Wood Or Drywall Screw Difference?

[redmed]

I going to stock up on some screws and looking at the Menards website I have a choice between phillips drywall screws and phillips flathead wood screws. I have been using drywall screws on my rough wood projects for years. But I see the phillips flathead wood screws are the same price. Now I'm wondering what is the difference? Are the drywall screws made of a more brittle metal? Are the wood screws tapered?

 

[Alchymist]

http://www.howstuffcompares.com/doc/d/drywall-screw-vs-wood-screw.htm

 

[Bondo]

Now I'm wondering what is the difference? Are the drywall screws made of a more brittle metal? Are the wood screws tapered?

Ayuh, 'n Yes,.... I quit buyin' drywall screws, 'n switched to square drive deck screws years ago,....

Roberts drive don't strip as easy as phillips, 'n the deck screws are stronger than drywall screws,....

 

[firworks]

John Heisz has a good video on the difference when using hardwoods.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eBnQdYczeVQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pretty impressive showing from the wood screw.

 

[rlitman]

...I'm wondering what is the difference? Are the drywall screws made of a more brittle metal? Are the wood screws tapered?

Yes to both. In addition:
1)Drywall screws have a "bugle head", and not a flat head. The bugle head doesn't fit as well in a properly countersunk hole in wood (it is designed to self countersink in sheetrock without tearing the paper).
2)Drywall screws have a tip meant to pierce the paper in drywall (and drill and tap into a metal stud). Wood screws have a gimlet tip meant to grab wood and self feed.
3)Wood screws often have a non-threaded section near the head. This not only helps with shear strength once assembled, but also prevents the head from twisting off, and lessens separation of parts being screwed together (though that last bit is not necessarily a big problem in parts properly fixtured).

In projects "where it counts", I use "cabinet screws" and not drywall screws in wood. Drywall screws are for drywall.

 

[rlitman]

John Heisz has a good video on the difference when using hardwoods...

Pretty impressive showing from the wood screw.

I love how the wood screw changes color from the heat!
Great video.

 

[FTG-05]

I use the T-25 star drive screws for the last couple of years. I'm slowly getting rid of the crappy Phillips head "drywall' screws. Except for asphalt roofing shingles, I haven't used a nail in years.

 

[redmed]

Thanks Guys,
Looks like these "Construction Screws" are what I'm getting. They are even less expensive than drywall screws.
http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...4441859733-c-8940.htm?tid=8532909613811877743

 

[theoldwizard1]

Thanks Guys,
Looks like these "Construction Screws" are what I'm getting. They are even less expensive than drywall screws.
http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...4441859733-c-8940.htm?tid=8532909613811877743

I wonder what diameter they are ? Likely #8.

If you are screwing "2by" material together those are too short. I usually use 3" screws for 2x4 projects. They are also too long for "1by" material.

Home Depot carries Grip-Tite screws. Their "standard" gold-colored construction screw is a #8. They also carry a heavier, "exterior usage" #10 screw that has a more weather resistant coating.



I sometimes use "sheet metal screws". They work well for light duty interior projects and come in different diameters as well as lengths.

 

[the gypsy]

The differnce is the shank and it is important. Try and screw 2 pcs of wood together and the gyproc screw will not pull the pieces together the threads will keep the wood separated.

 

[redmed]

I wonder what diameter they are ? Likely #8.

If you are screwing "2by" material together those are too short. I usually use 3" screws for 2x4 projects. They are also too long for "1by" material.

Home Depot carries Grip-Tite screws. Their "standard" gold-colored construction screw is a #8. They also carry a heavier, "exterior usage" #10 screw that has a more weather resistant coating.



I sometimes use "sheet metal screws". They work well for light duty interior projects and come in different diameters as well as lengths.

I ran out of 2 1/2" screws while working on a project yesterday. I originally figured this was a good time to begin to start switching over to square drive screws. Something I have been wanting to do for some time. But after looking at what HD, Lowes and Menards carry in square (Richardson) drive screws and at what phillips I have in my stockpile, it just does not make sense now. It's still hard to find a complete size selection in square drive stuff. Deck screws do offer a to broaden the size selection, but deck screws are almost twice the cost of drywall & wood screws. I don't want to have to switch between square & phillips so I had planned to use phillips in my workshop and use square drive outside of the workshop. But it will be difficult to get a full range of sizes of square stuff. so I guess I will switch over to start getting phillips wood screws on a limited basis and let my stock of drywall screws go down and check the availability of square drive stuff later.

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

I ran out of 2 1/2" screws while working on a project yesterday. I originally figured this was a good time to begin to start switching over to square drive screws. Something I have been wanting to do for some time. But after looking at what HD, Lowes and Menards carry in square (Richardson) drive screws and at what phillips I have in my stockpile, it just does not make sense now. It's still hard to find a complete size selection in square drive stuff. Deck screws do offer a to broaden the size selection, but deck screws are almost twice the cost of drywall & wood screws. I don't want to have to switch between square & phillips so I had planned to use phillips in my workshop and use square drive outside of the workshop. But it will be difficult to get a full range of sizes of square stuff. so I guess I will switch over to start getting phillips wood screws on a limited basis and let my stock of drywall screws go down and check the availability of square drive stuff later.

Try Mcfeely's for square drive screws

 

[fivespdcat]

I find that using an impact prevents destroying the screws. I hardly ever reach for a regular drill nowadays and I don't care which screw head I buy as long as they're not regular slotted.

 

[fourjeepin]

Flathead? No way. My house is chock full of them and if I pull one out, it goes in the scrap bin. Like Torx in my old CJ.