# Drywall Screws



## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

1-5/8" for 1/2". I don't do vertical . That may take a different pattern. For horizontal 16" CC i do 6 on the ends and the center studs get 4 each.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

Colbyt said:


> . I don't do vertical .



what do you mean by this?

are you saying i should put my sheets horizontally?


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Min size 1 1/4" coarse screw. Your sheets should really be laid horizontally to hide any waviness. And make sure it is the "lightweight" 1/2" drywall that is rated to span 24" o.c., otherwise you should be using 5/8" thick.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

3onthetree said:


> Min size 1 1/4" coarse screw. Your sheets should really be laid horizontally to hide any waviness. And make sure it is the "lightweight" 1/2" drywall that is rated to span 24" o.c., otherwise you should be using 5/8" thick.


thanks,

i just did some more reading, and i will be hanging it horizontally now,

that will leave one long seam across the middle of the wall though, is that okay?

im assuming the sheets should be staggered?....so the vertical seems are not lining up?


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## shelzmike (Feb 9, 2012)

anyacolo said:


> thanks,
> 
> i just did some more reading, and i will be hanging it horizontally now,
> 
> ...


Yes, this is the standard way. There are a few instances (very few) where I will lay vertically (like in my kitchen where I had a wall coming into it at a right angle from the closet in the hallway). Laying vertically is something people so to avoid butt joints, but it causes way more problems. Butt joints take more work and finesses, but there are loads of great videos on YT on how to do them correctly. 

I use 1-1/2" on 1/2" drywall. Regardless of the length, #6 coarse is what you want to use. They have a thicker shank.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

shelzmike said:


> Yes, this is the standard way. There are a few instances (very few) where I will lay vertically (like in my kitchen where I had a wall coming into it at a right angle from the closet in the hallway). Laying vertically is something people so to avoid butt joints, but it causes way more problems. Butt joints take more work and finesses, but there are loads of great videos on YT on how to do them correctly.
> 
> I use 1-1/2" on 1/2" drywall. Regardless of the length, #6 coarse is what you want to use. They have a thicker shank.


thanks for the info, i will do it horizontally


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

USG handbook:

1 1/4" Type W (coarse) bugle head for 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" drywall to studs or joists
max fastener spacing 12" ceilings, 16" sidewalls
stagger butt seams

Look up "back-blocking" as an alternative to butt seams over wood framing joints


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## shelzmike (Feb 9, 2012)

Best ones around as far as I am concerned. Buttboard™ Drywall Backer | Trim-Tex | Drywall Products


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

shelzmike said:


> Best ones around as far as I am concerned. Buttboard™ Drywall Backer | Trim-Tex | Drywall Products



..


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

IIRC the correct depth is 1/8" if your break the paper, the screw isnt holding anything, go an inch or 2 away and put another one.

On your first pass with mud full all screws, on your second pass, connect all the dots.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

That Guy said:


> IIRC the correct depth is 1/8" if your break the paper, the screw isnt holding anything, go an inch or 2 away and put another one.
> 
> On your first pass with mud full all screws, on your second pass, connect all the dots.


thanks,

i won't be doing the mudding and sanding, i am going to hire somebody to do that,

too messy for me....and im probably not very good at it, don't have any experience doing that


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Our code says any pipe, wire, etc. in a GWB wall has to be at least 1 3/8” from the finished wall surface or it needs a plate to protect it. So using screws over 1 3/8” long runs the risk of hitting something you don’t want to put a screw through.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

Old Thomas said:


> Our code says any pipe, wire, etc. in a GWB wall has to be at least 1 3/8” from the finished wall surface or it needs a plate to protect it. So using screws over 1 3/8” long runs the risk of hitting something you don’t want to put a screw through.


thanks,

that brings me to another related question, which might sound silly but anyway.....

as i said, my walls were previously insulated, i have drilled through each stud and run my romex wiring horizontally for my plugs around the whole room,

so as of now my romex is in front of the insulation, which is pulling the insulation back away from the wall slightly,

should i remove the insulation, and put it back in, IN FRONT of the wiring instead? so the wiring would kind of hold it pressed up against the drywall? or does it really matter?


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I put the wires in the middle of the studs and I split the insulation so half goes behind the wire and half in front of the wire.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

_Our code says any pipe, wire, etc. in a GWB wall has to be at least 1 3/8” from the finished wall surface or it needs a plate to protect it. So using screws over 1 3/8” long runs the risk of hitting something you don’t want to put a screw through._

You are forgetting the thickness of the drywall. A 1 5/8" screw won't go further than 1 1/4" into the stud when screwed thru 1/2" drywall.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

mark sr said:


> _Our code says any pipe, wire, etc. in a GWB wall has to be at least 1 3/8” from the finished wall surface or it needs a plate to protect it. So using screws over 1 3/8” long runs the risk of hitting something you don’t want to put a screw through._
> 
> You are forgetting the thickness of the drywall. A 1 5/8" screw won't go further than 1 1/4" into the stud when screwed thru 1/2" drywall.


 I didn’t forget anything. The code says “finished wall surface” so that includes the thickness of the wallboard.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

We've always used 1 1/4" screws for 1/2" & 5/8" drywall. Coarse thread for wood & fine thread for metal. We glue everything too.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

There is one and only one screw to use with 1/2" drywall, and that is: 1 1/4" COARSE THREAD screw. There are reasons for that we can get into, for now just use that screw.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> There is one and only one screw to use with 1/2" drywall, and that is: 1 1/4" COARSE THREAD screw. There are reasons for that we can get into, for now just use that screw.


will do


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## edfiero1 (Mar 6, 2017)

Why in the world did the builder do 24 in centers on the studs? So they could save 10 bucks in material?? Wow. I thought nearly every wall in the country built in the last 40 years would be 16 inch studs. I agree with the early comment that I would go to 5/8 drywall with stud spacing at 24 inches.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> There is one and only one screw to use with 1/2" drywall, and that is: 1 1/4" COARSE THREAD screw. There are reasons for that we can get into, for now just use that screw.


i went to home depot to buy my screws,

one poster (sorry cant remember who now) recommended a #8 screw,

i couldn't really find any #8 drywall screws, they seemed to be all #6 screws,

i also couldn't seem to find a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch screw,

i ended up buying a 1000 bucket of #6 1 5/8 coarse thread, which im hoping will be fine


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## In Ontario (Oct 5, 2018)

anyacolo said:


> i went to home depot to buy my screws,
> 
> one poster (sorry cant remember who now) recommended a #8 screw,
> 
> ...


But... coarse thread screws won't turn into fine no matter how much you hope.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

The main thing to remember is coarse for wood and fine for metal studs.
I don't know that I've ever seen 1.5" drywall screws, 1 1/4 and 1 5/8 are the norm.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

mark sr said:


> The main thing to remember is coarse for wood and fine for metal studs.
> I don't know that I've ever seen 1.5" drywall screws, 1 1/4 and 1 5/8 are the norm.


okay thanks, im going into wood


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## In Ontario (Oct 5, 2018)

I tried to be funny and it didn't work!


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

In Ontario said:


> I tried to be funny and it didn't work!


yes it did 

it took a few times for me to read it and understand it though....hehehe


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

#6 shaft is fine, no need for #8 . 1 5/8" screws are a pain to work with. 1 1/4' is standard


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> 1 5/8" screws are a pain to work with.


in what way?


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

Hang a sheet with 1 1/4" screws & a sheet with 1 5/8" screws. It will be obvious.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

They're more difficult to work with in most every way. The extra length really doesn't benefit you at all


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> Hang a sheet with 1 1/4" screws & a sheet with 1 5/8" screws. It will be obvious.


i just tried putting a few 1 5/8 screws in, it seems fine, whats the issue?


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

Ok, run some 1 1/4 ' screws in & compare the difference


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> Ok, run some 1 1/4 ' screws in & compare the difference


why?...what is the point in doing that?


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

Hang a sheet on the ceiling with 1 1/4" then hang one with 1 5/8".


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## In Ontario (Oct 5, 2018)

Maybe this is a riddle?

No problem to say one is better than the other, but why, seems silly.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

C'mon. The point is to compare the screws.


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## In Ontario (Oct 5, 2018)

Right, c'mon. Go, compare away... state your case, what is it about the longer screw that you don't like.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

The 1st point is that it's more time consuming & difficult to use longer screws. Drywall contractors who do this daily use 1 1/4" screws for a good reason.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

It's not me. It's just the way the drywall industry does it.


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## In Ontario (Oct 5, 2018)

I'm out, this is beyond silly.

Too bad, maybe you had some good reason why and we might never know. We're mostly all open minded here and happy to be critiqued and learn something new. I know I am.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> Hang a sheet on the ceiling with 1 1/4" then hang one with 1 5/8".


I am not drywalling my ceiling, so what would be the point?


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

finisher65 said:


> It's not me. It's just the way the drywall industry does it.


The time factor for the extra 3 turns to run a 1 5/8" screw in is negligible, especially with a screw gun spinning at 1200 rpm. The "drywall industry" uses 1 1/4" because they're the same price per pound, but there's more 1 1/4" screws in a pound.

Personally, I wouldn't put 5/8" (or even 1/2") drywall on a ceiling with 1 1/4" screws.

Granted, it was 20 years ago, but I worked for a pro drywall hanger for a while, and he used 1 5/8" for everything.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> The 1st point is that it's more time consuming & difficult to use longer screws.


i wouldn't say its any more difficult,

it would only be more difficult if you were using an inferior drill or screwdriver to put them in,

i have a heavy duty dewalt drill,

and the extra 0.25 seconds to put in each screw is not that important to me,

i am retired, and only intend on installing 2-3 sheets a DAY


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

.No the drywall industry uses them because they're suitable for the specified install. 

Between me & my crews we've installed over 50,000 sheets of drywall. I know a little about this subject. Although I do come at it from a slightly different viewpoint providing a quality install always comes first. i.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

anyacolo said:


> I have already proven that to be false,


LOL. ok


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

finisher65 said:


> LOL. ok


thank God this site has block/ignore feature...BYE!


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

anyacolo said:


> i went to home depot to buy my screws,
> 
> i ended up buying a 1000 bucket of #6 1 5/8 coarse thread, which im hoping will be fine


Why would you specifically quote my post, where I specifically said you should use 1 1/4" screws, and then tell me you bought 1 5/8" screws? Some kind of "screw you, I won't do what you tell me."?


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

finisher65 said:


> The 1st point is that it's more time consuming & difficult to use longer screws. Drywall contractors who do this daily use 1 1/4" screws for a good reason.


Longer screws are also more expensive. But none of those 3 things are the real reasons you use shorter screws.

As has already been mentioned, the 2 primary reasons are:

- pipes and electrical cables run through the middle of studs. If you use a screw longer than 1 1/4", you risk puncturing those things

- the farther your screw goes into the stud, the more likely the screw is going to "pop" or pull through the drywall if/when the stud warps slightly over time. Any movement/settling in your house is going to translate into weakened drywall fasteners and unsightly damage to the joint compound.


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## finisher65 (Apr 7, 2019)

I agree with a lot of your points Jeff I'm just adding the experience of someone who has done this for a living for a very long time. 
The following isn't directed at you.
When you have a drywall company efficiency of install is important. 
Put a crew of hangers in a 200 sheet house with 1 1/4" screws & an equally skilled crew in the same style house, same board count, & it will take longer to hang the house with 1 5/8" screws & there will be far more screws that aren't set correctly.
Those who do it daily know the difference. Most hangers will refuse to use the longer screws & with good reason. 
I can't tell you how many times a homeowner left a box of 1 5/8" screws for us to hang with & we put them in the truck & get out our 1 1/4" screws & hang the job.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> Why would you specifically quote my post, where I specifically said you should use 1 1/4" screws, and then tell me you bought 1 5/8" screws? Some kind of "screw you, I won't do what you tell me."?


wow....take things personally much?

i said i couldn't find the 1 1/4 inch so i went with the 1 5/8 why are you so offended by that?

no reason for quoting your post honestly, I'm sorry you took it personally, and the wrong way, and were offended for the wrong reasons,

coles notes/summary....

got 1 5/8 coarse thread screws,

they work perfectly fine,

happy with them,

can we just end this thread?


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> - pipes and electrical cables run through the middle of studs. If you use a screw longer than 1 1/4", you risk puncturing those things
> 
> - the farther your screw goes into the stud, the more likely the screw is going to "pop" or pull through the drywall if/when the stud warps slightly over time. Any movement/settling in your house is going to translate into weakened drywall fasteners and unsightly damage to the joint compound.



those are not concerns in my situation,

#1 - i ran the electrical through the studs myself, and made sure to drill the holes at the back edge of the 2x4 studs, there is nothing to puncture, no pipes or other items

#2 - the walls i am drywalling have been built and studded for 15 years, so any warping has already occurred


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

anyacolo said:


> those are not concerns in my situation,
> 
> #1 - i ran the electrical through the studs myself, and made sure to drill the holes at the back edge of the 2x4 studs, there is nothing to puncture, no pipes or other items


As long as the exterior sheathing doesn't need to be replaced, you won't have a problem. If it does, be sure to have the protection plates put on the studs.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

anyacolo said:


> i said i couldn't find the 1 1/4 inch so i went with the 1 5/8


I missed that.

I'm sure they were there - #6 1 1/4" coarse screws are by far the most available screws in the big box stores.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

anyacolo said:


> those are not concerns in my situation,
> 
> #1 - i ran the electrical through the studs myself, and made sure to drill the holes at the back edge of the 2x4 studs, there is nothing to puncture, no pipes or other items


That's against code.




anyacolo said:


> #2 - the walls i am drywalling have been built and studded for 15 years, so any warping has already occurred


Not true. Wood is not a dimensionally stable product. But hey, you know all the answers.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> That's against code.


yeah i am so sure my romex being buried deeper into the wall is going to cause me huge problems in the future,

that extra half inch or inch is so much farther to reach,

do you really think electricians who wire new houses every day take the time to measure each hole they drill?

i can guarantee you theirs are not on center


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

HotRodx10 said:


> As long as the exterior sheathing doesn't need to be replaced, you won't have a problem. If it does, be sure to have the protection plates put on the studs.


what exterior sheathing?

there isn't any,

only my concrete foundation is on the other side of this wall,

there is a small gap of maybe 1/2 inch to 1 inch of space between my 2x4 wall and the foundation


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

anyacolo said:


> what exterior sheathing?
> 
> there isn't any,
> 
> ...


Sorry if I missed the part where you said there was a concrete wall on the other side. Your starter post just said it was an exterior wall. It sounds like in your case running the electrical towards the back of the stud won't be an issue in a practical sense. 

It may still not be code-compliant, though. No need to get testy with other posters (jeffnc) who are just trying to alert you to potential issues.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

anyacolo said:


> what exterior sheathing?
> 
> there isn't any,
> 
> only my concrete foundation is on the other side of this wall,


maybe i missed it, but you didn't say this, if you had all of this would not have happened.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

anyacolo said:


> yeah i am so sure my romex being buried deeper into the wall is going to cause me huge problems in the future,
> 
> that extra half inch or inch is so much farther to reach,
> 
> ...


You know, first of all wise guy, you asked us. If you know everything, then don't waste our time. You'll not be getting help from me in the future, for one. You know everything, and yet you have to come here asking for what size screw to use of all things!

Secondly, you're not the only one listening. There are lurkers currently listening, and threads get looked up by people literally years later. So the information is for everyone. Some guy like you with no experience isn't going to be the last word on how to hang drywall, and the lurkers are going to know that.

With regard to electricians wiring houses sloppily, that is more reason to use 1 1/4" screws instead of 1 5/8", not less reason.

The fact that you didn't bother telling anyone how the walls were structured or how the wires were laid out - in other words that it didn't occur to you that would be pertinent information - is just more evidence of what you don't know about all this. If anything having concrete on the other side of the studs is going to increase the moisture content differences in your studs, making them more likely to expand and/or twist seasonally.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Not sure I want to jump back in, it's getting a little testy. If you use 1 5/8" screws for a few walls it ain't gonna matter, and the small stud bores close to the back in a non-bearing wall ain't gonna matter.

Just FWIW, as anyone is free to do whatever but having the right info is a good thing:

- Wood bore locations are not only placed for protection from fasteners, it also keeps the wood's structural capacity. There is either tension or compression on the face side of wood members, a hole too close, especially a large one or long line of them along a wall or in ceiling joists, it's obvious that integrity would be compromised. 

- USG handbook I believe is the bible of drywall. Like a recipe on the back of a food box, manufacturers have researched and tested the proper way for their product to work.
Using too long of fasteners can ("can," not always) be less consistent in driving straight, and have more pops. Per USG, the Forest Products Lab and Purdue University studied the length of nails where lumber shrinkage causes pops. When shrinkage occurs, a gap is formed between the wood and drywall. Using the shortest possible nail, while still having adequate holding power, kept this gap smaller and lessened pops. They recommend using Type W (coarse) screws of their specified length to reduce pops, but I don't believe they specifically studied screws. You can interpolate that a too-long screw, also having more holding power than a nail, and especially when installed at a slight angle, will have more stress applied to the screw and may result in a pop.

So they call for 1 1/4" screws for 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8" G.B., coarse thread, for wood attachment.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

3onthetree said:


> - Wood bore locations are not only placed for protection from fasteners, it also keeps the wood's structural capacity. There is either tension or compression on the face side of wood members, a hole too close, especially a large one or long line of them along a wall or in ceiling joists, it's obvious that integrity would be compromised.


Right, the codes often work together. There are not "codes" for drywall but you should always follow manufacturer instructions in that case. So the codes involve structural (framing), electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and on top of that manufacturer instructions, all of which lead you to a system that works.



3onthetree said:


> Using too long of fasteners can ("can," not always) be less consistent in driving straight, and have more pops


Right of course, this is about managing acceptable risk and safety, not absolutes. There is no way to guarantee that nothing will fail, ever. Codes continue to change over time as new materials and techniques are added, but in general the codes and best practices are there because they're time tested and work well for everyone.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

3onthetree said:


> Not sure I want to jump back in, it's getting a little testy. If you use 1 5/8" screws for a few walls it ain't gonna matter, and the small stud bores close to the back in a non-bearing wall ain't gonna matter.


i am drywalling 4 walls in the room, its a basic rectangle,

3 walls are NOT load bearing walls, one wall IS a load bearing wall,

on the NON load bearing walls, i drilled a 1/2 hole for my romex towards the rear of the studs,

on the ONE load bearing wall i chose NOT TO DRILL at all to maintain its full structural integrity, (even though a half inch hole drilled in the center of the stud would be acceptable)

on that wall i have run conduit for my electrical which is fastened along the back side/rear of the studs, and THHN wiring (i have full access to both sides of this wall)


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## JLawrence08648 (Mar 1, 2019)

I use to use 1 5/8" and found it both hard to screw and time consuming to use. Now I only use 1 1/4",


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

At risk of getting trashed, a wall stud is 3 1/2”, so middle is 1 3/4”. Drywall is 1/2”....so the surface is 2 1/4” from center. inch and a quarter, inch and 5/8, who cares, both should be fine. Time to install is a nothing if its a do it yourself. Assuming that your electrician and plumber are both competent, and assuming the inspectors for both are competent, any wiwire or pipe through studs, or any wire stapled/stacked on the side of studs will be in the middle....or will have a steel plate banged in....so no worries. And drilling holes in studs is allowable regardless of bearing/non-bearing.....with non-bearing being 60% of width and 5/8 from face while bearing is 40%. So the plumber drilling a 2” hole in the center of a non-bearing stud is no worries.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

ront02769 said:


> At risk of getting trashed, a wall stud is 3 1/2”, so middle is 1 3/4”. Drywall is 1/2”....so the surface is 2 1/4” from center. inch and a quarter, inch and 5/8, who cares, both should be fine. Time to install is a nothing if its a do it yourself. Assuming that your electrician and plumber are both competent


You are incorrect, so why come here influencing people about things you don't know anything about? Even if electricians and plumbers are "competent" they are not perfect and that's why there is margin for error. 1 5/8" screws cost more, why on earth would you use the longer screws when the shorter screws are clearly the correct screws to use?

Why is this debate still going on? My god.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

JLawrence08648 said:


> I use to use 1 5/8" and found it both hard to screw and time consuming to use. Now I only use 1 1/4",


thanks for your reply,

i have now hung 10 sheets using the 1 5/8 screws, 7 sheets on the walls, and 3 sheets on the ceiling,

i am just not understanding what people mean by saying 1 5/8 screws are a pain, or hard to screw, or a hassle, or time consuming, it doesn't make any sense to me,

my screws are going into the studs like the studs were made of butter, no issues or troubles at all,

i dont know why you guys seem to be having so much trouble......maybe it is the equipment or bits you guys are using


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Drywall is not absolute like electrical, it won't kill you. You can use longer screws, mesh tape, cut with a handsaw, mud with a 2" putty knife, whatever, it'll work. But DIYers come to this site because they don't know how a pro does things. Pros tell them the right way for free. You don't have to follow, just don't perpetuate the wrongs.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

anyacolo said:


> thanks for your reply,
> 
> i have now hung 10 sheets using the 1 5/8 screws, 7 sheets on the walls, and 3 sheets on the ceiling,
> 
> ...


That's been my experience as well - no noticeable difference in driving.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

3onthetree said:


> Drywall is not absolute like electrical, it won't kill you. You can use longer screws, mesh tape, cut with a handsaw, mud with a 2" putty knife, whatever, it'll work. But DIYers come to this site because they don't know how a pro does things. Pros tell them the right way for free. You don't have to follow, just don't perpetuate the wrongs.


Bingo.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

OBVIOUSLY longer screws take longer to screw in than shorter screws. And OBVIOUSLY longer screws cost more than shorter screws. These are not big deals for a DIYer, because you're not even going to finish a box exactly anyway, and if it takes 2 tenths of a second longer for that screw to make it in, it doesn't matter. These are best practices and all added together they get the job done right. OBVIOUSLY for a pro, who buys and installs thousands upon thousands of screws, this all adds up to a lot over the years. The longer screw costs about 20% more, and let's say it takes 20% longer to drive. Let's assume a pro can drive a 1 1/4" screw in 1 second. In a typical house there are going to be about 6,000 screws used. That's an extra 20 minutes spent driving longer screws, and an extra $10. And for what? Just so that the end result can be _worse_? WTF would anyone do that?

A_s has been explained here ad nauseam, there are still other more compelling reasons to use the correct screw for the job._

Why a beginner with no experience would come here and argue these points amongst experienced professionals and handymen is beyond me. Only in America I guess.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

jeffnc said:


> OBVIOUSLY longer screws take longer to screw in than shorter screws. And OBVIOUSLY longer screws cost more than shorter screws. *These are not big deals for a DIYer*


then why were *YOU* one of the people *MAKING* a big deal about it?

when it was obvious from the beginning that i was a DIYer?



jeffnc said:


> Why is this debate still going on? My god.


you complain that this debate carries on, yet *YOU* are one of the people responsible for that


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

My god man, you are being dense. I was not the one to bring up the argument about time and money. I explained the details about it because you mentioned it again ande still don't under stand it. But for the 5th freaking time:

A_s has been explained here ad nauseam, there are still OTHER more compelling reasons to use the correct screw for the job._


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i agree the 1 1/4 is the way to go.


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## joe-nwt (Jul 15, 2020)

anyacolo said:


> yeah i am so sure my romex being buried deeper into the wall is going to cause me huge problems in the future,
> 
> that extra half inch or inch is so much farther to reach,
> 
> ...


I have no horse in this race but would like to point out electricians will do whatever they want. However, an inspector shows up after and is supposed to make sure it is done correctly. Including how close the drilled holes are to the face of the framing.

That's it. Carry on.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Thanks for your assumptions about me. Says a lot about you. have a fine life.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Ok guys, we get it - 1 1/4" are the 'right' screws for hanging drywall. I think we've established that. That said, 1 5/8" screws in nearly all circumstances will also result in a perfectly acceptable installation.


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## terrefirma (Oct 18, 2020)

anyacolo said:


> thanks,
> 
> i won't be doing the mudding and sanding, i am going to hire somebody to do that,
> 
> too messy for me....and im probably not very good at it, don't have any experience doing that


The best way to get experience is to do it. If you want to learn, hire someone who will let you be assistant.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

anyacolo said:


> i won't be doing the mudding and sanding, i am going to hire somebody to do that,
> 
> too messy for me....and im probably not very good at it, don't have any experience doing that


My experience indicates that is a good choice. After assisting a pro mud guy, and attempting to do some mud work myself, I've decided it's one of the few things I'll always leave to the pros. I did do the sanding after my friend who's a pro, what little there was to do. I determined it would take more practice than I'd ever get to reach a point where it wouldn't take me at least 5 times longer than it takes him.


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## anyacolo (Oct 3, 2016)

terrefirma said:


> The best way to get experience is to do it. If you want to learn, hire someone who will let you be assistant.


true,

a good friend of mine does mudding and sanding for a living, he will be doing that aspect of the job,

i will be assisting a bit, in filling in screw holes, but he will be doing all the seams,

he will be doing the sanding, thats just too messy for my liking.....Lol

and yes maybe i can learn a bit.....thanks for your input


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

mudding and sanding really are an art form.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Fix'n it said:


> mudding and sanding really are an art form.


Mudding, much more than sanding, it seems to me.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

If muddled properly, there is only a final quick sanding at the very end.


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