Drywall screws are the common fastener used to secure full as well as partial sheets of drywall to the wall studs or ceiling rafters. Though the lengths and gauges, thread types, and composition of the drywall crews can seem inconceivable at first, once you familiarize yourself with the basics like the drywall screws sizes, drywall screws weight, areas, and methods of application of the drywall screws, you can use it as a fastener without any doubts.
With the vast choices of drywall screws available in the market for home DIYs as well as industrial applications, it can be a bit tricky to pick the right ones. While most of the common drywall screws have limited types of uses, there are types of drywall screws that are capable of multiple usages.
On the other hand, the usage of incorrect drywall screws can greatly affect the overall fastening and make the object used unsteady. The major factors you should consider while narrowing down to the right drywall screws are their length, gauge, and thread.
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Drywall Screw Lengths
The length of the drywall screws can vary between 1 inch to 8 inches. The primary reason for this length change in drywall screws is that the different construction materials can have a different range of thicknesses, from the thin sheet metal to the thick four-by-four posts or even thicker.
Most of the drywalls inducted in homes will be 1/2-inch thick. While this thickness can be subjected to a slight increase or decrease, most of the time, it is fixed to ½ inches.
The drywall screws used in garage walls and furnace rooms can be longer when compared to the drywall screws used in the home as the walls of these buildings will be thicker. The type of drywalls implanted here is called the type-x drywall which is about ⅝ inches thick.
On the other hand, the drywall that is used for walls and ceilings can be around 1/4-inch thick. The flexibility of these drywalls makes them a perfect choice to form curves. However, the majority of drywall put in the kitchens and bathrooms will be ½ inches thick.
Drywall Screw Threads and Their Applications
The thread type of the drywall screws is an important aspect that decides its functionality. The two types of drywall screw threads are:
- Coarse: The coarse threaded drywall screws are most commonly used for wooden studs.
- Fine: The fine threads of the fine drywall screws are self-threading and this feature makes it best suited for metal studs.
Drywall Screw Gauges
What is a gauge in drywall screws? The answer is fairly simple. It is the diameter of the screw. The #6 or #8 drywall screws are used most of the time. You should keep in mind that as the gauge number increases, the screw becomes vaster in terms of its diameter. The drywall screws’ weight will increase alongside too. Simply put, the #6 drywall screw will be narrower than the #8 drywall screws.
Whichever your requirement be, consider various screws for drywall anchors and choose the most suited one.