A wood screw provides a strong hold due to the way the thread buries itself in the wood, making torque between the head of the screw and the two pieces of wood being joined. The wood screw can also behave as a clamp, particularly in cases where wood features a warp or a gap – the screw can draw the wood together with force, add this along with glue then you’ve got yourself a long lasting bond, the screw serving as a permanent clamp.
The most frequently used woodscrews would be the Twin Threaded and Chipboard screws. The Twin Threaded wood screw has a double start thread which winds the screw in at twice the speed, and the Chipboard screw has a sharp point for easy starting, plus a single deep cut thread making it easy to use on tougher woods and deep screwing applications. There is no need to drill pilot holes, and the wood screws can be inserted from any angle – upside down, sideways, and even places that are incredibly tight and also inaccessible.
One overlooked benefit of wood screws is the fact that they’re removable, particularly useful in repair work or in the instance that you’ve made a mistake – you just remove the screw and start again.
Wood screws are relatively inexpensive, plus the fact that you don’t have to purchase as many screws as you would nails for the same application. You can also get them in a variation of lengths, hardened steel varieties and you can additionally purchase them together with coating treatment for higher corrosion resistance with regard to outdoor uses.
Other types of screws include the Crossheadscrew, which is very popular for those who prefer a bit of DIY since the cross-shaped design prevents the screwdriver slipping whilst in process.
Addititionally there is the Dry Wall screw, which is thinner than the normal screw and has a sharper point and is also normally used on stud walls and fixing the plasterboard.
The Coachscrew has a large hexagonal or square head and can be applied in many different DIY jobs, and these screws do require a pilot hole to be drilled.
There is the Clutch Head screw that features an unique design enabling the screw to be done up, however, not undone and can be applied for fitting locks along with other security devices.
The Slotted Cheese Head woodscrew has a barrel shaped head with a slot drive. The underneath of the head is flat allowing it to sit flush on the surface of the material being secured.
Strength is one of the primary advantages of choosing wood screws rather than nails. Nails can break, bend and loosen whereas screws are threaded into the wood and also have a much higher tensile durability, and of course, if a screw does become lose then you can always tighten it back up again.
