Screws

A screw is an externally threaded fastener that forms or cuts its own mating thread, or mates with a pre-formed internal thread. Screws are usually driven by torque applied to a recessed or shaped head.

Most projects need just three screws: a #8 wood screw for carpentry, a coarse-thread drywall screw for interior work, and a concrete screw for masonry. Match the thread to the material — coarse for softwood, fine for hardwood and steel — and pilot hardwood near the ends.

📷 Types of Screws and Their Uses (with Pictures) — browse every type with photos.

Types of Screws

Wood Screw

flat head wood screw · countersunk wood screw

A wood screw has coarse, deep threads that cut into wood and a tapered shank that draws the screw tight. Most …

Machine Screw

machine bolt · stove bolt

A machine screw is a small, fully threaded fastener with a uniform diameter, driven into a pre-tapped hole or …

Self-Drilling Screw

TEK screw · drill-point screw

A self-drilling screw has a drill-shaped point that bores its own hole through metal, then taps its own thread…

Self-Tapping Screw

sheet metal screw · thread-forming screw

A self-tapping screw forms or cuts its own mating thread as it is driven into a pre-drilled or pre-punched hol…

Structural Screw

structural wood screw · ledger screw

A structural screw is an engineered, high-strength wood screw designed to replace lag bolts and through-bolts …

Deck Screw

coated deck screw · star drive deck screw

A deck screw is a corrosion-resistant wood screw built for outdoor decking and exterior wood, with a bugle or …

Drywall Screw

gypsum board screw · bugle head screw

A drywall screw has a bugle head that countersinks without tearing the paper face and a sharp point that start…

Set Screw

grub screw · headless screw

A set screw is a headless screw driven with a hex key that locks a collar, pulley, or knob onto a shaft by pre…

Security Screw

tamper-resistant screw · torx pin screw

A security screw uses a specialized drive — a pin-in-Torx, one-way slots, or an unusual shape — that needs a m…

Pocket Hole Screw

pocket screw · Kreg screw

A pocket hole screw is a self-tapping screw with a flat washer head and square drive, made to pull two pieces …

Particleboard Screw

particle board screw · chipboard screw

A particleboard screw has a thin shank and full-length coarse threads that grip the crumbly core of particlebo…

Thumb Screw

knurled screw · hand screw

A thumb screw has a knurled, wing, or lobed head that is tightened and loosened by hand — no tool required.…

Captive Screw

captive panel screw · captive fastener

A captive screw has a reduced-diameter shoulder under the head so it stays attached to a panel or cover when l…

Weld Screw

projection weld screw · stud screw

A weld screw has small projections under the head that are resistance-welded to sheet metal, providing a perma…