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CAMO Structural Fastener Coatings and Standards

When it comes to fasteners, what’s on the outside matters. Learn about coatings and fastener standards so you can use the best for your project.

Safety should be top of mind when you’re building a deck. After all, these are places where families will gather for years to come, so it is crucial to build with the best fastener for the job that will stand against the test of time.

Traditionally for projects like deck substructures, that meant using a big hot-dip galvanized lag screw—end of story. However, innovation has come a long way, and now there are an array of structural screws on the market to replace traditional lags with excellent performance and premium coatings to resist corrosion.

There are a few standards in place to safeguard and ensure the quality of these structural screws: AC257 approval and the ASTM G198 standard.

AC257 Approval: The Industry Standard

It’s no secret that pressure treated lumber is corrosive—the treatment that protects the lumber from moisture, rot, and insects can also cause wear and corrosion on your fasteners if you’re not using the right one. As a result, structural fasteners need to meet AC257 for use in pressure treated lumber, which requires fasteners to either be hot-dip galvanized or have a coating that is as good as or better than hot-dip galvanized.

Why is hot-dip galvanizing the standard? This code-approved coating is tested to meet ASTM A153, Class D, which regulates that the coating is applied thickly and uniformly. While the coating will wear over time, it will still offer excellent and comprehensive protection against corrosion for the lifetime of the exterior application. Hot-dip galvanized fasteners are commonly used for structural projects that utilize larger screws with a greater surface area coming into contact with more wood and for coastal or applications near water, as the coating can withstand direct exposure to water for decades.

ASTM G198 Standard: Above and Beyond

While hot-dip galvanized coatings are proven and reliable, the one potential drawback to using them is that they feature a hex head instead of a recessed Torx™ or star drive that many builders prefer. Some fastener brands, like CAMO®, saw this as an opportunity to innovate and bring a new solution to market, like our Structural Screws that feature our proprietary PROTECH™ Ultra 4 coating.

PROTECH Ultra 4 gained AC257 Approval, the industry standard, but we pushed our fasteners above and beyond, testing to ASTM G198. This standard tests 2X longer and replicates real-world weather tendencies the fasteners will face to see how they hold up while in contact with treated lumber. CAMO has the only coating on the market tested to ASTM G198—it was worth going the extra mile so you can sleep better knowing your structural connections will last thanks to the four layers of corrosion-fighting, UV-resisting, performance-enhancing coating.

Before you tackle your next deck project, remember that people will be gathering and doing life on their decks, and rusted, corroded fasteners have no role in that—especially in the structural connections. Do your research and use fasteners with the proper coating to resist corrosion so that you have peace of mind your job will stand against the test of time and keep families safe.

Deck Fastening System Comparison

CAMO has systems to help you build a better deck—but what’s the best one for your job?

You’re a hard worker, but that doesn’t mean you’d choose to work harder than you have to. Instead, you’re likely to pick up fasteners and tools to help you get the job done quickly so you can tackle even more projects.

At CAMO, we recognize your work ethic and have created innovative deck fastening systems to make your work even smarter, faster, easier, and better. But which deck fastening system is the best for you? Let’s compare CAMO’s ClipDRIVE®, DRIVE, and MARKSMAN Systems to see which suits your job.

 

CAMO ClipDRIVE™ STAND-UP DECK CLIP FASTENING SYSTEM

Set Rows of Clips

Lock boards in place with Lever

Fasten Clips with ClipDRIVE

If installing grooved decking is your forte, the CAMO ClipDRIVE stand-up deck clip fastening system is a must-have to maximize productivity. The system includes CAMO Universal Deck Clips that work with any grooved deck board and the one-of-a-kind ClipDRIVE tool.

CAMO Universal Deck Clips are available in EDGE® Clips for 90° deck patterns, EDGEX® Clips for any deck pattern, and EDGEXMETAL® Clips for installations on steel framing. They are one-pass fasteners, which means you place them on the joist or in the board’s groove and they stay put without partial installation. That way, you can set multiple rows of boards, lock them in place with the CAMO LEVER® tool, and fasten a field at one time—a significant time-savings.

While you can fasten clips with the included NEVER-MISS™ Guide, you can speed up your installation even more by using the ClipDRIVE, which was exclusively designed for CAMO Universal Deck Clips. This innovative tool is simple to assemble, attaches to your drill, and is the perfect fit for your whole crew thanks to its height-adjustable handle. With its lightweight design and weighted nose, you can easily swing the ClipDRIVE from joist to joist, quickly targeting screw heads, while the no-mar nose protects the board from rings or scuffs. ClipDRIVE also reduces arm fatigue since there’s a short distance to compress the drill while fastening. Long story short, if you want to have the best experience fastening grooved decking, ClipDRIVE is the answer.

 

CAMO DRIVE™ STAND-UP 3-IN-1 FASTENING SYSTEM

edge fasten with drive

Face fasten with DRIVE

Fasten clips with Drive

If your crew takes on various decking projects, the award-winning DRIVE stand-up 3-in-1 fastening system is right for you. This affordable system delivers reliable speed and comfort on the job as you install better-performing CAMO Collated Edge Screws, Collated Face Screws, or CAMO Universal Deck Clips in no time.

DRIVE is easy to set up: install the bit and nose piece for the type of fastener you’re using, attach your drill, and load the screws in the tool or place the clips in the boards. Then, you’re ready to quickly secure the boards with CAMO’s premium fasteners.

To achieve a fastener-free surface on pressure treated, cedar, redwood, uncapped composite, and PVC deck boards that won’t crack or splinter, use DRIVE with CAMO Collated Edge Screws driven into the edge of the board. If you prefer a face-fastened deck, secure boards with the innovative Collated Face Screws that are available in two varieties for pressure treated and composite decking. The pressure treated screws feature a rake tip to auger wood out of the board to reduce splitting and cracking, while the composite screws have a fast-starting slash point to eliminate board mushrooming. For any screw install, keep in mind that the DRIVE tool leaves no spacing between boards, so you may need secondary spacers to follow the board manufacturer’s guidelines. Finally, if you’re installing grooved decking, use DRIVE to speed up fastening CAMO Universal Deck Clips. That’s a triple-threat tool worthy of placement in any tool crib.

 

CAMO MARKSMAN HIDDEN EDGE SCREW FASTENING SYSTEM

bend & lock boards with Lever

place marksman tool

drive edge screws through the guides

For a craftsman’s experience installing decking that can still be completed in a few hours, pick up the CAMO MARKSMAN Hidden Edge Screw Fastening System. This hand-driven system of MARKSMAN tools and Edge screws is an economical and perfect way to achieve a fastener-free surface that won’t split, crack, or splinter on any square deck board.

The heavy-duty MARKSMAN tools clamp to the deck board and create spacing between boards. They feature screw channels that direct the Edge screws into the board’s edge, creating a strong v-lock connection into the joist while leaving a hidden fastener finish. The best part? There’s no pre-drilling required for pressure treated, cedar, redwood, PVC, and uncapped composite boards as the Edge screw scrapes and penetrates the board with light pressure. However, given the density of capped composites and hardwoods, we recommend pre-drilling these boards, which is as easy as running the pre-drill bit through the screw channel before dropping in the Edge screws.

There’s a MARKSMAN Tool to fit and space any board. The MARKSMAN Pro® is for composite, PVC, capped composite, cedar, redwood, hardwood, and KDAT deck boards that require 3/16 in. spacing. Use the MARKSMAN Pro®-X1 to achieve 1/16 in. spacing with pressure treated deck boards. The MARKSMAN Pro®-NB creates 3/16 in. spacing for narrow composite, PVC, capped composite, cedar, redwood, hardwood, and KDAT deck boards. Finally, the MARKSMAN Edge single-shot tool attaches to your drill and leaves no space between pressure treated deck boards.

To sum it up, the MARKSMAN System has an affordable price point, is easy to use, creates strong connections, and results in a beautiful fastener-free and long-lasting surface, great for any deck builder.

So when it comes to picking the right system for your crew, it all comes down to function. But no matter what CAMO deck fastening system you choose, you’ll experience huge time-savings and excellent performance, which is why it’s the better way to build a deck.