CamoEdge 2-3/8" Stainless Steel Deck Screws (700 ct)

Finished the deck and I have a few tips for people looking to use these screws. The Camo Marksman worked well with the 2-3/8 stainless screws. I went through 1 inch cedar into joists that were pretty chewed up from the prior standard screwed boards.Biggest tip is to use a 6" 7/64th drill bit to predrill. Made installation amazingly easy, using a cordless drill for pre-drilling and a cordless impact driver with the Camo bit to drive in the screw.Second tip is not to press down too hard on softer wood like Cedar. It will leave a little outline of the Camo tool is you use pressure. If it doesn't slot correctly, use shims/clamps rather than putting pressure on the tool.Fore technique, initially, I used a second person to move the board back and fourth to make the gap correct for the tool, but was able to solo it after switching to screwing from one end of the board towards the other using clamps/wedges to help with gaps. I leaned on the board with one hand next to the tool to make sure the board is tight against the joist and that worked well.

CAMO Edge Deck Screws 2-3/8" Stainless Steel (700) were needed for a custom fence built with 5/4 decking… They are less noticeable but once you know where they’re installed you see them as easily as any other screw… I would've liked them a bit heavier, they’re No. 7 screws but time will tell how they work out… I built another fence 12 years ago with regular coated screws and lately they’ve started breaking quite a bit, we’ll see how well these do compared to them…

They seem short for 2x lumber going in at an angle and they’re pretty thin, but they go in smooth and easy.

I just completed installation of nearly 1,000 square feet of Cumaru hardwood decking, using the Camo system with 2 3/8" stainless steel screws. I have to say, first of all, that despite some problems, the deck came out great!Contrary to the manufacturer's claims, you MUST pre-drill hardwood deck boards prior to installation of Camo screws. The screw tips are capable of cutting into hardwood decking, but resulted in very rough holes, and more than half of the stainless steel screws snapped off when installed without pre-drilling. Additionally, if you are installing hardwood decking, make sure the holes you drill are big enough. I started with a 7/64" drill bit, but continued having a problem wish about 1/3 of the screws snapping off when the top reverse-threaded portion of the screw penetrated the deck board. After some experimentation, i found that an 9/64" drill bit worked best. This concerns me a little because an 9/64" hole pretty much negates the manufacturer's claimed advantage of the reverse-threaded top of the screw locking into the deck boards. I am praying that these screws hold up in the long term.This brings me to another issue that I believe to be perhaps the most important. Camo customer service is non-existent! When I first started having the problem with screws snapping off, I called Camo. I was promptly connected to a very nice guy who listened to my issue. I was struck by the fact that when I told him I'd learned that it was necessary to pre-drill the hardwood decking (despite extensive Camo literature which highlights the fact that you do now need to pre-drill, he responded "oh, definitely!". He had no advice, however, with respect to the snapping screw problem, but suggested that I speak with the product manager, Greg somebody. He connected me to Greg's line, and I left him a voice mail message. Didn't receive a return call for two days, so I called and left two additional voice mail messages. Told him I was having a problem with a large deck installation, and desperately needed his advice. Despite having left three messages over four days, I never received a return call. So I was left on my own with nearly $1,000 worth of Camo screws and installation tools. NOT impressed! Thankfully, I figured out the pre-drilling issue, but I remained concerned with the long-term integrity of this installation.I was unable to find 11/64" drill bits that were long enough to fully penetrate the 5/4" decking. Prior to commencing installation of this deck, I had considered the Kreg Deck Jig as well as the Camo system. I decided to go with the Camo system because the board spacing is slightly tighter. Perhaps I made a mistake, though. Kreg admits, in their literature, that hardwood decking should be pre-drilled, and provides a drill bit to be used with their system, which is long enough to penetrate 5/4" decking. It would be nice if Camo did the same. I also found that the deck boards tended to split when installing Camo fasteners at the board ends. So I wound up top-fastening the board ends. It doesn't look bad at all, but does not result in a fully concealed fastener system. The Kreg jig has 45 degree guides to be used for fastening board ends. I don't know how well they work, but it seems like a good idea.In summary, I suppose I would recommend the Camo system, but with cautions and reservations. Despite the manufacturer's claims, if you are installing hardwood decking, you MUST pre-drill. Despite the manufacturer's claims, I highly recommend top-fastening the board ends. Perhaps most importantly, if you require customer service, you are not going to get it from this company. Despite my investment in two Camo Tools (6" and 4"), I am inclined to try the Kreg system on my next hardwood deck installation.

Worked great for giving clean finish on diagonal 2x6 decking

We really like the hidden screw profile this provides

.Required for use with CAMO decking planking assemble for side screw application.