Screws are among the most common and basic types of fasteners for a wide variety of tasks. They come in different sizes and are constructed from different materials to make them suitable for holding together everything from tiny computer components to massive industrial machinery. Compared to other fasteners, such as nails, screws have several distinct advantages.
If you are getting ready for a huge industrial contracting job, you want to use nuts and bolts to get the job done right. Since contractors have to work with heavy machinery, there are instances where you will need to replace old nuts with new ones. This means you will have to know which ones are most cost effective, durable, and simple to use.
In such a situation, you will have to weigh the value of the different fasteners and decide which one best suits your needs. With that in mind, here are some notable advantages of using nuts & bolts as reliable fasteners.
Screws provide a mechanical advantage. Driving in a screw takes less force expended over a greater period of time than driving a nail into the same material. For builders using hand tools, this can make a construction project far easier when screws are involved. With power tools, screws require less force and place less strain on the tools motor.
Screws are very strong. Whereas nails may come loose once the materials they connect begin to expand and shrink over time, screws resist this problem and continue to create a strong bond. Because screws are stronger, a construction project can use fewer screws and place them farther apart, thereby reducing the cost of the project and speeding up the process.
The strong, tight bond of screws also makes them resistant to rust by preventing moisture and contaminants from coming into contact with the metal of the screw's shaft. Even if the head of a screw begins to rust, the shaft will remain intact and continue to hold. This is another reason that screws are a better long-term solution than nails or staples.
Screws of different sizes and with varying thread patterns are specifically designed for use on wood, drywall, sheet metal and concrete, among other materials. Using the proper screw type enhances the other advantages like long-term strength.
Screws also feature many different types of heads, from the conventional Phillips-head and slot-head screws to rounded, pan-head, Torx-head and countersunk designs. This variety of screws makes them suitable for use with different types of tools.
Screws are easier to remove than other fastener types. While nails or staples may require a special tool to pry them loose, screws back out of their slots with the same tool that drove them in. Screws can also be re-used since they seldom bend during removal, and they can even be reinserted into the same holes without sacrificing strength.
Our deck screws feature a type 17 point (notched point at the tip) to aid in chip removal during thread cutting which allows for an easy installation in wood and composite deck materials. A bugle head and square drive help to eliminate the stripping effect sometimes experienced with other types of drives.
Lag screws, also called lag bolts, are large wood screws. The head is external hex and are driven with a wrench. Used for lag together lumber for framing, machinery to wood floors, and other heavy duty applications.
Self-drilling screws have a sheet metal thread with a self-driller cutting (TEK) point to pierce through 20 to 14 gauge metals. The higher the TEK number, the larger the drill point to pierce heavier gauge metals.
Sheet metal screws (SMS) have sharp cutting threads that cut into sheet metal, plastic or wood. They have a fully threaded shank and sometimes have a notched point at the tip to aid in chip removal during thread cutting.
Wood screws are partially threaded with large cutting threads and a smooth shank. They are designed to slide through the top piece of wood and tightly pull all boards together.