Re-nailing garden fence

moonpenny

Sorry if this is in wrong section but as above I need to re nail my wooden garden fence.
I have vertical wooden fencing panels between concrete posts with the concrete plynths on the bottom.
Over the years the nails have worked loose from the wood and I need to redo some of them.
Can someone tell me what nails/tacks I should use or in fact if screws might be better.

Ebe_Scrooge

Personally I prefer screws. Yes they're a tad more expensive than nails, but you're still not talking a huge amount of money ( just as an example, £3.59 for a pack of 200, loads of others available : http://www.screwfix.com/p/goldscrew-woodscrews-double-self-countersunk-5-x-50mm-200-pack/16497 ). And for something like a fence panel, where some flexing and battering from the wind is inevitable, screws will not work loose as easily as nails.

spadoosh

Ringshank nails.

Im pretty sure i couldnt get screws in my fence panel without it splitting to pieces. Aint got time to be doing pilot holes on fence panels either.

moonpenny

Thanks! The wood is not up to much-rough and not very thick.
Might be right about the screws splitting the wood.
Looked at the ringshank nails and I think they are what's been used .

Davesnave

Either method above might work better than the other, depending on the nature of the wood, but I would drill pilot holes if screwing. It doesn't take that long and it's not as if you're paying yourself on piecework!

Apodemus

Davesnave wrote: »

Either method above might work better than the other, depending on the nature of the wood, but I would drill pilot holes if screwing. It doesn't take that long and it's not as if you're paying yourself on piecework!

I would agree, drill on one hand, impact driver in the other, screws between teeth and off you go!

Badrick

I'd go with the pilot holes and screws, as you may find bashing with a hammer will loosen even more bits.

moonpenny

Badrick wrote: »

I'd go with the pilot holes and screws, as you may find bashing with a hammer will loosen even more bits.

Yes I have already found that out.
I am going to go with the pilot holes and screws.
Thanks everyone for your advice.