Choosing and Properly Using Screws

Screws may make up a small part of your toolbox but they are one of the tools that you use most often. Although we do not pay that much attention to these little objects, there are still plenty of things we need to know in order to go about using them properly.

Sizes of Screws

Screws come in a variety of sizes that will fit whatever you may need them for. Whether you are doing wood projects, machine installation or just simple home projects, it is important for you to use the correct ones to ensure the safety and success of your work.

Screws come in different shapes and sizes. They can come in 5/8 socket head cap screws or ¾ flat-head screws. They can have counter sunk or roundhead tops. They are also available in flat head or oval-head. Depending on what you will be using them for, screws greatly vary from one another.

How to Choose the Proper Screws
First of all, determine the project that you would be using your screws for. For example, if you are going to use screws to hinge your doors into place then it may be best for your to get yourself a set of countersunk screws—slot head or round-head ones. For machineries, you have to use a set of 5/8-socket head cap screw or any size that will fit your machine’s needs.
When shopping in hardware stores, the screws being old are usually labeled according to their use so you will have an easier time shopping for them. They can have wood screws, sheet-metal screws, drywall or machine screws. Keep in mind also that the thread of these screws varies depending on how you will be using them.
The thickness of the materials you will be screwing into will also contribute on how you will be choosing the screws you will use. Socket head cap screw, roundhead screws, and the like are all designed for specific purposes.
Also, you need to consider the type of screwdrivers that you will be using. A 5/8-socket head cap screw will be requiring a different kind of screwdriver than a roundhead type of screw. Make sure that you have all the types of screwdrivers in your toolbox to make your job faster and easier.
Other Tips When Working with Screws
When it comes to using screws on wood projects—a door hinge or playhouses for example—you need to remember that wood materials would have the tendency to split when a screw is driven into it. To avoid splitting it, pre-drill a hole into the place you want the screw to be put into.
Also to make it easier for you to put the screws in place, many carpenters say that applying lubricants such as soap in the screws threads makes the job easier.
Screws are fairly easy to use in projects and installations, provided that you know the specific type that you need. Keep these tips in mind the next time you use screws to make accomplishing your project easier for you.