CAMO 1-7/8" Edge Deck Screws, Hidden Fastener Deck Installation (1750 ct)

I am a DIY-er and using these on my new deck to fasten Cumaru hardwood.The screws seem to be of high quality and the black coating helps them hide in the holes instead of glinting in the sunlight. Out of a box of 1750, I think we have had one screw be bad but are only about halfway through the box.They have a trim-head, so for hardwoods, you can use them to face-screw when needed. I used a 1/64" smaller drill bit for face-screwing so that the head would have more holding power against the wood. You will need a different head shape for face-screwing treated or composite boards.I am using an 11/64" bit (instead of the recommended 3/16") to pre-drill for standard holes, and a 5/32" bit to pre-drill for face-screwing.I would not recommend using these on 1x deck boards. I am using 5/4 board for the stair treads and a "1x plus" (7/8") for the deck boards. The 5/4 installation seems okay, but on the 1x plus boards, the angled hole doesn't leave much wood on the edge and I'm slightly worried that over time it will cause splitting, especially in late summer. If I had used true 1x (3/4") deck boards, I don't feel it would be enough wood left to hold well. On 2x boards with the longer screws this system would be unstoppable.

Replaced cedar decking with Azek PVC decking utilizing the Camo Pro tool. Chose stainless steel as the incremental cost was small compared to my other materials. Installation was simple with no predrilling required and spacing between boards is obtained in one step using the tool. Note the screws are discrete but not completely hidden, however, when friends come to see the deck they ask "where are the screws?". So can't get much better than that. As advertised, boards can be removed easily and replaced if needed, as I had to do on a couple of occassion, one where I did not have the tool completely seated against the board and I drilled through the top. So the best tip I can give is to ensure the tool is completely seated prior to screwing either screw.The count worked out well where it was advertised for ~500 sq ft. My deck is ~450 sq ft and I installed a few extra screws in places and also dropped a few. I have about 50-100 screws remaining.The cost is very economical, especially when compared to other stainless options. If you do not need stainless, look for the combo pack that includes the Pro tool and 1750 screws - very good deals out there.

Just as you would get in stores. I needed quickly and local places were out. I could get quicker through amazon than any of the big box stores in my area.

I was surprised at how small the screws were. I am hoping they will do the job as they seem to hold the boards well during the install. I checked with the Camo tech guy before the purchase about the issues some have had with screws breaking. ( I assume during freeze and thaw cycles ) He confirmed that the stainless were less likely to break and they were recommended for my installation of 5/4 cedar decking....something having to do with the tannins in the wood and the coated screw making some kind of stain on the wood. This did not really make sense to me but I wanted not to end up with broken screws so I was willing to pay the extra money. There is quite a cost difference between the coated and stainless, and by the way, the stainless are coated also. I did have several screws that didn't sink all the way. They seemed to be stripped and would not go in or out leaving me not able to remove the tool. I ended up drilling them out. Not too big of a deal but kind of frustrating. I used a Bowrench for some pretty warped boards and chisels to pry in the outward direction, and so far the camo screws appear to be holding quite well. The product advertises that the 1750 count box will be good for installing about 500sq ft of decking. I think this may be more accurate for 16 in on center spacing. I used one foot on center spacing and appeared to get more like 400sq ft of decking. The tool spaces great and when your moving right along the auger type screw go through the wood like butter......never had anything split. This deck is 43ft long and all the spacing looks strait and even the whole way. One great feature about the auger designed screw and with my fairly knotty cedar, is the way they cut though knots, whether in the deck boards or in the joist. Good luck with a nail or conventional screw, This is very cool the way these things bore through and not spit the wood or fail! Overall the deck looks like someone who knew what they were doing did the work.

We used this system to install a deck from ipe. Takes a bit longer than you would think, but then again, you need to drill every hole, and it depends on the spacing of the joists. We were pleased that there was a stainless option as we live near the Ocean. From where we live, we can see a multi-million dollar house getting a new cedar shake roof because the hardware used was not stainless, but ferrous steel... The roof is only a few years old.. Doesn't take much to rush through hardware.. Anyhow, the system is extremely stealth and hold the boards well. A friend who's using CAMO had some problem with boards cupping, but he was using wider maybe 6 inch boards..

Just received, will write a follow up regarding performance and durability. Out of the box, we are 17 screws short.

You can never go wrong with SS. I went with the CAMO tool rather than the hidden biscuit type requiring an edge cut, for the time saving aspect. As with any fastener you want to hide them as much as possible. The unthreaded part of the screw shank not only adds strength to the fastener, but should allow the wood to expand and contract without splitting. This only time will tell. Hoping for good results.