Simpson Strong-Tie Subfloor Screws, 6x6 Brackets & Framing Screws: A Buyer's Checklist

I manage purchasing for a 40-person renovation company. That's roughly $180,000 a year in materials across 8 vendors, and I report to both operations and finance. I'm not an engineer or a carpenter—I'm the person who places the orders and makes sure the crews have the right Simpson Strong-Tie products without blowing the budget. After 5 years of doing this, I've turned my mistakes into a checklist. If you're an admin buyer or a small-shop owner who needs to order structural connectors, fasteners, and brackets, this is the checklist I wish I'd been handed on day one.

When to Use This Checklist

Use this when a field crew asks for “Simpson Strong-Tie subfloor screws,” “6x6 brackets,” or “framing screws” and you're about to place an order. It's a practical 5-step process, not a substitute for an engineer's spec. I'm assuming you need code-compliant, engineered connections, not a shelf bracket or a screen door hinge. If your project is non-structural, you can probably use a generic hardware supplier and stop reading here.

Step 1: Nail Down the Application Before You Open a Catalog

My first few purchases went wrong because I ordered by product nickname. The phrase “6x6 brackets” seems simple enough, but Simpson Strong-Tie makes a whole family of 6x6 brackets for different jobs: post bases, column caps, corner braces, and continuous ties. They're not interchangeable.

So the first step is a 60-second conversation with the person who made the request. Ask what the connection is holding, whether it's indoor or outdoor, and whether it will need to survive snow loads, wind loads, or seismic forces. That changes everything.

• Subfloor screws — like Simpson's Strong-Drive SDWH — are designed for subfloor panels and floor sheathing. They're not a stand-in for structural framing screws.
• Framing screws, such as SDWS structural wood screws, carry loads in wood-to-wood connections.
• 6x6 brackets vary by model, coating, and load rating. “LCC6” is not “CB66,” even if both say 6x6.

When I first started, I thought “Simpson Strong-Tie 6x6 brackets” would bring up one obvious item. It doesn't. It brings up maybe a dozen products. That's the whole reason this checklist exists.

Step 2: Write Down the Exact Product Codes

Once you know the application, get the part numbers from Simpson Strong-Tie's website or catalog. If you order by a nickname, you leave room for the wrong part. Product codes are the only language that works when you're trying to verify specs with a distributor or on the invoice.

For example, a 6x6 post base might be an LCC6 for a standoff installation or a CB66 for a flush mount. The difference affects the height of the post off the concrete and how the bracket transfers loads. If the request says “6x6 post base,” you still have two different products to choose from.

Same with screws. Simpson Strong-Tie has connector screws, subfloor screws, framing screws, and deck screws. They're all engineered for particular jobs. It took me about 3 years and 150 orders to understand that product names are just starting points—part numbers, lengths, and corrosion ratings are the real spec.

Step 3: Verify Compliance, Coating, and Paperwork

This is where I sound like an overbearing buyer, and I'm okay with that now. Structural connectors are covered by evaluation reports, usually ICC-ES ESRs, that link the product to the building code. If you're buying structural Simpson Strong-Tie products, the package should reference the applicable code report. That matters for inspections and for warranty claims.

Coating is not a detail; it's a design decision. Most standard connectors are zinc galvanized. In wet or coastal conditions, you may need ZMAX (hot-dip galvanized) or stainless steel. A bracket that fails from corrosion is a much more expensive problem than the $2 extra you would have spent upgrading the coating.

Another thing I learned the hard way: paperwork. In 2022, a new vendor quoted us a great price on some Simpson Strong-Tie connectors, but they couldn't issue a proper itemized invoice. Finance rejected the expense, and I ended up eating the cost from the department budget. Now I verify that the vendor's invoice template has line-item SKUs before I put them on our approved list. It keeps the accounting team happy and protects us if a product needs to be traced later.

Step 4: Make Sure the Installer Has the Right Tools—Including an Angle Grinder

Most of these orders need an impact driver and a drill, plus the right screw-driving tips. But if you're working with steel connectors, the tool I see missing most often is an angle grinder. People ask me about this, so let's cover it directly.

What Is an Angle Grinder and How Is It Used?

An angle grinder is a handheld power tool with a spinning abrasive disc. Depending on the disc, it cuts, grinds, or sands steel, masonry, tile, and concrete. On a framing or connector installation, it's useful for cutting steel bolts to the right length, grinding down sharp edges on a metal bracket, or cleaning up a post base that doesn't fit perfectly around an anchor bolt.

You choose the disc based on the job: a metal cutoff wheel for cutting bolts, a grinding disc for removing material, and a flap disc for smoothing welds or burrs. It's a simple tool, but it deserves respect—high speed, sparks, and a lot of torque. Safety glasses, gloves, and a face shield are not optional.

If your crew needs to trim a Simpson Strong-Tie bracket or adjust an anchor bolt, the angle grinder should be on the tool list before the work is scheduled. I can't count the number of times a small job turned into a “zip to the hardware store” because nobody thought about how to cut a 3/8-inch steel bolt.

Step 5: Validate Quantities, Kits, and the Invoice Before You Submit

My last failure mode is quantity confusion. A subfloor screw can be sold in a 500-piece box, while a framing screw for hangers might come in a small bag of 50. If the crew needs both for the same job, add the quantities separately. Don't assume one order of “screws” covers everything.

Also watch out for kits that look structural but aren't. A door hinge installation kit, for instance, comes with hinge screws sized for wood doors and jambs. Those screws are not substitutes for structural fasteners. If the project needs a heavy or fire-rated door, buy the hinge kit from the door hardware supplier, and separately order the structural screws that tie the frame to the building. Simpson Strong-Tie doesn't try to be the answer for everything, and neither should you.

Before I hit submit, I double-check the product codes, quantities, coatings, and delivery date. Then I make sure the vendor's invoice will show line-item SKUs. That five-minute check is the difference between a clean order and a “why did we get 300 subfloor screws instead of 300 framing screws?” email.

Final Notes: Common Mistakes and Realistic Expectations

Simpson Strong-Tie's lane is engineered structural connections. That's what I trust their products for. It's also the reason I don't expect one manufacturer to be the answer for every fastener in a building. If a need falls outside structural connections, I use a specialist for that product—and a good vendor will tell you when another supplier is a better fit. The “we do everything” claims usually fall apart once you look closely.

“This isn't our strength—here's who does it better.”

Common mistakes worth repeating:

• Substituting generic screws for structural framing screws because they fit the hanger. Fit is not the same as tested performance.
• Choosing a 6x6 bracket by size alone without checking the model, load rating, and coating.
• Skipping the angle grinder from the tool list and watching someone try to cut a hardened steel bolt with a reciprocating saw.
• Assuming a door hinge installation kit includes load-rated fasteners for the frame.
• Forgetting that proper invoices are part of a professional purchase. A handwritten receipt won't pass finance.

I didn't build this checklist in one day. I built it after the first few orders went wrong in small, expensive ways. Now it takes twenty minutes to run through the whole thing, and I don't have to dig into the quarterly budget to cover surprise charges. If you're buying Simpson Strong-Tie subfloor screws, 6x6 brackets, or framing screws, take the extra ten minutes to follow the steps. It's cheaper than the alternative.