Fasteners for wood retaining wall posts

[ive]

Hi all.

Built a wood retaining wall, putting some posts behind it for bracing. The material is pressure treated 6x6.

Should I use 1/2” carriage bolts or use 10” GRK fasteners. GRK would be a lot faster, but I think carriage boots would hold it together longer.

What do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

[manwithtools]

GRK or other structural screw. Wood retaining wall will have the wood fail before the proper fastener fails. I hate hot dipped Galvanized fasteners, hate them.

 

[Milzo]

I work for a deck building company, we only use structural screws for ledger installs. We pulled some 5/16x4 GRK's out of a cedar pergola that was about 8 years old a few years ago and they had decomposed to the size of a cocktail straw. I contacted GRK and so did our fastener supplier each about 4-5 times and got no response. We switched to Simpson SDWSS screws as they have a much better coating on them. I would use either Simpson or Fastenmaster's Timberlok for your application.

 

[ive]

Hi guys. Thanks for the input.

So timberlok is the way to go?

 

[wondo]

I work for a deck building company, we only use structural screws for ledger installs. We pulled some 5/16x4 GRK's out of a cedar pergola that was about 8 years old a few years ago and they had decomposed to the size of a cocktail straw. I contacted GRK and so did our fastener supplier each about 4-5 times and got no response. We switched to Simpson SDWSS screws as they have a much better coating on them. I would use either Simpson or Fastenmaster's Timberlok for your application.

I love grk screws this ***** to hear!

 

[Milzo]

Hi guys. Thanks for the input.

So timberlok is the way to go?

That would be the easiest to get at Depot and they have a good coating.

I love grk screws this ***** to hear!

I know, we really like their screws but its just not safe for us to use them