Sheet Metal Vs Wood Screws

These screws are not really interchangeable.

Sheet metal vs wood screws.

Type a self tapping screws are exact matches to standard wood screws except that they are always fully threaded while wood screws are not. But these days there are many more options available. The threadless shank allows the top piece of wood to be pulled flush against the under piece without getting caught on the threads. Combination wood metal screws feature a medium thread as a compromise allowing secure fastening to both wood and sheet metal some feature a drill point in order to eliminate the need for a pilot hole in sheet metal.

The threading on metal ones is available up to 3 inches and the wooden ones feature threading up to 1 inch. The sheet metal screws flaunt a straight shank along with a finer threading pattern other than the wooden rivets which are threaded only two thirds of the way up. What are wood screws. A sheet metal screw can sometimes be used in place of a wood screw for attaching an object to a piece of wood.

Some companies carry case hardened wood screws and many are now zinc plated which gives them more protection from corrosion. Typically in the past wood screws were not case hardened like sheet metal screws and unlike sheet metal screws were plain steel and not plated. The two types of screws are not fully interchangeable. Some wood screws longer ones often have a threadless shank at the top of them.

The visible difference is in the thread. Carpenters use drywall screws to attach sheetrock to metal or wood studs. Sheet metal screws on the other hand always have a tighter sharper thread that cover their entire length. These screws feature a phillips head.

Commonly called sheet metal screws you can find screws of this type on our self tapping category page. Pitch refers to the number of threads per inch. Sheet metal screws mostly feature a medium thread and a wider head to spread out the force over a wider area. They are easier to drive into metal and will offer a greater level of strength and security.

In short wood screws are designed to be driven into wood materials while metal screws are designed to be driven into metal materials hence the names. Most drywall screws have coarse threads to securely attach gypsum to the wood or metal post. While a sheet metal screw can be used to. The shaft diameters of both wood screws and sheet metal screws are not stated in inches but.

If you re attempting to attach sheet metal you should choose metal screws. These have a coarser pitch few threads per inch than sheet metal or machine screws and often have an unthreaded shank. Some wood screws are tapered from tip to head also. However a wood screw is generally not a suitable replacement for a sheet metal screw because the threads are not designed to cut into metal and the unthreaded upper shank can be problematic.