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Hot take: Screws are overkill for most framing work
Got into it with a crew lead who insisted on screws for every joist. Ngl, nails have held houses for centuries and save time.
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eric_gonzalez266mo ago
Back on a retrofit job, the inspector made us pull out all the screws in a shear wall and switch to nails. He said something about how screws get brittle over time, which kinda echoes what @victoradams mentioned about shear tests. We spent half the day just talking about how codes change but old tricks still work. Ended up with a mix of both, and that wall has been solid for years now. It's one of those things where you see both sides after living through it.
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victoradams6mo ago
Check jenny183's shear tests, screws handle twist way better. Nails worked for old houses, but modern codes need that extra grip.
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karenc205mo ago
Totally agree with @victoradams. I saw a shear wall test where screws snapped clean under load, but nails just bent. We had to redo a whole garage because the screws got brittle after a few winters. Nails have that give you need.
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jenny1836mo ago
Seen a lot of shear tests where screws fail faster than nails. Sure they take more time, but they hold better when things twist. Your lead might be onto something.
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