If you are looking for a fast, cheap way to build a fence, you may be tempted to use drywall screws. But can you use drywall screws for a fence?

No, you should not use drywall screws for a fence. Drywall screws are not designed to withstand the elements or the weight of a fence, and will eventually rust and break. If you want your fence to last, you should use screws rated for both structural and exterior applications.

In this blog post, we will discuss the reasons why you should not use drywall screws for your fence and offer some better alternatives.

5 Reasons Not To Use Drywall Screws For A Fence

There are a number of reasons why you should not use drywall screws for your fence.

From exposure to the elements to structural integrity, here are 5 of the top reasons why you shouldn’t use drywall screws for a fence.

1) They’re Not Designed For Outdoor Use

Drywall screws are not designed for outdoor use. Since they’re not made of corrosion-resistant metal and don’t have a weather-resistant coating, they are more likely to rust. Over time, the screw will become weak and eventually break.

This can cause your fence to break down, or completely collapse.

2) They’re Not Strong Enough

No matter what kind of fence you build, it will need to hold up to quite a bit of abuse. Whether it be strong winds, people climbing on it, or dogs jumping on it, your fence will need to be able to withstand a lot of force.

And let’s face it, drywall screws aren’t designed for these kinds of conditions.

In fact, they are really only designed for one thing: to hang sheetrock.

Expose drywall screws to the kind of elements and abuse that a fence has to contend with on a daily basis, and they will eventually snap under the pressure, causing more work for you. Drywall screws don’t have a lot of shear strength, meaning they tend to break more easily in structural applications.

So, unless you’re planning to build some kind of indoor fence that won’t ever need to support any weight, you should opt for a stronger screw rated for structural use.

3) They Aren’t Long Enough

Depending on the type of fence you’re installing, drywall screws might not be long enough to provide adequate support–even temporarily.

This is especially true if you’re installing a taller fence that requires thicker material.

The longer the screw, the thicker material it can support. But since drywall screws are only about 1-1/2 to 2 inches long, they’re usually not up to the task.

Think of it this way, if you need to fasten a 2×4 to a 4×4 fence post, your screw needs to be a minimum of 2-1/2 inches long–preferably 3 inches.

Sure, if you’re running a fastener through 3/4″ cedar, the length of a standard drywall screw would be more than adequate. But as we’ve already discussed, your screws will still need to hold up to the elements, which drywall screws aren’t designed to do.

4) They’re More Likely To Strip

When running drywall screws through 2 pieces of wood, they’re more likely to strip than structural screws designed for exterior use.

Why?

For one, drywall screws feature a Philips head, which tends to strip easily.

And secondly, they are typically made of softer metal than structural screws.

On the other hand, structural screws designed for applications like decks and fencing are made from harder steel, and usually feature a star-drive head that is much less likely to strip.

5) Aesthetics

Drywall screws are almost always black–or dark grey. So, if you don’t want every single screw you put into your fence to stand out like a sore thumb, then I recommend opting for an exterior screw that more closely matches the color of your fence.

to be clear, fencing screws also come in black. So, if that’s the look you’re going for, there’s still no reason to opt for drywall screws.

In every case, drywall screws just aren’t adequate for fences.

The Best Screws For Fencing: A Buyer’s Guide

Now that we’ve discussed some of the reasons why you shouldn’t use drywall screws for your fence, let’s talk about what kind of screw is best for the job.

There are a number of options available, but here are my personal favorites that you can find at most big box stores:

Deckmate #9 x 3in. Star-Drive Tan Deck Screws

As the name implies, these screws are designed for use with decks.

But they work just as well for building a fence. In fact, I’ve personally used them on several occasions with great results.

They’re made of structural-grade steel and covered in a ceramic coating that prohibits rust and corrosion.

Also, one of my favorite features is the T-25 Star-drive head–which is much less likely to strip than a standard Philips head screw. Seriously, if you want to avoid stripping screws, I highly recommend opting for a star-drive screw.

Oh, and don’t worry about having to buy a T-25 Torx bit–it comes included.

Deck Plus #10 x 3in. Tan Deck Screws With Star Drive Head

These screws are very similar to the Deckmate screws I just mentioned.

They’re made from structural-grade steel, have a star-drive head, and come with a T-25 Torx bit.

The biggest difference is that these have an epoxy coating rather than a ceramic coating. Why is this important? To put it simply, color options.

Unlike the Deckmate screws, you can buy these Deck Plus screws in a variety of colors: tan, brown, black, white, green, and red.

If you’re looking for strength, durability, corrosion resistance, and your choice of colors, these are the screws I recommend.

TimberLOK Hex-Head Exterior Structural Wood Screws

While the Deckmate and Deck Plus screws will cover you for nearly every application, there may be times when you need something a little beefier.

For those special occasions when you’re building a fence that needs to withstand tougher-than-normal conditions, I recommend using TimberLOK screws for structural supports.

For installing the fence boards themselves, I still recommend one of the deck screws I mentioned above. But for attaching fence posts to their corresponding rails, TimberLOK screws are the way to go.

These screws are made of structural-grade steel and have a corrosion-resistant coating.

However, they are much thicker than the other deck screw options and have a hex head.

I’ve personally used TimberLOKs in a wide variety of applications, from decks to fences to timber-framing to retaining walls, these mighty fasteners will provide you with the structural support you need in even the most challenging applications.

Bottom Line

Should you use drywall screws for a fence? No, I don’t recommend it.

There are much better options available that are specifically designed for outdoor applications. While it might be cheaper in the short-term, you’re more than likely going to end up having to re-do the project with the right screws–costing you more time and money.

So, you might as well do it right the first time.

Instead, you should opt for screws rated for exterior and structural applications. To review, here are my top screw recommendations for fencing:

• Deckmate #9 x 3in. Star-Drive Tan Deck Screws (Home Depot)
• Deck Plus #10 x 3in. Tan Deck Screws With Star Drive Head (Lowes)
• TimberLOK Hex-Head Exterior Structural Wood Screws