If you love DIY home projects, you already know how important fasteners are when it comes to doing these tasks. Whether you’re assembling a furniture or installing a new fixture, you need a strong fastener to keep things together.
There are actually different kinds of fasteners and they vary on their uses. To help you get familiar with them, here are the most common types you probably would run into at some point while doing your DIY home projects.
Wood Screws
For drywall installations or any woodwork, wood screws are your best friend. The number of threads depends on what kind of wood you’ll be using it. Those with fewer threads are meant to be used for soft woods like spruce or pine. However, those with more threads are meant for hard wood. Usually, wood screws have either a flat or round head. But there are also bugle head screws that are perfect when a flush finish is needed.
Hex Bolts
Also known as hex cap screws, this type of fastener has a flat hexagonal head. You’ll need to use a wrench or socket to tighten or loosen the nut. Hex bolts may look similar to carriage bolts; however, they have more tendency to spin while you tighten or loosen them so you’ll need to use 2 wrenches when using this bolt. Hex bolts are perfect for attaching wood to wood, wood to metal, or even metal to metal.
Machine Screws
This type of screw looks like a combination of bolt and screw. Usually, this type of screw is used to attach metals or plastic to metals. As the name implies, it is typically used in machines. At home, you can find this mostly on electrical components. In some cases, this type needs a nut especially when the hole isn’t cut or tapped.
Sheet Metal Screws
Sheet metal screws are used to attach two metal sheets or another metal to a metal sheet. You can choose from a variety of head types such as flat head, round head, or hex head depending on where you’re going to use it. Sheet metal screws are meant to cut through metal, hence the style of its tip. They are usually used for roofing and other external structural features. Because of this, sheet metal screws usually have a weather-resistant coating or made from stainless steel for durability and strength.
Lag Bolts
Lag bolts or lag screws have a large diameter and are used to attach big pieces of wood firmly to each other. They are less likely to get loosened once they have been installed tightly and are commonly used for wooden structures such as docks and timber decks. This type of bolts is corrosion-resistant; they could withstand extreme outdoor conditions and even the corrosive feature of some pressure treated wood.
Now that you have an idea on the different common types of bolts and screws, it will be a lot easier for you to choose which one you need for your DIY project.
