Durability of brass screws

[imamartian]

Hi, if i use brass screws to support a decent load outdoors..... how can i expect the screws to perform?

I realise that brass is quite malleable, but i have attached some heavy(ish) boards to a wall, and they are fitted quite firmly, so virtually no movement.
Can i expect them to last long into the future?

 

[big-all]

providing you use a countersink where applicable and use a steel screw to pre-open the hole then brass will last 20 or 30 years all be it a bit green/black and tarnished

 

[imamartian]

eh? used brown rawl plugs, and brass screw cup washers...

not being rude, but i didn't understand what you mentioned in your post...

 

[foxhole]

Depends on the quality of screw you purchased , the cost of brass base metals has gone up considerably so many import cheap products from India etc where quality is usually the last consideration, [older stocks of brass screws tend to be better quality] , if you over tighten a cheap screw it may fail easily.
I think Big-all assumed you were screwing into timber.

 

[imamartian]

Depends on the quality of screw you purchased , the cost of brass base metals has gone up considerably so many import cheap products from India etc where quality is usually the last consideration, [older stocks of brass screws tend to be better quality] , if you over tighten a cheap screw it may fail easily.
I think Big-all assumed you were screwing into timber.

Oh ok... (sorry BigAll)
Thanks guys.

 

[big-all]

Depends on the quality of screw you purchased , the cost of brass base metals has gone up considerably so many import cheap products from India etc where quality is usually the last consideration, [older stocks of brass screws tend to be better quality] , if you over tighten a cheap screw it may fail easily.
I think Big-all assumed you were screwing into timber.

Oh ok... (sorry BigAll)
Thanks guys.

no need to appologise if it wasn't clear or the right answer it needs clarifying
[ thanks for that foxhole ]

 

[imamartian]

Depends on the quality of screw you purchased , the cost of brass base metals has gone up considerably so many import cheap products from India etc where quality is usually the last consideration, [older stocks of brass screws tend to be better quality] , if you over tighten a cheap screw it may fail easily.
I think Big-all assumed you were screwing into timber.

Oh ok... (sorry BigAll)
Thanks guys.

no need to appologise if it wasn't clear or the right answer it needs clarifying
[ thanks for that foxhole ]

No, it was me... i didn't make it clear that i was attaching to a brick wall.... but we got there in the end.

 

[^woody^]

I think you need to appreciate how fixings or metal fails.

The screw will either pull out due to a poor fixing into the wall, it will shear due to too much load (unlikely) the material being fixed will rot or weaken around the screw, or the screw will corrode (unlikely)

The brass screw itself, will last [almost] forever

 

[Stivino]

The problem with brass is that it suffers from dezincification leaving you with a lump of weak copper. It's a common cause of failure in the plumbing industry especially in areas where the water can be aggressive to fittings.

 

[^woody^]

Dezincification is a phenomenon related to fitting in water supply (ie the chemicals in the water) and is not an issued for brass screws as fixings

 

[Stivino]

Although dezincification is a problem in the water industry, it is not confined to the said industry. The description of dezincification is summed up simply in the first sentence as shown in my link. Please take a look.
http://www.hghouston.com/coppers/brass75.htm

 

[^woody^]

Yes but the issue has to be considered in context.

Brass will not dezincify unless there is continuous/prolonged exposure to the reactive chemicals in water.

Its not like iron corrosion or reaction of fixings with tannins in some woods etc.

A brass screw, as a fixing, will not experience anything like a brass water fitting in pipework

 

[Nige F]

If it came from a green box with Nettlefold writ on it ..it`s a good brass screw Chances are it came from the Yuk Fu screw you co. ltd in China