How to Choose the Right Screw

Using the wrong screw can frustrate you and possibly ruin your project. Choose the right one and save yourself the headache. Here are some guidelines.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dowel Screws
• Sheetrock Screws
• Drywall Screws
• Lag Screws
• Machine Screws
• One-way Screws
• Particleboard Screws
• Roundhead Screws
• Roundhead Screws
• Utility Screws
• Wood Screws
• Wood screws

1. Think about the thickness of the materials. About two-thirds of the screw should go into the second piece, but the screw should not extend through the other side.

2. Use lag screws, which are heavy-duty wood screws, for wood-metal fastening.

3. Use wood screws to hold wood.

4. Drive a sheet metal screw into thin metals after making a pilot hole. These screws have threads that cut the hole and are made to fasten metal to metal.

5. Attach a table leg to a table with a dowel screw, which is threaded on both ends.

6. Put up Sheetrock with a wallboard or Sheetrock screws. These are long and very hard.

7. Hold particleboard together with particleboard screws. These have wide, sharp threads.

8. Look for utility screws for appliances and general around-the-house use.

9. Find one-way screws for places that need to be permanently secure. These screws are very difficult to unscrew.

10. Countersink flathead screws.

11. Leave the tops of roundhead wood screws exposed. They are used for attaching thin wood pieces or metal to thicker pieces of wood.

Tips & Warnings

• Select galvanized screws if they will be exposed to moisture. Galvanizing prevents rust.
• Always use washers with screws in fiberglass.

on 11/22/2005 Whenever I build anything, I try to use torqz screws. As you may be able to tell by the name, you can put a lot more torque on a torqz screw than a philips head. They work on a lot of different materials.