Weight limit on screws

[Boatracer1000]

So I hung my folding work bench today. I thought it was a solid core door (heavy) turns out its a particle core door, doesn't bother me. I flipped the hinges around & reused them, they are pretty beefy hinges. I mounted the door to a 2x6 I mounted to my shop wall. I only used 4" drywall screws, 2 per stud, tied into (I think) 5 studs.

My question is are the drywall screws enough for support?

The last thing I want is it falling off the wall. I will have 2 legs on the outer edge for support & stability.

 

[CTyankee]

No...

http://www.grkfasteners.com/index.php/en/

To elaborate a bit..Drywall screws should be used for nothing but....drywall. IMO you don't necessarily need structural screws in your particular situation, but definitely get something beefier than the drywall ones.

 

[600SL]

Second NO

 

[Stuart in MN]

Look for deck screws at the hardware store, they're a lot stronger. Drywall screws don't have much sheer strength.

 

[gregtwojeeps]

The screws should be in the studs about two inches if you 1/2 in. drywall. If your in doubt of your handiwork, remove the top drywall screw only in each stud and replace it with a #12 x 2 1/2 flat wood screw. Remember too large of screws placed too close together ( you probably have them 3 in. o.c. just split the wood. jmo

 

[finn]

Get some structural screws. My lumber yard sells them by the pound.

 

[f150skidoo]

If you plan on pounding on something heavy with a big *** hammer i would say no drywall screw is adequate. But if your using the bench just to hold some drills and other tools the 10 drywall screw will be fine.

 

[ddawg16]

I would suggest 4" lag screws.

A bigger issue besides the strength of the screw is the surface area the screw is biting into. A lag screw is going to have more 'biting' area.

 

[Falcon67]

2nd the lag screws. 1/4" with a pilot hole .

 

[Boatracer1000]

Thanks for the help everyone. So I'll add lag screws tomorrow.

Is one lag screw per stud sufficient?

Can anyone think of anything else?

 

[Spareparts]

Put a leg under the 2X6 or sister another 2X4 to your stud and use ring shank nails, how about some GORILLA GLUE to stick everything in place???

 

[Hornman]

Don't like lag screws in this application. Lag screws are not hardened, so they have about half the strength of wood screws. Everyone sees the size of lag screws and thinks "those must be strong". T'aint so. Drywall screws are brittle, not for structural use, just drywall. Considering the application, use 4" #12 wood screws and drill pilot holes for them. You wouldn't use a hammer to install screws, don't use the wrong screw for the job.

 

[PFSard]

Since I felt I knew virtually nothing about various screw strengths in wood, I went digging and found this article. Less confused, but probably have more to learn.

Paul

Structural Screws vs. Lag Screws
http://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/structural-screws-vs-lag-screws/view-all

 

[72Anthony]

Spax or grk screws. Both are available at home depot. The spax screws have the strength info on the box, both pull out and shear. They are quite handy, having a pointy tip and serated threads to eliminate a pilot hole.

 

[nicksnothereman]

So I hung my folding work bench today. I thought it was a solid core door (heavy) turns out its a particle core door, doesn't bother me. I flipped the hinges around & reused them, they are pretty beefy hinges. I mounted the door to a 2x6 I mounted to my shop wall. I only used 4" drywall screws, 2 per stud, tied into (I think) 5 studs.

My question is are the drywall screws enough for support?

The last thing I want is it falling off the wall. I will have 2 legs on the outer edge for support & stability.

Because I'm cheap...I actually use drywall screws where they don't belong if I don't have wood screws. While it's a f-ing bad idea because they're zinc (I believe) it actually hasn't had any adverse effects for me because I tend to "over engineer" (to the extent that I'm actually engineering which I don't). When screwed into wood they will back out a little bit (that's what I call it, they make a small snapping noise but they will hold).

Depends on how much the door weighs but it will probably be okay. That having been said you should add some lower supports in case it fails how to do that with a folding setup I dunno unless I can see it.

 

[Boatracer1000]

Just got back from the local Home Depot, picked these up.

Any thoughts?

 

[Falcon67]

Not the same as what you're doing, but I used two 1/4 lag bolts per stud. Move the bench, move the wall. None of that's going anywhere.

 

[CTyankee]

I'd like to see a picture of the door you are using for the bench top. That will probably fail before the screws do. Those will be fine.

 

[rieferman]

So I hung my folding work bench today.....

I will have 2 legs on the outer edge for support & stability.

When the bench is in the folded down position, adding a ledge underneath the door along the wall to support that side will take all weight off the hinges themselves. The ledge is like a bearing block.

With this setup, the two front legs and the ledge do all the work, and the hinges are just there to transition from folded to unfolded.... and therefore, just about any screw will do (but I'd still start with a deck screw or better... drywall screws are notoriously brittle).

 

[Boatracer1000]

Here's a picture of what I'm working with.....

 

[Trey T]

I use drywall screw 3" to hang stuff up all the time, even gladiator cabinets. I use lag screws on stuff that have dynamic movement, like my attic garage lift. Drywall is brittle but they're strong. Drywall screw is to be used once; if you screw it in and reuse, it you'll break it.

 

[BikerDad]

Where the heck did you get 4" drywall screws?!? I've never heard of such beasts.

On another matter, while there are a fair number of screws that claim you can use them without a pilot hole, it's very rarely a good idea to do so. The only reason to skip a pilot hole is to save time, that's it. Depending on what you're putting the screw into, you can save that time yet split the wood. Not worth it, especially if you're not on the clock. Use the same screws, sure, but drill the pilots.

 

[Casey69]

I use drywall screw 3" to hang stuff up all the time, even gladiator cabinets. I use lag screws on stuff that have dynamic movement, like my attic garage lift. Drywall is brittle but they're strong. Drywall screw is to be used once; if you screw it in and reuse, it you'll break it.

me too. guess i never really thought about it or heard of any failures?

sounds like it might be overblown...good read here:
https://woodgears.ca/joint_strength/drywall_screws.html

sounds like each drywall screw can hold support ~80lbs, which is plenty beefy for most of my stuff.

 

[rieferman]

This guy's shear test makes sense to me:

shear test, drywall screw

 

[HandymanKevin]

Just got back from the local Home Depot, picked these up.

Any thoughts?

The SPAX are exactly what I would use. If there are eight in the package, use two at each end stud, two in middle stud and one in each remaining studs.

 

[MileHighRover]

Yes, Project Farm has a video for that.

Which type of nail or screw has the most holding strength?

Do Screws shear easier than nails?

 

[dave*99]

What is holding up the door at the wall side? I see the 2x6 ledger, but are you relying on a couple of door hinges screwed into the edge of a particle board door?
Hope not.

I see I stumbled into a 6 year old thread.

Since it's handymankevin's first post I'll cut him some slack.

 

[mc4life27]

Here's a picture of what I'm working with.....

Ok wow I your trying to use that has any type of real work bench and even worse adding a vise. You should be using some spak or I like grk structural screws and I would at least add a fram out of 2x4 or even better 2x6 around it and legs. My computer desk is 100 times beefier then that popsicle stick table. Don’t use drywall screws. Over time they fail plus the noises they make going in are not only the wood sound but micro fractures forming due to being driven over they limits.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[rayra]

chinesium drywall screws are brittle and have terrible sheering strength.
but GRK / 'structural' screws are a bit of overkill in the other direction, at a steep price.

You want to support your fold-down bench at the wall side, just deploy it and mount a 2x4 to the wall snugged up to the underside of the deployed shelf. That will support the bench against downward forces. For a hell of a lot cheaper price than GRKs.

 

[dave*99]

Since the OP is from 6 years ago, I wonder if all the drywall screws have broken yet!

 

[sz0k30]

I thought it was a solid core door (heavy) turns out its a particle core door,

I don't understand? I cut a "solid core" door and it was particle board inside sandwiched with veneer.

Are you saying you expected a solid core door to be solid wood?

There are solid wood doors.

 

[dave*99]

I don't understand? I cut a "solid core" door and it was particle board inside sandwiched with veneer.

Are you saying you expected a solid core door to be solid wood?

There are solid wood doors.

Maybe the OP will answer. Maybe not. He hasn’t posted in 6 years.