Description

Key Features

Drives Fast

The SawTooth point starts quickly and usually eliminates predrilling in wood-to-wood fastening. That means less time fighting long structural screws and less strain on your drill.

Built to Hold

Bold threads and a large washer head give this timber screw strong pull-through resistance and solid bearing area for structural wood connections.

Exterior Ready

The double-barrier coating is designed for certain exterior and preservative-treated wood applications, so the Simpson Strong-Tie timber screw fits outdoor framing, ledgers, pergolas, and similar builds.

Overview

The Simpson Strong-Tie SDWS22800DB Strong-Drive SDWS Timber Screw is an exterior-grade structural wood screw made for heavy wood-to-wood fastening. This is a structural wood screw designed for fastening wood-to-wood connections in exterior framing and timber applications. Model Number SDWS22800DB. In this version, you get an 8 inch tan screw with a 0.220 inch shank and a pack quantity of 400, making it a practical choice for contractors, crews, and serious DIYers who need repeatable structural fastening without moving over to through-bolting or traditional lag screws.

What makes this screw matter on the job is how it installs. Simpson uses a SawTooth point that helps the screw start fast, reduces installation torque, and eliminates predrilling in most applications. On long fasteners, that matters. Less predrilling means less time per connection, less battery drain, and less frustration when you’re sinking screws into dense framing members, ledgers, posts, or heavy landscape timbers. The 6-lobe T40 drive also gives positive bit engagement, which helps reduce cam-out and improves bit life compared to lower-engagement drive styles.

The head and thread design are doing real work here too. The large washer head creates a broad bearing surface, which helps clamp material securely in structural wood fastening. Underhead nibs help the head drive flush with reduced splintering, so you get a cleaner seat at the surface instead of tearing up the top layer of the board. Simpson also marks size identification on the screw head, which is a small feature until you’re sorting mixed fasteners on site and need to know what you’re holding without guessing.

For outdoor and treated-lumber work, the double-barrier coating is one of the main reasons to buy this version. Simpson states the coating provides corrosion resistance equivalent to hot-dip galvanization for certain exterior and preservative-treated wood applications as described in the evaluation report. That makes this screw a better fit for exterior structural wood projects than a standard interior fastener. If you’re building decks, ledgers, fence framing, pergolas, planter boxes, or other exposed wood assemblies, the coating is not just a spec on paper. It is the difference between using the right structural fastener and using something that was never meant to live outdoors.

The 8 inch length gives you reach for thicker assemblies where a shorter structural screw will not get enough bite into the receiving member. At the same time, the 3 inch thread length and 0.220 inch shank are set up for structural holding in wood applications rather than light-duty fastening. This screw is part of Simpson Strong-Tie’s Strong-Drive SDWS TIMBER line, which is used in structural wood-to-wood and engineered wood connections including ledgers and certain mass timber connections such as CLT wall-to-wall, floor-to-floor, surface splines, and lap joints.

Who should buy it? Contractors building exterior wood structures, deck builders handling ledger fastening, carpenters working with posts and beams, and serious DIY users who want a structural alternative to lag screws. If you need an 8 inch exterior wood screw that installs faster than old-school lag hardware and still gives you the kind of holding power expected in structural work, this is exactly the lane this screw is built for.

Faster Structural Wood Fastening

This screw is made to speed up structural fastening in wood without the usual predrill routine that slows down ledger and framing work.

• SawTooth point helps ensure fast starts and reduces installation torque
• Designed as an alternative to through-bolting and traditional lag screws

Made for Outdoor Builds

For exterior framing, pergolas, and treated-lumber projects, coating matters. This one is built for that environment.

• Double-barrier coating is intended for certain exterior and preservative-treated wood applications
• Suitable for structural wood-to-wood connections where corrosion resistance is part of the job

Better Bearing at the Surface

The head design is not cosmetic. It helps the screw seat cleanly and spread load over more material at the connection.

• Large washer head provides a large bearing area
• Underhead nibs help the head drive flush with reduced splintering

Key Specifications

Length	8 in.
Shank Diameter	0.220 in.
Head Diameter	0.760 in.
Thread Length	3 in.
Drive Type	T40 6-lobe
Head Type	Washer head
Point Type	SawTooth point
Packaging Quantity	400

Compatibility

Driver Interface

Uses a T40 6-lobe drive for installation.

Replacement Bit

Replacement driver bit reference: BIT40T-134-R2.

Material Use

Designed for wood-to-wood fastening, including structural wood and certain engineered wood and mass timber connections.

Built For

Deck Ledgers Exterior Framing Pergolas Fence Construction Mass Timber Connections Carpentry Construction DIY / Hobbyist

Pro Tip

On long structural screws like this 8 inch SDWS, keep steady pressure on the T40 bit until the threads fully bite. If you let the bit walk early, you lose the advantage of the 6-lobe drive and can chew up the recess before the screw really starts pulling.

Tool Nut’s Take

Tool Nut’s Take

Simpson Strong-Tie SDWS22800DB Strong-Drive SDWS Timber Screw is the smart pick when lag screws feel like extra work

This is the kind of structural wood screw that saves time every single day because it goes in fast, holds hard, and is built for exterior wood work.

• Who it’s for: Deck builders, framers, carpenters, and serious DIY users fastening thick exterior wood members.
• Why it stands out: The SawTooth point, washer head, and T40 drive work together to make a long structural screw much easier to install than old-school lag hardware.
• Worth knowing: This is a pack of 400, so it makes the most sense if you are doing real volume or want the right structural fastener on hand for repeated outdoor projects.

Common Questions

• What is this screw designed to fasten? It is designed for wood-to-wood fastening, including structural wood and certain engineered wood applications.
• Does it usually require predrilling? Simpson states the SawTooth point eliminates the need for predrilling in most applications.
• What drive size does it use? It uses a T40 6-lobe drive.
• Is it suitable for exterior use? Yes. The double-barrier coating is intended for certain exterior and preservative-treated wood applications.