Clueless deckbuilder -help please

[dazzler]

When we built our deck, we predrilled the boards to avoid splitting but drove the nails directly into the treated pine joists. Problem up here in the humidity is, the nails keep working themselves up off the boards so we replace them as we go with stainless decking screws. Expensive but worth it.
Wolffie

Were they twist shank gal nails

[UteMad]

I can get smartbits if enough people want them but i will have to buy a box to keep the cost down .. I would do through ebay to keep it safe and simple and estimate a posted cost of $37.50 PM if interested so i can check if there are enough people to cover buying a box

Cheers utemad

[Lloydbraun]

The deck is being built on sandstone.
The engineer has specified concrete piers ( 400 x 400 x 300). Where the sandstone is exposed I am considering chemsetting the stirrups to the sandstone.
How would this compare in strength to that of the piers?