Reprint from China Fastener World Magazine, Vol. 44

Fasteners, whether they are nails, screws, anchors, or metal connectors play a critical and important role in wood/timber construction. In essence, these products are critical in joining materials together and either carrying
or helping distribute structural loads. In many instances these fasteners are installed in corrosive environments or brought into contact with corrosive materials. Common examples of these conditions include exposure to constant moist or humid conditions, coastal conditions or salt infused air, preservative-treated lumber, and contact with dissimilar metals. Any one or a combination of several of these factors can conspire to corrode a poorly specified fastener resulting in loss of the load carrying capacity of the joint, either by degradation of the fastener, the surrounding wood, or both. Therefore, the specifier of the fastener must be knowledgeable about the service conditions and make prudent selections of the fastener coating or raw material to minimize these risks.