Nails or screws?

[Ole rooster]

I've used nails, with a nail gun, but on the toe nail I've had to finish with a hammer. I'm using screws where security is a must have. I've nail all my trim but will go back over it with screws. All the wire is screws. If I were to have used screws on the whole thing I would not have been able to have gotten it done.

 

[Chemguy]

Nails are cheaper, but I've found screws to be better at joining wood together. Once in place, they also stay put. I'm sure that pros know how to nail a frame together in a way that won't result in loosening over time, but I am not a pro.

 

[hondo58]

Screws. Predrill the holes and you will never split a piece of wood. I screwed a doghouse together 20 years ago. I took it all apart last week and didn't have to worry about rusty nails sticking out of the old wood. I came apart just like it was built yesterday. Good luck on your project!

 

[JohnCT]

Screws.

There is a good reason we still build boats with them. I prefer the exterior grade deck screws.

 

[anderson8505]

Screws. Walmart sells a B&D corded drill/screwdriver for $25 to use while you're recharging your cordless. Ditto on predrilling. Ditto on exterior deck screws. Screws are expensive but don't get cheap ones that you'll be replacing because they rust out. Good luck, it'll be worth it in the end.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I'm firmly in the screw camp. I have two drills, one with a drillbit and one with a driver so that I don't have to switch bits/drivers everytime. Saves time and aggrevation.

 

[spotstealer]

It really depends on the type of nails you use. Finishing nails don't have a head (generally speaking) and can pull out easily. They are meant to be used for things like trim. Common nails of the proper length will secure your coop just fine. If you are using hardwoods, like pallets, you will have an easier time using screws becuase nials and hardwoods mean lots of bent nails. My coop is 100% nailed, from the ground up. I used general building techniques (framed walls 16" on center, floor with joists, roof with rafters) with construction grade lumber. The only screws I used were on the many hinges. The only predars I would be concerned about are people and maybe a black bear. Unless of course the racoons can use crow bars and hammers...

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

I used a combination of both, but mostly screws. I borrowed my in laws high power drill and with my little Black n decker it did the job...I live in FLA and we have high winds too often to only use nails!

 

[ThinkingChickens]

We use screws. Our entire fence around our house is all screws and everything we build for outside. Our neighbor used nails on his fence and all the boards come lose in the winter with the snow.

 

[AtomicChicken]

I used nails for nearly the entire frame, the siding, trim, felt paper and shingles. For everything else, I used alot of 2-1/2" and 1-1/4" galvanized screws. I started out with 12d 3" coated sinkers for the frame. But as I used 2x3s for the 4x4x4 house, they tended to split the wood too much. So I switched to 10d 3" and 2-1/2" 8d nails.

For the run (cedar 2x4 and 4x4) I used 3" 10d nails. For the hardware cloth, 1-1/4" screws with #10 washers. My most used item turned out to be the 1-1/4" screws. Lots of uses for them and went through nearly 3 lbs.