On Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:15:05 -0400, "Mayayana"
wrote:

I like ringed deck nails. They don't leave a hole
to hold water and are less noticeable once stained.
I don't know of any reason that one needs screws.

I've been seeing screws even in railings. SS, square
drive screws. They look fancy but split the wood and
offer no advantage over nails.

Not much of a carpenter or woodworker, I see.

If you pre-drill for screws the wood won't split. I don't surface nail
or surface screw my decks. Deck clips work fine with hot galvanized
roofing nails - and you don't see them. On my composite deck I used
the plastic clips with stainless screws. Deck railing assembled with
nails doesn't last very long. Screws hold more in tension than nails.