# Drywall Screws - why only phillips?



## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

Well, let me think...
<Start thinking>I think drywall screws are meant to be driven in a soft material and into soft wood, not hardwood.
</End thinking>
:yes::thumbsup::yes:


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

McFeely's stocks square drive drywall screws.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/screws-fast...d.html?screw_recess=58&screw_thread_type=5435


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## exhibitman03 (Mar 9, 2015)

menards stocks all drives in iowa


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

You don't have to use the black drywall screws to hang drywall. You CAN use your star drive screws. I've done it many times when screwing drywall to old framing that is hard as stone.


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## jackwashere (May 5, 2010)

Theory:

<Start thinking>Gee Stringer is smart! Soft material, soft wood. Why didn't silly stupid me think of that?</End thinking>

Practice:

<Start thinking>@*&^* thing is stuck !&(*!*^(^ reverse - try again (*^(*&^(*^ nothing (*^*&^%* where the !*^(*%(* is Stringer when I need him?</End thinking>


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

jackwashere said:


> I hate it when a drywall screw encounters some resistance toward the end and does not go in all the way. I hate it even more if the phillips drive slips and doesn't grab easily.



after your sheet is hung, use a impact driver and a impact phillips driver bit
to easily turn those PITA screws precisely in a turn or 2.

You can use a screw with a better drive mechanism, but you better stop at the right time, cause it will be easy to over drive them thru the paper, and at that point the screw is useless and you have to drive another right next to it


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## intelpcguy (May 10, 2015)

Are you using coarse or fine drywall screws?

Fine go easier into soft and semi hard woods, coarse are a bit tougher to break, are also harder to drive. Are you using a drill or impact screw gun or drywall screw gun to drive the screw? Drywall screw gun drive the screw faster but have low torque, drills ( corded or cordless ) also suffer from the same, though are not as fast as a drywall screw gun, cordless impact are slower, but have better torque to drive the screw home. It also helps if you have impact rated ( hardend ) phillips tips. As for me, I prefer fine, and with a 18 volt cordless impact for drywall hanging duties and can fine clutch them just below flush without tearing through the paper layer.


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

jackwashere said:


> Theory:
> 
> <Start thinking>Gee Stringer is smart! Soft material, soft wood. Why didn't silly stupid me think of that?</End thinking>
> 
> ...


haha. I was just messin' with ya. :yes:
I have broke a few and stripped out a few myself.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Well, the screws are _supposed _to cam out. That's the design of a Phillips head and that's what's supposed to happen. Otherwise, something like this would never work.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/images/item/woodworking/drilling/99w8701s1.jpg

Having said that, yes there are some tough instances. But I'd rather use normal screws and have the occasional tough one, than to risk overdriving all my screws, and have to go slowly and methodically.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Drywall screws are brittle that is why they are meant to cam out if they meet a lot of resistance they are apt to break off. This is why they are not recommended for much other than drywall. I know a lot of people use them for everything but can lead to problems.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

ToolSeeker said:


> Drywall screws are brittle that is why they are meant to cam out if they meet a lot of resistance they are apt to break off. This is why they are not recommended for much other than drywall. I know a lot of people use them for everything but can lead to problems.


Bingo. The mark of an amateur or a hack is that he uses drywall screws for everything. I very rarely use them for anything but drywall. Once I see a drywall screw in a house somewhere other than drywall, I know a hacker's been there and I assume nothing good about how anything was built.

By the way, course thread for drywall into wood, and fine thread for drywall into metal - always. Also, using screws longer than 1 1/4" for 1/2" drywall is _not _a good idea. There are important reasons for this, so do it right!


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