# Screws



## Homervanderjazz (Jan 18, 2012)

Hi, when looking at screws to buy in my local store the majority are wood ones, I am planning to drill into house brick and then use plug along with the screw. So my question is can I use a wood screw for this purpose? Thanks


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

No, a wood screw is tapered.
What is it your planning on mounting with these screws?
Cheap not going to work very well plastic inserts use sheetmetal screws.
Lead anchors use lag screws.
(there called inserts not plugs)


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## Homervanderjazz (Jan 18, 2012)

*Re*

Hi I am just putting up Shelves, when I go onto screwfix.com and look at screw section the masonry screws seem to be ones that are to be used without plugs. Which screws would suitable on this site to be used with plugs? Thanks


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

Homervanderjazz said:


> .....am just putting up Shelves.....


 Homer, This should help with Screw Anchors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_anchor
.
For installing shelves on brick walls:
http://www.home-shelving-guide.com/installing-shelves.html

Hope this helps. Use sheet metal screws with plastic anchors


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## KatHelms (Feb 16, 2012)

Is there any reason why you should use a plug/screw in brick instead of a masonry screw by itself? Or is it a matter of what is strong enough for the application?

I usually use masonry screws when I need to secure something to my block foundation (like a fire extinguisher hangar - I had them handy, although it seemed like overkill - those blue screws have some bite)


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

KatHelms said:


> Is there any reason why you should use a plug/screw in brick instead of a masonry screw by itself? Or is it a matter of what is strong enough for the application?
> 
> I usually use masonry screws when I need to secure something to my block foundation (like a fire extinguisher hangar - I had them handy, although it seemed like overkill - those blue screws have some bite)


 It depends more on the application than any other factor....and how it looks when finished in some circumstances. And yes, the Tapcons hold very well.


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## Homervanderjazz (Jan 18, 2012)

*re*

thanks for all the replies folks


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

KatHelms said:


> .....those blue screws have some bite)


Those blue screws most commonly called Tapcon® screws are self Tapping screws that are most commonly used in concrete, hence the name:Tapcon. The Tapcons are awesome in Concrete but I would not use them in brick. Brick is after all just a block of clay baked in a kiln. Concrete bricks would be the exception but they are not as common.

Besides the unknown strength of a brick, especially older construction bricks, a drawback of using a Tapcon in brick is that if it is removed even temporarily they cannot be reinstalled in the same hole because now the original sized hole has been tapped out by the first installation.


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## jlmran (Feb 8, 2010)

PaliBob said:


> Those blue screws most commonly called Tapcon® screws are self Tapping screws that are most commonly used in concrete, hence the name:Tapcon. The Tapcons are awesome in Concrete but I would not use them in brick.


All the Tapcons I've bought came with a masonry bit. Are they really self-tapping?


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

jlmran said:


> All the Tapcons I've bought came with a masonry bit. Are they really self-tapping?


Yes, they are self-tapping. Self-DRILLING screws do not require a pilot hole, but I haven't seen those for concrete......at least not yet.:no:

Oops..I said that backward. Self tapping screws have their own bit at the tip...they do not reuire a hole


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## jlmran (Feb 8, 2010)

Missouri Bound said:


> Yes, they are self-tapping. Self-DRILLING screws do not require a pilot hole, but I haven't seen those for concrete......at least not yet.:no:


So all screws are self-tapping?

Is a 10-24 a screw or a bolt?


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

jlmran said:


> So all screws are self-tapping?
> 
> Is a 10-24 a screw or a bolt?


Now that's a matter of semantics. :whistling2:


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## jlmran (Feb 8, 2010)

Missouri Bound said:


> Now that's a matter of semantics. :whistling2:


Which question?


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

jlmran said:


> So all screws are self-tapping?
> 
> Is a 10-24 a screw or a bolt?


 Generally, and from my personal experience, 1/4" or larger is a bolt, less than 1/4" is referred to as a machine screw. But there are lag bolts smaller than 1/4" and dowel screws larger than 1/4".....like I said, semantics:yes: The most common reference will be used and acknowledged.:whistling2:


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

How did Tapcon get its name?
“*An anchor that TAPs its own threads/grooves into CONcrete*.”
above quote from the Tapcon website  http://www.tapcon.com/history.asp

The hole diameter is smaller than the screw diameter, e.g.a ¼” screw is installed in a 3/16” hole. The screw jambs itself into the walls of the hole by self-tapping the hole to a larger diameter. If the Tapcon screw is removed then re-installed in good quality concrete it wil probably be ok, at least for the first time. Old poorer quality concrete or mortar is not going to hold as good, same for brick.
.


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## jlmran (Feb 8, 2010)

My point was that ALL screws are self tapping, because I've never believed that a machine screw is a true screw. Couple that with the fact that self drilling screws are commonly referred to as self tapping screws, and now there's opportunity for nomenclature debate. :laughing:


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## bbo (Feb 28, 2010)

and now I know where the phrase "screw that" came from.:laughing:

isn't 10-24 a measure of the threads, irrelevant of whether its a screw or bolt?

edit 10 being a measure of diameter (thickness) and 24 being number of threads per unit of measure.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

bbo said:


> and now I know where the phrase "screw that" came from.:laughing:
> 
> isn't 10-24 a measure of the threads, irrelevant of whether its a screw or bolt?
> 
> edit 10 being a measure of diameter (thickness) and 24 being number of threads per unit of measure.


Your edit is correct....but wood and sheet metal screws generally are described only by diameter and length, not tpi....*generally:yes:*


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