What Kind of Nails or Spikes for Landscaping Timber?

Steel Pipe

• Steel pipe can serve as a strong anchor to hold large landscape timbers in place. Available at home improvement stores and metal shops, you can cut them to length with a pipe cutter or have them cut at a metal shop. By drilling several holes through each timber and pounding the steel pipes through them, you can link rows together as you stack them to create a structure such as a short retaining wall.

Steel Rebar

• Rebar (reinforcing bar) is commonly used to reinforce concrete during construction projects, but also works well to secure landscape timbers together. The timbers are held in place by pounding the rebar through predrilled holes and into the ground at an angle. In a single row they can then serve as edging to hold bricks or stones in place for walkways or patios. By securing several rows of timbers together with the rebar, and pounding it into the ground at least 12 inches, you can create walls for a raised flower bed or vegetable garden.

Galvanized Spike Nails

• Large galvanized spike nails work well in securing several rows of timber to each other to create a structure such as a children's sand pit. The galvanized coating resists corrosion, and it's not necessary to predrill holes for the spike nails. Pound the spikes into the wood with a hammer, using 3 or 4 in each timber to hold several rows together. Ensure that each spike is driven through one timber and deep into the next timber beneath for a secure fit.

Timber Screws

• Timber screws work well to secure rows of landscape timbers together, but unlike other hardware options, they're easy to remove if needed. Available in various lengths, these screws have a self-drilling point, so it's not necessary to drill holes in the timber beforehand. Because they're partially threaded, the screws wont back out of the wood like nails will. Install them with a basic 14-volt or larger power drill.