Almost every deck we’re called out to repair in Danville, KY is built from pressure-treated pine, and one of the most common causes of early failure has nothing to do with the wood itself — it’s the screws holding it together.
Why Do Screws Rust in Pressure-Treated Decking?
Modern pressure-treated lumber uses copper-based preservatives that corrode ordinary steel fasteners fast, so the screws are often the first thing to fail, not the wood.
The preservatives used in today’s treated lumber (ACQ and copper azole, which replaced the older CCA chemical) carry far more copper than older treatments, and that copper reacts with standard steel or electroplated fasteners. The American Wood Council specifies that fasteners in contact with treated wood need to be hot-dip galvanized, stainless steel, silicon bronze, or copper — plain steel or lightly coated screws are not built to last in that environment. A deck that looks fine on the surface can have screw heads snapping off or hanger nails corroding through underneath it.
How Do You Know If Your Deck Has the Wrong Fasteners?
Rust streaks bleeding out from screw heads, black-stained wood around fastener holes, or a screw head that shears off with light pressure are the giveaways of the wrong fastener for treated lumber.
It’s most serious at hidden structural connections — joist hangers and the ledger board — where corrosion isn’t visible until a connection has already weakened. Re-fastening a deck with correct hardware is usually a board-and-hardware job rather than a full rebuild, and typically falls in the same $800–$3,000 typical range as other deck repairs here, depending on how much of the structure needs new fasteners. If you’re not sure what’s holding your deck together, our deck inspection checks the hardware along with the framing.
Common Questions
Do all decks need stainless steel screws?
No — hot-dip galvanized fasteners meet code for most residential treated-lumber decks. Stainless is an upgrade, mainly worth it near water or for coastal-grade corrosion resistance, which isn’t a Danville concern.
Is composite decking affected by this too?
The decking boards themselves aren’t, but composite decks are still framed with pressure-treated lumber underneath, so the same fastener rules apply to the structure holding them up.
Can I just replace the rusted screws myself?
For surface deck screws, often yes. For joist hangers or ledger hardware, we’d rather check the wood underneath first — corroded fasteners there sometimes mean water has been sitting in the connection too.
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Danville Deck Builders · Serving Danville & Boyle County, KY · Call or text (859) 310-1209
Last updated: September 3, 2026