Best Joist Hangers for Decks and Framing
A joist hanger is a small piece of folded steel that carries the entire load of a floor or a deck, and it is the one connector where the fine print actually matters. Get the size wrong, use the wrong fasteners, or skip half the holes and the bracket is decoration.
What the hanger actually does
Without a hanger, a joist either sits on top of a beam or is toe-nailed into a ledger. Toe-nailing works in compression but it pulls out. A hanger wraps under the joist and transfers the load into the header in bearing, which is far stronger and does not depend on the shear strength of a nail driven at an angle. That is why hangers are standard on decks, and why inspectors look closely at them.
Match the hanger to the lumber exactly
This is the most common and most consequential mistake. Hangers are sized to nominal lumber: a 2x6 hanger fits a 2x6 joist, and it will not fit a 2x8. Order by the size of the joist, then check the size of the member it lands on.
| Joist | Actual size | What to order |
|---|---|---|
| 2x6 | 1-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch | A 2x6 face mount hanger |
| 2x8 | 1-1/2 x 7-1/4 inch | A 2x8 face mount hanger |
| 2x10 | 1-1/2 x 9-1/4 inch | A 2x10 face mount hanger |
| 2x12 | 1-1/2 x 11-1/4 inch | A 2x12 face mount hanger |
If you are unsure about actual versus nominal dimensions, our nominal versus actual lumber chart lists every common size side by side.
Types of hanger
- Face mount. The standard. Nails or screws go into the header face, and the joist sits in the saddle. Choose this unless you have a specific reason not to.
- Top flange. An extra flange that wraps over the top of the joist and nails down into it. Used where uplift is a concern, and required by the schedule in some configurations.
- Concealed or hidden. The bracket is buried inside the joint, so no metal shows. Attractive on exposed pergolas and beams, but it needs precise joinery and it carries less than a face mount hanger of the same size.
- Double shear. Two thicknesses of steel at the seat, which roughly doubles the load capacity in the same footprint. Worth it on heavily loaded deck joists.
- Hurricane and seismic ties. Straps and clips that resist uplift, not gravity. Different job, different part number.
Gauge and coating
Most light hangers are 20 gauge; heavier ones are 18 gauge; the strongest go to 16 or 14. Thicker steel means more capacity at more cost. For anything outdoors, the coating is not optional: use hot-dip galvanized or a ZMAX style coating for treated lumber, and stainless steel near salt water. Mixing an uncoated steel fastener into a galvanized hanger will corrode, so keep the metals consistent.
The fastener schedule is not a suggestion
This is where most installations fail. Every hanger has a published fastener schedule: how many fasteners, of what size, into which member. Follow it exactly.
- Use the fastener the schedule calls for. Usually a specific nail size, or the manufacturer's approved connector screws. A hanger installed with deck screws has a fraction of its rated capacity, because deck screws are brittle and have no published shear value for this use.
- Never use drywall screws. They snap. Full stop.
- Fill every hole. A hanger with half its holes filled carries roughly half the load. It is not a place to save fasteners.
- Fastener length matters. The fastener has to bite deep enough into the header and the joist, which is why a common nail is typically longer into the header than into the joist. Use the schedule, not your eye.
Installation details that decide the outcome
- Seat the joist fully. The joist must sit all the way down in the saddle with no gap. A quarter inch of daylight under the joist means the hanger is not yet carrying load.
- Close the gap at the header. The hanger should be snug against the header face before it is fastened.
- Keep the joist end square. A joist cut out of square will not seat, and it will twist the hanger.
- Nail straight. Angled nails in a hanger hole will not seat their heads and will not develop their rated value.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use screws instead of nails in a joist hanger?
Only if they are fasteners the hanger manufacturer has approved for that hanger, which are sold as structural connector screws and have published load values. Ordinary deck screws and construction screws are not acceptable substitutes, even though they thread into the hole.
What size hanger do I need for a 2x8 joist?
A hanger labeled 2x8. Hangers are sized to nominal lumber, and the saddle is formed to the actual depth, so a 2x8 hanger will not accept a 2x10 joist and a 2x10 hanger will leave a visible gap under a 2x8.
Do I need double shear hangers for a deck?
Not for a typical residential deck with the joist spans most decks use. They are worth it where a span is long, where the load is high, or where the hanger is carrying several joists worth of load through one member. When in doubt, follow the load tables from the manufacturer.
Is a concealed hanger as strong as a face mount one?
No. Concealed hangers sit inside the joint and have less steel bearing on the wood, so they carry less. They are chosen for appearance on exposed timber, and the sizing has to be checked against the published values rather than assumed equal.
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