Face screws are wood-threaded fasteners, with varying sorts of heads, that fasten through the deck board and into the joist.
Common face-screw types include: anti-mushrooming heads for composite decking, trim head screws for PVC decking and fascia, anti-split head for cedar or wood decking.
Cortex screw+plug system could be classified as a face screw, but would also fall under the “hidden fastener” category.
Face screws can be advantageous to grooved boards and hidden fasteners, especially in climates with dramatic temperature swings. The expansion and contraction of the boards is minimized by holding the boards in place with screws through the board, rather than a clip that has the potential to slide along in the groove of the board.
Face screws might also refer to the fasteners that are screwed through the risers or side fascia.
