What are the Right Screws for Timber & Wood?

Having the right screws is crucial to getting any job right, but particularly when working with timber or wood. Balancing structural strength while protecting the wood, timber screws need specific designs and materials to ensure a long-term hold.

Here at Fastbuild, we supply a wide range of screws for all applications. In this article, we outline what to look for when it comes to timber and wood screws.

What’s the Difference Between Wood & Timber Screws?

First of all, it’s important to know what we’re talking about when we discuss timber and wood screws, which are not quite the same thing.

As the name suggests, wood screws are any type of screw designed to fix two wooden materials or surfaces together. These kinds of screws are very common, and there is a vast range available for every need.

The term ‘timber screw’ is often used to refer to specific heavy-duty wood screws. While wood screws could encompass anything, including small screws used to build shelves, timber screws usually refer to large screws used to fasten things like structural frames, deckings and fences. This is why, in some places, they are also called external structural screws.

What to Look for in Wood & Timber Screws

Wood and timber screws are commonly manufactured from carbon steel, stainless steel, or coated steel. These materials help to protect the screw from corrosion, which could also impact the integrity of the wood.

Wood screws can come with coarse threads or fine threads, and which you should use depends on the nature of the wood. Coarse threads are more common and best for softwoods, while fine threads are an alternative choice for trickier hardwoods. Many modern wood screws feature self-tapping or slash-point designs for easier installation and reduced splitting.

Because of the nature of their job, speciality timber screws tend to be much longer than standard wood screws. They also usually have a partial thread that is much more pronounced and aggressive, which helps to create a stronger hold. 

Like other screw types, wood screws are available with various heads depending on your needs. The most common head for wood screws is the countersunk head, as this can sit flat in the wood to provide a clean finish. For timber screws, wider hex or torx wafer heads are common for a stronger clamped hold.

The Best Screws for Timber

Finding the right timber screw is crucial, as you need to ensure it has the load strength required for your task. Some of the most popular types of timber screw on the market are:

• HeadLOK Structural Wood Screws
• Exterior Decking Screws

HeadLOK Structural Wood Screws

These structural wood screws are a classic all-rounder, suitable for all manner of heavy-duty timber-to-timber fixings such as decking, fencings, stairs and more.

The sharp tip and pronounced, partial thread grip the wood without splitting, creating a very secure hold between the timbers. Meanwhile, the Torx drive reduces cam-out and improves installation speed, and they’re also coated for great corrosion resistance.

Exterior Decking Screws

If specifically working on exterior decking, there are very specific screws designed to provide a secure hold in all conditions. Exterior decking wood screws come in unique lengths to suit going through thicker decking boards, and are made with corrosion-resistant carbon steel built to last throughout the seasons.

Decking screws also come with a countersunk head and coloured finish to ensure the appearance of the decking isn’t affected.

The Best Screws for Wood

Finding the best screw for wood is tricky, as there are so many different types and thicknesses of wood that can impact what screw you need. If you’re not sure where to start, the most popular styles tend to be:

• Countersunk Wood Screws
• Chipboard Screws

Countersunk Wood Screws

One of the most common types of screw across all construction is the countersunk wood screw. These screws are designed for general use across a huge range of wood-to-wood fixings, with a coarse thread and countersunk head providing a clean, secure finish.

We have countersunk wood screws available in various lengths so they can be used across a huge range of tasks.

Chipboard Screws

If you’re working with any composite or engineered woods like chipboard or MDF, you’ll want to consider a chipboard screw. These are usually thinner with a sharp, coarse thread designed to minimise splitting the fragile material as much as possible.

Chipboard screws almost always have countersunk heads that sit flush for a smooth finish.

How to Choose the Right Screw for Your Project

Many factors will impact what wood screw you need for your project. Some things to consider include:

• Type of Wood – Whether you need a coarse or fine-thread screw.
• Wood Thickness – The length of screw you need.
• Load Bearing Strength – How much weight your screw needs to hold.

Choosing the Right Screw Length

As a general rule, the screw should penetrate at least half the thickness of the second piece of timber. For decking boards and structural timber, longer structural screws may be required to achieve the necessary holding strength.

As mentioned, there are many woodscrews available for every need, and we stock a wide range of sizes for you to choose from, all at great trade prices.

For more help with finding the right screw for your project, be sure to read our guide on how to measure your wood screws.