Screws hold longer than nails on fastening fence pickets. Use #8 x 1-5/8" 304 stainless steel deck screws, or 2" stainless steel ring shank nails if you're running a gun, two per picket per rail. This covers pickets only, not rails or posts.
We've spent over 28 years building decks for homes and for businesses, and a lot of fence pickets along the way. This post gives you the size, the count per picket and the cost per picket.
TL;DR
- Screws hold longer. A threaded shank locks into the rail; a smooth nail works loose as the picket wets and dries.
- Screw size: #8 x 1-5/8" 304 stainless steel deck screws for 5/8" and 3/4" pickets on 2x rails, #10 x 2" for 1" pickets, star drive.
- Nail size, if you're running a gun: 2" ring shank, stainless steel or double hot-dipped galvanized. Never smooth shank.
- How many: two per rail, 3/4" in from each picket edge, 1-1/2" to 2" from the rail's top and bottom. Pre-drill within 2" of a picket end.
- Cost on two rails: about $0.33 a picket for 304 stainless steel deck screws, $0.34 for stainless steel ring shank nails, $0.16 for coated screws, which are the ones that rust.
Not sure yet? Try before you buy.
Before you commit to a bucket of fence picket screws, test them on a scrap cedar picket. The sample pack includes 304 and 316 stainless steel screws with the Torx drive, so you can feel the bite and see the finish first.
Are Screws or Nails Better for Fence Pickets?
Screws are better for fence pickets, and the reason is pull-out: a threaded shank cuts its own channel into the rail while a nail only grips by friction. The Wood Handbook, chapter 8 ranks pull-out three ways: smooth nail lowest, ring shank nail next, threaded screw highest.
Do nails or screws hold wood better after a few seasons? A DIY fence builder said it best: "Nails back out causing gaps and loose boards." Screws don't back out, and a rotted picket comes off by reversing the screw.
- The honest side: a fencing contractor: "Ring shank fence nails from a coil gun. Screws break." He's right about shear; a screw snaps where a nail bends.
- Why that doesn't decide it: a picket isn't a shear load. A cupping picket pulls straight out on the head, and pull-out is where a screw holds best.
- The general case: rails, posts and framing are in our nails vs screws explainer.
Why Fence Picket Nails Back Out and Pickets Come Loose
Fence picket nails back out because the picket swells and shrinks with every wet-dry cycle, and a smooth shank has nothing to hold once the fibers around it relax. Fence pickets coming loose after a few seasons usually have one fastener per rail, so the board pivots and levers the nail out.
- Smooth shank: friction only. Rain, sun, relaxed fibers, and the nail walks out.
- One fastener per rail: the picket cups around it and pivots. Two per rail stops that.
- Ring shank: the rings lock into the fibers. Far better than smooth, still short of a screw.
A horse-fence owner summed up the stakes: "The screws hold better, nails pull out and can leave a good gash in a horse's skin."
Best Nails for Fence Pickets: 2" Ring Shank From a Coil Gun
The best nails for fence pickets are 2" ring shank nails in stainless steel or double hot-dipped galvanized, shot from a coil or framing gun. Should you use ring shank nails for a fence? If you're hanging hundreds of pickets, yes. The rings give you most of a screw's hold at gun speed.
- From a gun, every day: a fencing contractor: "Yes. I use the 21-degree framing nailer daily for fences. Use the 2" ring shank nails, no issues as long as you don't try to stack them in the extended clip."
- Why 2": a builder who buys thicker boards: "These are double hot-dipped galvanized ring shank nails - 2" because I use premium fence pickets which are thicker than the big box junk pickets."
What size nails for fence pickets?
Nail size for fence pickets is 2" ring shank, 6d to 8d, in stainless steel or double hot-dipped galvanized. Nail length for fence pickets stops at 2"; longer risks coming out the back of a 2x rail. We don't carry nails, so these are named, not linked.
- Stainless steel: Grip-Rite ring shank siding nails, 2-3/16" x .090" (fine on 3/4" pickets, too long for 5/8"), listed as 316 stainless steel, 1,800 for $156.00, or $0.086 a nail. No bleed on cedar.
- Double hot-dipped galvanized: the code minimum in treated wood, which needs hot-dip galvanized, stainless steel, silicon bronze or copper per the Simpson Strong-Tie corrosion guide. Can streak cedar.
- Aluminum: one fence builder's pick for cedar: "Aluminum ring shank nails. No bleed no rust."
Can you use a finish nailer for fence pickets?
No, you can't use a finish nailer for fence pickets. A finish nail is thin, smooth and small-headed, so a cupping picket pulls right over it. Use a framing or coil nailer loaded with 2" ring shank fence nails.
Best Screws for Fence Pickets and What Size to Use
The best screws for fence pickets are #8 x 1-5/8" 304 stainless steel wood screws for 5/8" and 3/4" pickets on 2x rails, and #10 x 2" for 1" pickets, with a T20 or T25 star drive. What size screw for fence pickets comes down to picket thickness. How long fence picket screws should be is 1-5/8" to 2", never past 2".
| Picket thickness | Screw to attach pickets to rails | Into the rail |
|---|---|---|
| 5/8" | #8 x 1-5/8" 304 SS deck screw | 1" |
| 3/4" | #8 x 1-5/8" 304 SS deck screw | 7/8" |
| 1" | #10 x 2" 304 SS deck screw | 1" |
A builder who face-screws fences, on where to spend the money: "The GRKs are good for the rails, for the pickets you don't need them. Go with 1 5/8 brown deck screws for those. Save some cash." On the 2" end, another builder: "I'd run 2" screws and counter sink them. Should be plenty of bite."
How many screws or nails per fence picket?
Two per rail, so four on a two-rail fence and six on three rails. Placement matters as much as the count:
- Across the picket: 3/4" in from each edge.
- Up the rail: 1-1/2" to 2" in from the rail's top and bottom, so the rail doesn't split.
- Picket ends: pre-drill any fastener within 2" of a picket end.
Will galvanized screws stain a cedar fence?
Yes, galvanized screws will stain a cedar fence. Once the zinc wears through, the iron underneath meets the tannin in the wood and leaves a black streak down from every head.
304 stainless steel deck screws have no exposed iron to react. The full chemistry is in our guide to the best screws for cedar fencing.
What Fence Picket Screws Should You Buy?
The screws you should buy for fastening fence pickets are Eagle Claw #8 x 1-5/8" 304 stainless steel screws with a Torx drive. We've been building fences for over 28 years, and we use these because stainless steel has no exposed iron to streak cedar. For structural connectors, we reach for Simpson Strong-Tie.
Fence Picket Screws vs Nails: Cost per Picket
304 stainless steel fence picket screws cost about $0.33 per picket, a stainless steel ring shank nail about $0.34, and a coated deck screw about $0.16, all at four fasteners per picket on two rails.
| Fastener | Per fastener | Per picket (4) | Per 100 pickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Claw #8 x 1-5/8" 304 SS deck screw, 1,750 pack | $0.082 | $0.33 | $32.80 |
| Deck Mate coated #8 x 1-5/8" deck screw, 3,096 pack | $0.039 | $0.16 | $15.60 |
| Grip-Rite 316 SS ring shank nail, 1,800 pack | $0.086 | $0.34 | $34.40 |
The 304 stainless steel deck screw and the stainless steel ring shank nail cost about the same per picket. The coated screw is half the price, and it's the one that rusts. How that coating holds up over a few seasons is in our Eagle Claw vs Deck Mate fence test.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Galvanized nails streak cedar. Use stainless steel or aluminum nails on cedar and redwood.
- One fastener per rail lets a picket cup and pivot. Always two.
- Pre-drill within 2" of a picket end or you'll split it.
