If you want to install drywall into your house, you have a good choice for material. But having no drywall screws might bother you.
If your home is wood built, the spare screws that you have, you can plan them to use for fastening the drywalls. But before actually putting everything together, let’s check out if you can wood screws in dry wall.
Can you use wood screws in drywall?
Although there are major differences in screws upon usage, one can use wood screws in drywall. However, screws made for drywalls have different properties and build quality. Overall structure and design make wood screws less efficient in drywalls. But appropriate screws will give the best result.
Is there any hard and fast rule for what screws to be used or not for drywalls? None that we know off. However, there are different screws, and they exist for a reason.
It is not unknown that wood screws look similar to drywall screws, and many can confuse them with each other. Also, there is a little difference between both of these screws other than color.
Design and material are not very different from each other as well. That does not mean that one can easily swap both of these screws.
However, you can use wood screws to fasten drywall. Wood screws in drywall anchors do well, especially when used with woods. Wood screws design helps it to give more strength to wood frames.
But, drywall screws are more appropriate to use for fastening drywalls. There are several reasons for drywall screws to use for.
Why you can use wood screws in drywall:
It gives a better grip over fastening drywalls to woods. If you don’t have any drywall screws and the supplier is unavailable, wood screws will do more than a good job of holding both surfaces together.
Why you cannot use wood screws in drywall:
Simply because drywall has a different texture and builds materials than those of wood.
As a result, while wood screws might be the best option for fastening woods, they will not be the best option for using in drywalls. Similarly, the design and materials of drywall screws are more compatible with drywall.
Although there might be a small difference in the performance, using the right screw is advised by the home builders. Especially, drywall screws are easier to work with, and they are not hard to find.
Can you use wood screws to hang drywall?
Drywalls require a very conscious choice of screws to withstand the structural load and for increased durability.
Wrong screws or rookie mistakes can bring a heavy load by spoiling the total quality of drywalls. Thus it is always advised to choose drywall screws carefully.
When you are hanging drywall to a wooden structure or frame, you can always go for wood screws as a safe choice.
There might be major differences between drywall screws and wood screws, but one thing is sure wood screws can be very safe to use for hanging drywall to wood frames and structures.
Are drywall screws and wood screws the same?
You will find drywall screws and wood screws in your local hardware stores sold in different sections. Although they look almost the same, you will wonder what differences are there or are the same but sold as different items!
Although you may think both of them are the same because of their look and their similar job of fastening objects. But if you look closely, you will be able to figure differences.
Firstly, both have a different range of availability for size and shape. Also, Wood screws and drywall screws come in different colors. Even the tip and head of the screws are also different.
So, after a thorough investigation, you can say they are not the same.
Drywall Screw Vs Wood Screw, what’s the difference?
The most notable difference between drywall screws and wood screws is their purpose, while drywall screws are mainly used for fastening drywall, and wood screws are used for? Fastening woods; you guessed it right.
But other than these, there are many significant differences among these screws that are worth mentioning. Let’s talk about the differences,
Size:
Size is the most significant difference among the screws, as mentioned earlier.
Wood screws are labeled from 0-20, and their usual diameter ranges from 1/16 inches to 5/16 inches. Another aspect of the wood screw is its length, usually between quarters of inches to four inches.
Drywall screws are, as expected, much smaller in size. These are usually found in one inch to quarter inches and numbered between 6 and 10. As drywalls are thinner in size, they are not very long.
Color:
As screws are visible from the outside in most cases, their color plays a significant role as well. For instance, wood screws are mostly zinc or copper alloy; as a result, they come in shiny golden color.
Whereas drywall screws are steel made, and mostly they come in black color. If you consider the contrast between the colors of screws and their target materials, these color complements each other.
Heads:
There are subtle differences between drywall screws and wood screws depending on their head as well. While drywall screws are slightly sharp in shape, wood screws often show a less sharp outlook.
What screws to use for drywall?
Drywalls are mainly used for increasing aesthetics in a living space. And unlike any other joints, a wise decision for choosing screws is needed as the wrong screws can ruin the drywalls and beauty of the installation.
Although there are many screws available on the market, only a handpick of them can be used with drywalls. Drywall screws are easily found and considered the best option for drywalls.
Determining the perfect screw for drywall also depends on what materials you will hang the drywall from. Nonetheless, drywall’s thickness also makes a big difference in choosing screws for drywall.
How to choose drywall screws?
Drywall screws come in different ranges to choose from. But choosing drywall depends on different things. The most significant aspect might be what materials are fastened through the screw.
Another essential element for choosing a drywall screw is the thickness of the drywall. So if you know the thickness of the drywall and the material it is fastened with, you can easily choose the drywall screw of your need.
Drywall to Drywall:
If you want to fasten two drywalls together with a screw and if both of them have a similar thickness, you can choose a screw 1.5 to 2 times the thickness of the drywall.
Although 1.75 times drywall’s thickness can be a safe choice.
Drywall to Wood:
Drywall screws are very popular to work with to hang drywall to a wood frame.
To attach drywall which is 0.5 inches in thickness, the screw needs to penetrate 5/8 inches through the wood. So ideal screw length would be 9/8 inches.
Drywall to Metal:
There are different drywall screws to attach drywall to a metal frame. And a 7/8 inches drywall screws will be appropriate for a ½ inches thick drywall.
What can I use if I don’t have drywall screws?
Drywall screws are commonly found in the local hardware shop. However, it doesn’t mean you have to travel a long distance only to buy one screw if needed. You can replace it with another screw that is suitable for your requirement.
If you want to fasten drywall to a wooden frame, you can use wood screws without any worries. Wood screws are easily found, and there will always be some extra screws in a wood-made building.
However, a drywall screw will be more appropriate to use. But in case of emergency, any solution is appreciated unless you want to travel far to get the perfect one.
Can I use drywall screws for wood?
Drywall screws are not significantly different in size or shape than wood screws. Although a drywall screw is not long enough to support all sorts of woods, to a point, you can use a drywall screw for wood.
However, it is essential to mention that wood and drywall screws are different in texture, hardness and built quality.
So, if you want to use a screw for wood, you have to consider how much load it will be able to take and if it will be able to stand the tension.
However, being similar in shape and size, you can use many drywall screws with wood. And they will be good enough to do the job with a reputation.
Final thoughts
It will not be a big issue if the wood screw is used to fasten the drywall. Particularly to hang drywall to wood, the wood screw can be a wise choice. However, drywall screws can be found in any super shop and hardware store. So using drywall screws will be conscious spending in terms of output.