Stripped Screws

Anyone have any luck with a specific method of getting out stripped screws?

I am having a pickle of a time on a bunch of screws stripped while doing my deck. I am using Cortex Fasteners for composite decks.

Smaller thin screws that cut and make a plug size hole in the board to be used with plugs.

I am really frustrated at the amount that stripped. I gave it a go on a few screws using a couple of different methods and screw strip set from big box stores and I couldn't make any head way. A bit ticked off to say the least. A lot of work to do the deck and now have to figure this out or potentially replace the boards or spend more money.

 

Probably not much help here but are you talking about the head of the screw is stripped out or the threads are spinning before the screw is tight?

Fyi: The link you listed is for the brand, not the specific fastener you're using. Just a quick look on their wetsite and it says all their stuff has a guarantee.....

 

I use them a lot and I mean a lot and very rarely have had an issue. I had doubts that they would work as described and after using them they worked perfectly.

Possibly bad tip ?
Not holding driver inline with screw ?
That's all I got.

 

What type of drive are they?
I had a bunch of trouble with some screws I got from my FIL (former builder) I thought they were Phillips, but he said you can use Phillips, but they work a lot better with square drive, and he was right! These were 3.5" deck screws...so it takes some torque to drive those into good hard wood

 

They are Torx head type, the small head recesses in and then you hammer in a matching plug and they disappear. Great for clean finished look and hold. Best thing I have ever used for vinyl, composite materials.
I had a bunch of those screws you described combo Phillips, square drive. I used them up and made sure to never buy them again.

 

It's the head, it's a thin screw and on some the dam head just stripped right out. I tried yesterday messing with a few of them and boy I am really down in the dumps I am not sure how to fix this.

The other kicker is because it cuts through the decking creating a hole for the plug, it has cutter towards the top of the head so trying to back these out normally is very hard as the whole board wants to come up and you really have to put weight on it to get it out.

Trying to do this with a stripped screw head is even more of a nightmare.

I am at a loss, not sure what to do and really frustrated, I busted my arse on this deck to have this happen.

Last thing I am going to try and do is try and drive them down with a T25 bigger head. I just need them down a bit so I can fit a plug.

Try this link at Lowes

I believe they are a T20 head.

 

Sorry ReelFaster, this really sucks. Personally, I never had an issue with Torx head screws, but I feel your pain from many previous things that should have been easy and I screw (pun intended) them up!


Hope the new plan works for you!

 

There are too many "phillips" screws that look like phillips but aren't. If you're lucky the screwdriver you have might match close enough, but mybe not and maybe not usually means stripped out. Sometimes even going in.

If you have a dremel and a flat cut off you could grind a slot for a straight bit screwdriver ...

 

Thank you! Story of my life...........I am so dam frustrated I don't want to even look at the dam deck. I think I'll hire someone to fix it before I lose my cool and take my chainsaw to it, that's how frustrated I am.

 

The other thing you can try is, if you look at the shape of the drive bit it should flare slightly as you go up from the tip. One thing I do to extend the bit life is grind the tip slightly which will move up the flare expanding the diameter of the tip just enough to get it to bite again. You can usually do this maybe twice before the diameter gets too big to fit.
Another suggestion would be to get about a 6" driver bit holder, the longer holder will help you keep the bit in line with the screw. If you are leaning a little it will become much more noticeable. Also make sure you are applying enough pressure on the driver so the screw going in does not out run your driver pressure.

 

This is usually when my wife goes in the house and watches tv!

 

Can you drill pilot holes to make the screws easier to insert? Not too big though, or the screws won't hold.

 

I can feel what you're saying and that definitely sucks! Usually torx are the better of the options. I would probably blame the torx bit you're using. Doesn't take much effort to wear out cheap steel.

 

^^^ cheap bits are not a savings
IME combo screw are not a help but a hindrance
Especially those square/phillips strip on both bits

 

Have you gone on their website and checked to see what they suggest to do in the event of this happening? Checked you tube? Are the heads below the surface of the board where you can shave the plug?

IIRC these are the same fasteners Ive used helping a couple contractor's. I wasn't that crazy about them especially the little plugs. Big hands don't handle them well. The other guy helping stripped out some and I don't recall how they were backed out.

I did a deck last month and used a similar trex screw but it was a bigger screw and plug. Had to predrill and luckily only perimeter boards attached that way.

I've never used these but supposedly they work well. One end makes a cone shape in the stripped out screw. Flip it and the other end of the bit has reverse threads that grab the screw when you back it out. Grabit® Pro | Bolt and Screw Extractors

 

I'm pretty darn sure that when I had my back porch replaced last year, he drilled pilot holes for every screw that went into the Trex decking.

 

The trex predrill bits I just used on the deck I did were sweet. First bit drills hole with perfect depth stop and second drives the screw to correct depth. The set of two was $40 and the guy at the pro desk let me use his. If I did them all the time I'd buy the set.

 

Thanks all!

For the sake of time & not thinking it would be much of an issue any stripped screw I just left and moved on. Think I figured about 24 screws per board and I have about 84 boards, lots of screws. Not sure what I was thinking at the time, perhaps I thought there was a miracle tool to get them out I could use but that's on me for not doing my homework and just simply NOT thinking.

I felt a little rushed because I had help with this project from my brother in law. He helped immensely with figuring out the framing, foundation, getting it square, etc... basically all the hard stuff. I was just a dumb grunt. He's a super busy guy and can come when he can come. He was waiting on me so I was rushing to get the boards down so we can finish up trim, steps, etc.....

Hey Eric, yes I was thinking of pulling the boards, but the problem is there are many and it would be very costly if I had to redo many of them. But I truly think that will be my only option for many unfortunately.

I think it came down to the drive bit, I was using what was provided in the bucket of screws. They provided two bits per bucket, I've used many buckets!! I did notice or felt that some bits were crap and was causing the issue. I would changed them out with another bit.

Hindsight I probably should have stopped, got a bit that was of higher quality to minimize the strips, but I am too impatient so now I pay.

Still not over it and I frankly don't want to even look at that dam deck, it can burn to hell for all I care.

The other kicker is, I opted not to use the Trex clips, they left a big gap over a 1/4" and I didn't like the look of it. On top of that the boards I got, very wavy and flared at the ends, not crazy about them. Who knew this crap warped and was wavy I thought they were straight as arrows, again not knowing.

I didn't make a stink about this when delivered because I had enough room to cut off a bit on both ends to cut most of it out, but they still flare so the dam clips while they pulled that down a little it wasn't as flush like it is with a screw.

So not only did I create more work for myself, over 2000+ screws to secure, over 2000+ plugs (if I choose to), I spent more money using the screws probably 3x as much as the trex clips, I have a dozen or so stripped out, and might have to buy more trex boards at $$ a pop..... Talk about wanting to punch something!

Ok rant over..........It's been 3 days still hot headed as ever over it but getting better!

 

The only time I've had issues with torx type bits stripping was if the screw was coated and it was too thick in the head, didn't allow the bit to seat...but if you seat the bit in by tapping it with a hammer first, that helps a lot...PITA though, doing that on each one. Not as bad as the current issue though!
As far as getting them out, those extractor bits that Brad mentioned earlier work great, if there is one that is the right size for the "hole", but, you could ream the screw head out a little with a nice sharp drill bit, then use the extractor.
The other trick that I've used on stripped fasteners is to get a left handed bit, sometimes if you push down hard, go slow, and the bit digs in and gets a good bite, it will actually twist the bolt/screw right out.
Last resort will be to use a drill bit a little bigger diameter than the screw itself and just drill the head off...this should allow you to get the board up and then the rest of the screw/shank can be grabbed with a vise grip pliers and twisted out.
Heck, that may even be the fastest/easiest solution! (Assuming the boards can be pry'd off those threads! )