Coal Bin Boards nails/screws

I'm building a coal bin using 3/4" plywood and 2X4's. Can I use long nails to hold or would that be a bad choice. If I was to use screws, should they be wood or drywall type?

Hi eddie,

If you go to the topic "coal bin pics" you will find all kinds of info on building your bin. I would use screws to build your bin. When you fill and empty your bin it will cause some flexing of the lumber and if nails are used they will work themselves loose over time. Also make sure you have some way of keeping the sides from pushing out by either securing the tops and bottoms of the sides or by adding cross members to hold them together. My bin is in my basement and I secured the tops to the joises on the ceiling and used one of those 22 cal nailers to secure bottom the the concrete floor. I currently have about 3 ton in there now and will be putting in another ton before fall. I used long sheetrock screws and have had no problems.

How long should the screws be to be sufficient going first into 3/4" plywood then into 2X4? How far should I space them apart? Thanks!!

If you are putting the plywood on the inside as suggested by Richard,, then the screws are only holding the plywood in place,, the weight of the coal will force the plywood up against the 2x4's... so you only need a 1.5" or 2" screw to hold the plywood to the 2x4... no real strength needed.. But where you are screwing a 2x4 to an overhead floor joist, there you need full bite/penetration.. Use 2.5" or 3" screws, and use the thicker ones.. #10 or thicker.

Greg L..

I stopped using sheet rock screws for construction a few years back. I discovered they fatigue and break. Wood screws really aren't much more money, but are tougher as they get larger near the head. I use to keep a varity of sheet rock screws around. Now I keep a varity of wood screws.

Use deck screws.