Electronics > Mechanical & Automation Engineering

Which Screws Won't Cause Bleed through on Wood Filler For Bookcase

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bostonman:
I"m building a bookcase with dados and using Poplar wood (1 and 1/16" thick). I plan to screw the shelves and countersink the screw heads along with filling them with wood putty (?) to cover the holes and then clear stain.

I'm uncertain which screws to use. Not necessarily because of wood splitting or anything (I plan to pre-drill the holes to minimize the risk of cracking and/or screws stripping), but more about whether the material from a screw will bleed through over time.

The only screws I have are the yellow Deckmate (construction ?) from Home Depot which I planned to use, but concern on whether that finish will breakdown over time bleeding through the stain.

Does anyone have recommendations?

David Hess:
I like the GRK screws which are available from Home Depot because they are rated for structural loads and use Torx drive, but they also come in a finishing trim head version.  They are plated/coated to prevent bleed through, but the sure solution is to use stainless steel screws.

PlainName:
If this is indoors, is there any real problem with type of screw so long as it's strong enough? Extremely unlikely to corrode, particularly since you'll be sealing it in.

When I built my office I just used whatever was a good price at Screwfix (kind of UK Home Depot in a loose way). Twenty years later nothing has fallen apart, and when I do look at the original screws they look just like they did then. OTOH, same screws outside and you know they've seen weather, so they're not particularly anti-corrosion.

I wanted a rude username:
The surface finish itself is not a concern, corrosion of the bulk steel of the screw is. This shouldn't be a problem for bookcases since they must never get wet. But it could happen.

They type of surface finish is often less important than how well it's performed. Chrome and zinc are both pretty good for dry environments but in adverse environments I've seen separate examples of both chrome and zinc coated parts be either really resistant (basically no rust ever) and also extremely rust-prone.

Your best option might be either to find screws that actually have some kind of salt spray resistance rating, or stainless as David Hess suggests (and then you also want a rating because some "stainless" just isn't). You also won't need to cover them with putty, as they'll look good exposed.

Also consider the psychological perspective: if you're building a once-off, it's nice to use high quality components because then every time you look at it you'll be reminded of how good it is.

Ian.M:
Don't  cover them with putty/filler - that's just fugly under a clear finish.  If you want to do this properly, get a plug cutter set and cover them with cross-grain plugs cut from the same wood as the rest of the bookcase, with the grain aligned.

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