Coop Build: To nail or not to nail?

[chickity-chick]

Hi everyone! Im about to start building a 5ftX12ft coop. I do not have a nail gun to put the frame together. My questions is if this is necessity or not. Do you have any suggestions to building the frame without having to purchase an expensive framing nailer that I cant afford? I want my coop to be safe but i also cant afford to dump 300+ dollars on a nail gun I will never use again. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

 

[tsperry88]

@black_cat

Ive read that screws are not good for framing because they will snap instead of bend with the frame during heavy weather and when there is a lot of weight in it? Is this going to pose a problem?

Screws are fine. They have lower sheer strength but better in some aspects. There are pros and cons to all methods.

 

[Alaskan]

@black_cat

Ive read that screws are not good for framing because they will snap instead of bend with the frame during heavy weather and when there is a lot of weight in it? Is this going to pose a problem?

Yes, with a house... but I don't see that to be an issue with a coop... not as much weight involved as with a house.

My two smaller coops I built with only screws and they are still standing strong (with is impressive since 1. My building skills are poor, and 2. I used some partly rotted/soft wood, and 3. I get lots of snow and wind).

As to splitting... if it splits it probably would have split no matter what you used (nail or screw). With me, if it starts to split, I stop, screw it out and then drill a pilot hole, then drill the screw in.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi everyone! Im about to start building a 5ftX12ft coop. I do not have a nail gun to put the frame together. My questions is if this is necessity or not. Do you have any suggestions to building the frame without having to purchase an expensive framing nailer that I cant afford? I want my coop to be safe but i also cant afford to dump 300+ dollars on a nail gun I will never use again. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

A good hammer is less than $20.
You could also use screws with a cordless driver. A cordless driver is a very handy tool to have around.

 

[black_cat]

I know that a lot of people on BYC prefer screws over nails, as they're harder to pry out or something like that. @humblehillsfarm recently got their coop ripped up by a bear, and is rebuilding with screws.

 

[TARDIS37379]

I’m an electrician by trade and not a carpenter. However, good wood screws are better than nails. A good battery drill and you’re in business.
I just built a stand for a large Formex coop and it was completely assemble with wood screws.

 

[Trisseh]

I prefer screws because you can fix mistakes much easier if you need to take a couple back out. I also needed to be able to partly disassemble my coops if needed, so...
If you take the time to build appropriately with the correct bracing and attachment points, you really shouldn’t have any issues with screws breaking on you. Obviously you need to use the right size screws on any given portion of your project. When I made the base for my “playhouse” coop I used 4 1/8” screws to tie the 2x4s and 4x4s together. We get relatively high winds and no issues so far. If you’re concerned about more delicate materials splitting, you need to drill pilot holes ahead of time.

 

[Sahraschweiss]

I have used screws....for decades and decades. I have yet to have any issues from doing so.
My big coop is 8x14 built with screws about 7-8 years ago. Still standing strong. We get heavy wet snows every year here.

We roofed the 16x23 run this year using screws. I would not have done that if I was worried one bit about them breaking.

Pre-drill for the screws using a 1/8th inch drill bit to prevent splitting.

Or get self drilling.

 

[drinkoj]

Thank you! Do you think you could help me with this?

Ive read that screws are not good for framing because they will snap instead of bend with the frame during heavy weather and when there is a lot of weight in it? Is this going to pose a problem? Will the coop last a long time if made with screws?

I'm just up the road from on Lake Hartwell and we do not get bad enough wind or snow to worry about heavy weather in the ATL or Upstate of SC. Just last month we had a tornado touch down about 15 miles away and had gusts up to 30 mph at the house, the coop did just fine.
I used screws to build my coop and other projects over the years with no problem.
Here is what I built and I used 2.5" and 3" decking screws,
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/building-a-4x8-coop-inside-10x10-dog-kennel.1379917/page-2 , despite @MrFluffyandGirls thinking I used glue, bubble gum, and duct tape to build it. LOLOLOL

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Self drilling, TORX head exterior screws, in a big (5#) box. I suggest the DeckPlus or PowerPro. and a good, battery powered Impact Driver. Pre-drilling not generally required unless you are very close to an edge (where you shouldn't be anyways)

Or good exterior nails and a framing hammer. Someone suggested Estwing previously in this thread. 10/10 recommend, but get the lightest one you can find - if you don't swing them regularly, the extra length, plus the extra head weight will teach you about muscles you didn't know you had. Once you've shingled a few roofs with one, or stick built a couple houses, then go to a heavier one if desired. I throw a 28 oz, it will drive a damned big nail (12d 3 1/8" sinker) with a tap and two hits swung properly. or it will leave a very painful mark on the thumb of your other hand. Or it will take a finish nail and crumple it like a tin can if you are off just the teeniest bit. In retrospect, the 22oz would have been a wiser purchase.

No, your coop designs are NOT so heavy that there is any risk of a #8 or #10 screw head shearing off. Your impact driver will run that head right through a piece of half inch exterior plywood, and deep into the side of a PT 4x4 w/o issue - the stress needed to sheer the head is MUCH greater than the strength of the materials you are securing together. You want to talk about heads popping off fasteners? That's a roofing nail. They do it all the time if you set one crooked, then try to straighten it at the finish with an off center strike. the shaft doesn't bend, so the head gives.

If you go with Hardiboard panels, as I've recommended, even with self drilling screws, you are better off setting the screw with a hammer, then using the impact driver to do the deed. But you don't need a framing hammer for that, anything will do. Even with the weight of the hardieboard, the material will still fail before the screw head does.

And you want penetration of at least 2/3 the thickness of the bottom material. 2x4s are 1 1/2" thick+/-, so use a 2 1/2" screw for securing a pair of them together thru the narrow. Ends have no strength, because you are with the grain, so go deeper there.

/edit and the torx head bits that come with the screws are $#!+. expect it to loose most of its grip before you are done with the box of screws, particularly if you buy 5# at a time - and you should). Grab one of the longer shafted 3-pack or 5-pack torx bits for your driver, you won't be disappointed and its a cheap purchase, only a few bucks. Mine are DeWalt, but quality is good across the board for every Mfg I've tried.