Fasteners
Hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum and stainless steel fasteners
are all corrosion-resistant and can be used to fasten
Western Red Cedar. Other types of nails are not recommended
because they can rust and disintegrate and react adversely
with the natural preservative oils present in cedar resulting
in unsightly stains and streaks. Copper nails also react
with cedar and should not be used. Stainless steel nails
are your best choice, especially if you intend to finish
the wood with transparent or semi-transparent stain. Use
No. 304 stainless steel for general applications and No.
316 for seacoast exposure.
Large fences and some gates may require timber connectors
other than nails. Bolts, lag screws and custom-made
hard-ware are sometimes used in fences, gates and landscape
structures where the joint's strength must be greater
than that which could be achieved with nails. These
types of connectors should be corrosion-resistant or
painted to prevent corrosion.
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