To the untrained eyes, any screw is just like any other screw. But for those who have more experience with jobs that requires such a type of fastener, can easily differentiate one from another. Choosing the best screws for hardwood, for instance, will be an easy task for such a person.
All About Screws
Screws are usually the best method in fastening things together. The other methods, gluing and nailing, may be quicker options but will leave a permanent joint that cannot be easily dismantled. Both will also not likely produce a fix that is strong enough and will not be resistant to pressure unlike screwed joints.
However, choosing the right screw for the job can be a bit of a challenge for those who are not used to doing jobs that require these fasteners since they are made of different materials, plated finishes, head styles, sizes and even thread types.
In addition to that, there are two basic head slot styles : the traditional slotted-head style and the cross-head style.
Meanwhile, cross-head styled screws are further categorized as follows:
- Pozidriv head, which are found mainly on wood screws
- Supadriv head, which is similar to the Pozidriv and is noted to provide more grip between the screw and screwdriver.
- Phillips-head screws
- Freason-head screws
- French recess, which is a cross-head screw designed with a two-step driver, and the blade diameter stepping up at a distance from the point.
- Mortorq, which is used in automotive and aerospace applications.
Traditional slotted-head screws are designed with a single slot into which a screwdriver blade needs to fit snugly to be turned. Since the slot size also varies with the screw, there are a range of screwdrivers that are also made available for any of these screws to be used with ease. Using an unsuitable screwdriver for any of these screws can easily damage the edges of the slots and make it difficult to finish the job.
Cross-head screws are easier to turn than conventional screws and are easier to turn even when the screwdriver blade and the screw head are not exactly in line. However, they can be difficult to clean out well since dirt, grease, and other debris can easily get caught in the slots of the screw head.
Screws designed to be used to fasten wooden materials usually have threads which extend approximately 60 per cent from the tip to its head. This leaves the blank part of the head of the screw with slightly thicker shank.
Wood screws are designed to be well-suited for all types of wood, including hardwood, Medium-density Fibreboard (MDF), and chipboard.
Choosing the Best Screws for Hardwood
When looking for the well-suited screws to do the job, you will need to consider the following features of the screw that you need to use.
- Screws are made of all sorts of materials. The most common of them are the following: steel, copper, aluminum, and titanium. When looking for the most suited screw to
- These fastening materials are usually coated to provide them with even better qualities. If you need to screw together pieces of hardwood that are likely to be exposed to water and humidity, it is best to go with screws that are waterproof or plated with corrosion-resistant finish, such as cadmium, sheradized or bright zinc plated. Screws that are made with non-rusting metals like aluminum alloy, brass or stainless steel are also better options.
- The length, which is measured from the point of the screw to the surface the screw is driven into, and the diameter or gauge of the screw head needs to be specific as well. The gauge indicates the diameter of the screw head. Bigger numbers indicate bigger sizes.
When looking for the screws you need to do the job, it is good to remember that they are in sizes that are in inches, except for gauges. Meanwhile, head-bore size refers to the diameter of the screw head, and the shank-hole size refers to the diameter of the smooth part of the screw which is located above its threads.
Using the Best Screws for Hardwood
When using screws which are likely to get damp, choose those which are plated with a corrosion-resistant finish such as cadmium, sheradized or bright zinc plated. You could also use screws made of a non-rusting metal like aluminum alloy, brass or stainless steel. These last three types are expensive; aluminum alloy and brass screws are particularly weak and sometimes break when screwing them into hardwood the secret is to put in a mild steel screw first.
Maintaining Screw Tightness
Since screws are generally harder than the wood in which they are fastened to, they tend to shudder loose whenever the wood is put through vibration. Replacing the old screw with a bigger one may seem to be the easy fix, but it may be worth to re-drill the hole, place a glued dowel, then re-screw into the dowel for a tighter fit.