Different screws for working with wood? Well, working with wood is tricky and making screws for the same is trickier, ask any wooden screw manufacturer. This article will tell you about the different types of wood screws. Knowing the right screw can literally make or break the furniture.
It is challenging to work with wood, depending on its quality. Softbound wood easily falls apart while hardbound wood becomes difficult to pierce through. Every part of the screw, be it the head, the threads or the tip, has significance when it comes to choosing the right wooden screws.
Wooden screws are also called furniture screws since they are primarily used for building furniture. Other than the occasional outdoor furniture and fencing these screws are mostly used indoors. Based on the head of wooden screws there are mainly 3 types of screws.
True to their name, these screws have a head that resembles an inverted pan. These screws are easily available with any screw supplier. They are used for attaching pieces of metal to wood. It is a popular choice for attaching sheet metal and is largely used in making furniture.
The flat bottom of the screw’s head sits on the surface and holds a great grip, making it the right fit for steel and wooden materials. The heads of these screws pop out so in order to sink them in a counterbore hole needs to be drilled leaving the surface levelled.
As the name suggests, these furniture screws have a cone-like underside and are flat on top. flat head screws merge well into the surface they are screwed in. Also known as countersinking screws (CSK) they are perfect for fastening wood to wood. The cone-like underside firmly grips onto the wooden surface.
Joining wood to wood requires a screw that can exert enough pressure without tearing the wood apart and flat head screws successfully do the job. These screws are used in building bookshelves, cabinets and stair threads. The best part about these screws is that you can sand them down, add wood putty or even paint them. This helps conceal the screw and gives a clean finish.
Washer head screws have rounded heads and a built-in washer. These built-in washers evenly distribute the load on the threads of the screw making it faster. These screws also have a great grip on wood owing to the flat bottom of their heads.
These screws are mostly used in pocket hole joinery. Since the washer of the screw fits into pre-drilled holes, these screws are used when two pieces of wood need to be attached. They are great for framing. These screws are also great for making longer wooden boards by joining multiple pieces together.
Another bifurcation for wooden screws is on the basis of the drill (drive) types. Just like the pieces of a puzzle a drill bit and a screw head perfectly fit together. You will distinguish them by looking at the top of their heads. They will be of the following types-
● Philips head
● Star head
● Square head
● Slotted
Philips head screws are machine screws. They are easily available with any screw supplier. The heads look like a cross, if you have worked with screws you are most likely to have seen these before.
These screws are very smooth and easy to drill in. They bounce back very easily when removed, making them the easiest to work with. A lot of effort is saved while working with Philips head screws.
By now, you would have guessed the heads of these screws are shaped like stars. These screws are also called Torx screws. These machine screws can endure heavy pressure and rotation from machines, making them the stars that they are when it comes to furniture screws.
These screw heads look like stars with 6 points. The good thing about these screws is that they don’t bounce loose. They are sturdy and firm making them one of the most reliable screws.
Square head screws are also known as Robertson screws. Square head screws are easy to drill in but they do not give the same guarantee of grip as others. These screws have lesser grip and strength compared to star head screws.
These screws are mostly used for joining angles, used primarily in DIY projects and furniture. These screws have a square at the centre of the head, this gives it the advantage of not slipping off when it is installed.
Flat head or commonly known as slotted screws are the most basic screw any wood screw manufacturer makes. These screws have a single slot across the head of the screw. These screws are rather difficult to work with.
They are not easy to install or remove. They slip off very easily and are used for basic handy operations. Mostly seen in attaching switchboards and outlets these are operated manually and are probably one of the most basic and oldest designs of screws.
Lastly, you can differentiate screws based on the threads. Threads are the spiral parts of the screw. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a wood screw manufacturer to know the difference.
● Hardwood screws– These screws have more threads per inch to smoothly pierce through the hardwood without splitting them. A firm grip is very important when it comes to woodwork. The primary concern of working with wood is that it shouldn’t split. Hardwood fibres don’t break easily.
● Softwood screws– These screws on the other hand have fewer threads per inch. Softwood fibres easily come out making the screw loose or worse breaking apart altogether. If the screw has more threads per inch then it will just tear the wood leaving a screw-shaped hole for you.
These are the types of wood screws that will come across and most probably use. While making a decision about wood screws, focus on the 3 basic questions.
1. What type of wood am I working with?
2. What is the application of the screw?
3. What equipment is being used to install the screw?
When you are able to answer these questions you can refer to the types of screws listed above and make the right decision.
