Grip Rite PrimeGuard Plus-Coated 3 1/2" Screw Review

Overall 3.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

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kid-kansas
Clearwater, KS

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Turned my project into a real tough chore!

Mr. Fix-it, have a big yard, a homeowner

Pros

coated to prevent staining the wood, self tapping

Cons

screw heads strip out easy

JUL

2008

After doing my roof and using Grip Rite Fasteners for both the roofing felt and shingles I knew what to get when a storm blew a section of my privacy fence down. So I went to the hardware store and got a box of Grip Rite Deck Screws.

Grip Rite PrimeGuard Plus-Coated Screws

These screws come in various lengths and are coated to resist staining the wood, whether it be a fence or a deck you use them on. I needed to go through a 2"x4" board as well as far enough into a 4"x4" post to hold it securely in place. I already had a box of 2" Grip Rite wood screws for the 1"x5" face boards so now I was all set to repair my fence.

The wind the other night kicked up some heavy straight line winds that reached 80mph and it demolished an eight foot section of my privacy fence. Lucky for me it was only the horizontal boards that broke so it wasn't going to be too bad to repair....or so I thought!

I grabbed my drill and put the proper bit in it which I already had from Grip Rite when I bought a box of their 2" deck screws. I drove a nail in to hold one end of the board up (doing it myself so I needed help) I then balanced the 2"x4"x8' board on the nail and then proceeded to screw my top horizontal board in place. Well I got about 3/4 of it in and it started to slip on the bit!!! Crap this won't work....so I went and got a drill-bit to drill a pilot hole so I could get the screw in all the way (I needed 8 all together...4 for each board)

I drilled my pilot hole and then got a fresh screw and tried again.....same thing, once it started into the 4x4 post it would not go any further. I bought a small box which holds 35 screws and in order to get the job done it took 1/2 the dang box!! These screws have such soft heads that almost every one stripped the head out trying to get it into the treated 4x4 post.

Now these are made for outdoors and being so should go into treated lumber without stripping. I had no problems with the 2" Grip Rite screws but the 3 1/2" screws were a son of a biscuit to get in! I uttered that word many times fixing my fence along with a few mother truckers.....I know that's bad but if you went through 16 or 17 screws to get 8 half way decent ones you would utter a few words too...lol I mean even with pre drilled holes it was dang near impossible to get one to go in without stripping it.

Even those these have a cross cut head (phillips head) I found out that a square bit will work on these as well. Too bad I found out after the fact though!

Bottom Line

If a company knows that by using a cross point bit (phillips head) that customers are going to strip out the head why do they package a cross point tip in the box? I now know to use a square bit when using these longer screws but it would have been nice if they had made that known on the box!

The stripped ones did not go to waste though as I got up the other day to find my mailbox post busted and hanging by a few splinters. Seems my sons friend isn't the sharpest crayon in the box! I used a square bit on the stripped screws to fasten the mailbox back on a new post I had to set in place of the busted one.

So beware if you buy these screws and use a square bit so you don't go through the aggravation that I had to endure. Since they seem to be misleading by giving you a cross point bit instead of a square bit for these softer head screws I can only rate them a 3 star rating. Companies need to learn that being straight up with customers will gain them more respect and right now I am not feeling the love for them at all!

I do recommend them however because once you learn the right tool to use these screws work great and don't leave rust marks on your outdoor projects.

Grip Rite PrimeGuard Plus-Coated 3 1/2" Screw is recommended by kid-kansas

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Comments about kid-kansas’s Review

PattyTherre wrote on Jul 15, 2008 at 2:41PM

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In response to LaurieM's comment from Jul 12, 2008 at 3:12PM:

Back you up? Why, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a very conservative lady who would never use such sarcasm in a post. Hmpf. ;)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 13, 2008 at 11:04AM

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In response to LaurieM's comment from Jul 12, 2008 at 3:12PM:

ummm I think she left you all by yourself....;)

LaurieM wrote on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:12PM

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In response to kid-kansas's comment from Jul 11, 2008 at 10:07PM:

Patty... you can back me up any time now...... ahem

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 11, 2008 at 10:07PM

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In response to LaurieM's comment from Jul 10, 2008 at 6:22PM:

Patty trying to get you in hot water huh....lol ;)

LaurieM wrote on Jul 10, 2008 at 6:22PM

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Just an average screw ehh? Well, at 3 1/2", I'm not surprised. LOL (Patty put me up to this one!) ;)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 8:55PM

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In response to LisaCarey's comment from Jul 9, 2008 at 8:41PM:

Awww thanks Lisa....;) I will miss everyone very much but I will be peeking in from time to time...;)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 8:52PM

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In response to steve9631's comment from Jul 9, 2008 at 5:10PM:

Sorry Steve....;( Thanks, I do wish I had known about the square head before hand because it sure would have made my job easier...;)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 8:52PM

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In response to steve9631's comment from Jul 9, 2008 at 5:10PM:

Sorry Steve....;( Thanks, I do wish I had known about the square head before hand because it sure would have made my job easier...;)

LisaCarey wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 8:41PM

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In response to kid-kansas's comment from Jul 9, 2008 at 12:52AM:

Whoo hooo, how could we get along for such a long time without our resident redneck, whose comments always brighten our day :-)

steve9631 wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 5:10PM

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I feel your pain. Plasker and Assoc. out of the NW has a great screw line called "good screws", oddly enough, and they ship. Your right on about long screws and wood, square heads! Period! A phillips WILL make you talk about buscuits all day. Great review. Before I became a professional bum, I managed large commercial and government projects, and I relived some of that through your review. Oh the horror.....

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 9, 2008 at 12:52AM

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In response to LisaCarey's comment from Jul 8, 2008 at 11:12PM:

It helps me relax a bit and I really enjoy it....I just found out my daughter has wireless router so I am taking my laptop so I can keep on writing and keep in touch as much as time allows......I will be able to write as I test new things and have plenty to test too....You all can't get rid of me that easily....lol ;)

LisaCarey wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 11:12PM

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You are still working and writing just before your trip, I am impressed!

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 10:41PM

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In response to LoveisJoy's comment from Jul 8, 2008 at 7:06PM:

These are very easy to strip the head on......I know now to use a different bit than they supply but they should have volunteered that info up front....;)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 10:39PM

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In response to Fardreamer's comment from Jul 8, 2008 at 8:07PM:

I have to agree there! I found a forum that said to use a square bit instead only after I stripped a bunch out already...I know better now. ;)

Fardreamer wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 8:07PM

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There's something, um, screwy, or at least screwed-up, about a company that would lead a person, even an experienced Mr. Fix-It, to use the wrong type of screwdriver on its screws. Really!

LoveisJoy wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 7:06PM

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And here I thought all screws were created equal! Guess not. :)

kid-kansas wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 6:31PM

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In response to BayouBengal's comment from Jul 8, 2008 at 6:04PM:

Gotta love it or go nuts....lol ;)

BayouBengal wrote on Jul 8, 2008 at 6:04PM

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Don't you just love it when simple chores turn into long ones??

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Grip Rite PrimeGuard Plus-Coated 3 1/2" Screw Review

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