screws and tile baton
yes the the twins rust but take perhaps 5-6 years to decay to a point the grip is reduced but by that point the panel is now shot or the timber needs replacing so new screws anyway
and turbo or woodspur will be fully tarnished but as good as new

 

[john constable]

to be fair any old decent screw will last as long as the repaired furniture
yes tannin in hard woods will react with steel and rust them but this will take perhaps 3-5 years as long as it takes you to decide you need new furniture
i repair standard fence panels with no8x1 3/4" twins and others with 4x45mm turbo gold/woodspur screws and tile baton
yes the the twins rust but take perhaps 5-6 years to decay to a point the grip is reduced but by that point the panel is now shot or the timber needs replacing so new screws anyway
and turbo or woodspur will be fully tarnished but as good as new

What's the deal with these green - coated screws, then? I've never really used them before.