Wooden boardwalks and footbridges

In coastal areas, the high salt content of the water mean that wood constructions such as boardwalks and footbridges require special corrosion protection. The SPAX boardwalk screws are resistant to saltwater and acid and are therefore suitable for use both in coastal regions and around swimming pools.

The main facts at a glance

Wooden boardwalks and footbridges are often found in coastal areas amidst sand dunes and rough terrain.
Due to the high requirements of outdoor areas, such projects call for ultra-resilient screws.
Because large wood components work particularly hard, you will also need particularly solid and long connectors.
And high humidity in coastal areas means they have to be extremely corrosion-resistant, too.
The boardwalk screws are the best solution here.

Wooden boardwalks and footbridges are typical features in coastal areas. They often provide a safe route over rough terrain or through sand dunes. In terms of the wood construction required for such projects, you could say that footbridges are basically just long, narrow areas of wooden decking – after all, they also consist of a load-bearing substructure with weatherproof wooden boards fastened on top. When it comes to footbridges, these elements often have larger dimensions, which can mean that the wooden decking boards have a thickness of 40-45 mm.

What do I need to consider?

Like with wooden decking, the main job of the fixing screws is to secure the connections between the decking boards and substructure against lifting and shifting. With larger wooden elements, the forces that occur as a result of the wood working are also larger. Therefore, you should always plan in screws that are significantly longer and more solid than normal. Finally, screws used for outdoor projects in coastal areas are not only exposed to a particularly humid climate, but also often splash water from the sea and extremely salty air. This is an especially tough challenge for fasteners in terms of corrosion protection. Speaking of which, in addition to choosing your materials carefully, it may also require covering visible screw heads with a plastic decorative cap.

What solutions does SPAX offer?

The boardwalk screws made of stainless steel A4 are our answer to these demands. They can do everything an A2 stainless-steel screw can, but thanks to their higher alloy, they are also resistant to saltwater and acid. Their imposing dimensions of 8.0 x 120 mm leave no doubt about their ability to hold even the most solid board constructions firmly in place. Boardwalk screws are predominantly used for projects in coastal areas. However, since chlorinated water also contains acid, the boardwalk screws should also be used when constructing wooden decking around outdoor swimming pools.