In shape and appearance, the product resembles a small compressed washer. It is used in the industrial and construction fields. A self-tapping screw with a press washer has many advantages compared to other types of fixing structures. It should be used according to the rules.
What is a self-tapping screw with a press washer?
The type of product under consideration is a washer with a large working area. This ensures better fastening of the individual sheet elements. A galvanized self-tapping screw with a press washer is excellent for structures that have a fragile structure. A regular washer may fall into the material during operation. There is a risk that the same problem will arise when screwing in a regular self-tapping screw. The press washer creates a uniform load on the material and prevents the bolt head from sinking into the material.
Characteristics of self-tapping screws with a press washer
Fixing elements are usually made of steel. They are coated on top with a thin layer of zinc. The roofing self-tapping screw has the shape of a hemisphere, and its press washer is placed on the back side of the tool. It differs from a conventional fastener in its scope of application. Self-tapping screws with a press washer have a tip shaped like a drill and can easily make holes in steel sheets.
Self-tapping screws with a washer not only do not sink into soft materials, but also ensure their better fixation to each other. With their help, the time required to carry out certain types of work is reduced. When working with self-tapping screws, it is not necessary to use a drill, especially if the hole width does not exceed 2 mm. You can also do without additional devices in cases where the recesses are already present in the material.
What affects quality
There are many factors that, to one degree or another, influence the quality of construction parts. However, the main ones are the following:
- The material from which the elements are made;
- Manufacturing technology and accuracy of its adherence.
In addition, it is better to purchase self-tapping screws, as well as other working materials, from trusted companies that have managed to establish themselves in the market. Now there is a big risk of falling for cheap, low-quality fakes.
It is usually better to opt for well-known brands and specialty stores. In addition to confidence in quality, you will receive professional advice from the staff.
Using self-tapping screws with a press washer
Products are often used for fastening thin metal plates. They are especially in demand when installing profile sheets. There are other areas where metal self-tapping screws with a press washer are used:
- internal construction work (installation of metal sheathing);
- fastening of individual elements on sandwich panels;
- construction of window and door slopes;
- installation of ventilation systems;
- installation of load-bearing barriers with metal support elements
All of the above areas occupy a significant share of construction, so the importance of self-tapping screws with press washers in this industry is very great. With their help, you can fasten plates up to 0.9 mm thick. If the sheets are thicker than 0.2 mm, then in addition to the fixing elements, will you also need a screwdriver, screwdriver or electric drill with a suitable attachment to perform fastening?
What types of self-tapping screws with a press washer are there?
Products are divided into 2 types: sharp and with a drill. They differ in the type of tip. The sharp type is used as wood screws and a drill. In terms of technical characteristics, they are not much different from standard fasteners. Their rounded head is suitable for working with a screwdriver and screwdriver. Products with a drill are used for fastening metal sheets with a thickness of more than 0.9 mm.
Sharp self-tapping screw with press washer
The products are highly durable because high-carbon steel is used in their production. They are coated with zinc, which protects the self-tapping screw from destruction and rust. On the head of the element there is a cross-shaped pin. It is necessary so that, if necessary, you can use a screwdriver.
For woodworking, a sharp, painted self-tapping screw with a press washer is often used. It reliably fixes the work surface with sheet materials. The design looks aesthetically pleasing, as the brown self-tapping screws with a press washer look inconspicuous against the background of the wood. Products are sold not individually, but by weight. For 1 kg of sharp screws you need to pay about $2.
Self-tapping screw with press washer and drill
This type differs from the previously discussed mainly in areas of application. A self-tapping screw with a drill is manufactured exclusively for working with metal materials. Instead of a tip, like sharp fasteners, this type has a small drill. Such products are made from stronger layers of steel, because when drilling metal they are subject to a greater load than when working with other types of materials.
The self-tapping screw head with a press washer and drill is the same as for the sharp type of product. It can have not only a cruciform, but also a hexagonal shape, because it bears a large load. Self-tapping screws with a drill can be secured in different ways: manually, with a drill or screwdriver, or with a wrench. They can be used to fasten metal sheets exceeding 2 mm in thickness. The price of products of this type is $3-4 per kg.
Application: useful tips
We hope that a small instruction on handling fasteners will be useful to the reader when assembling various wooden structures with his own hands.
- The 35mm wood self-tapping screw is ideal for attaching drywall to wood sheathing. The fastening elements are screwed in in increments of 15–20 cm after marking the position of the bars on the surface of the plasterboard; the heads are recessed into the drywall by about a millimeter and, when filling the seams, they are sealed with gypsum putty.
GCRs are often attached to wooden sheathing.
- Black wood screws 35 millimeters long are perfect for covering a wooden frame with plywood or OSB. The holes for them in the sheet material are pre-drilled with a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the fastener thread. Then the holes are countersunk with a drill whose diameter is equal to the size of the head.
- A 51 mm long wood self-tapping screw is suitable for two-layer plasterboard sheathing of a wooden partition frame when attaching the second layer. Double cladding is necessary in small rooms with high traffic.
- Wood screws 75 mm or longer in length cannot be screwed into wooden parts without first drilling holes 1 - 1.5 millimeters smaller in diameter. Otherwise, there is a risk of splitting the wood along the fibers.
- If you need to screw a wood screw 100 mm or longer into dense wood, pre-drilling may not be enough. The screwdriver simply will not be able to turn the hardware on the last turns. A simple trick will help here: drop a little of any oil (for sewing machines, mineral or even waste oil) into a pre-drilled hole.
- Plywood with a thickness of more than 15 mm can be joined end-to-end at right angles, without corners or bars; Moreover, such a connection will be noticeably stronger than using the same furniture corners. In the plane of one of the parts, holes are drilled equal to the diameter of the self-tapping screw; at the end of the second part - with a diameter of 1 - 1.5 mm less.
The size of the hardware depends on the thickness of the parts being connected: for 15 mm, 51 mm fasteners are suitable; A 75 mm long wood screw can be used with 22 mm plywood.
Thick plywood can be joined end-to-end.
- To seal recessed caps on the front surfaces of parts, you can use acrylic wood putty; however, it is difficult to match it exactly to the wood. Another method is much more practical: mix the sawdust remaining after drilling with a small amount of PVA glue - and you will get a putty that, after the glue sets, will exactly match the color of the material.
The photo shows the components of a durable putty that exactly matches the tone of the wood.
How to choose a self-tapping screw with a press washer?
Among all the options available on the market, you need to choose a quality one. The strength of the fasteners and the reliability of the entire building structure will depend on this. Criteria that people pay attention to when buying a self-tapping screw with a press washer for metal:
- The color scheme of all elements in the batch. White self-tapping screws with a press washer should not have any other colors. Products of the same color in a batch undergo careful control during production.
- Self-tapping screw size. One element should not differ much from the rest in size.
- Same thread pitch.
- No burrs on the tip of the product. They interfere with its quality screwing.
- The presence of markings in the form of a capital letter. It indicates that the product was manufactured at the factory and meets the required standards.
Tips for choosing
Before you go shopping at a hardware store, you need to know a few rules for choosing.
- First, you need to accurately determine the material for which the screws are selected.
- Secondly, pay attention to the size of the parts.
- For materials with a small thickness, you should not purchase long and large-diameter models.
- They are more suitable for wood or thin metal sheets.
If you need to install a roof, choose only from roofing varieties. They can provide the required level of sealing of the holes.
Before purchasing, you must carefully inspect the screws. The surface must be smooth, without any curvature. You should not find even small irregularities on the thread. This can both ruin the material and cause a large amount of debris in the work process.
Products must be coated with special coatings. Protective coatings prevent corrosion. Most often these are galvanized or phosphated coatings. The tips can also be equipped with black sharp parts with a phosphated coating or with zinc plated ends in a light shade.
Dimensions of self-tapping screws with press washer
The range of products is presented in a wide range of colors. Thanks to this, you can choose the appropriate option for any type of construction work. Stainless steel self-tapping screws with a press washer are produced in strictly defined sizes. They depend on the type of product and the purpose of its use:
- Fasteners with sharp tips have dimensions from 4.2x13 mm to 4.2x76 mm. The weight of 1000 units with the smallest dimensions is 1.4 kg, and with the maximum – 5.1 kg.
- Self-tapping screws with a drill are available in a standard diameter of 4.2 mm. Their length varies from 13 to 76 mm. The weight of 1000 minimum weight units is 1.75 kg, and the largest ones are 5.7 kg.
Features of use
Equally important is knowledge about the correct use of self-tapping screws. The options used in the process of working with metal can withstand heavy loads.
To ensure their maximum service life, the elements must be screwed into the material in a certain step.
High-quality screws for metal have a sharp tip, so there is no need to drill additional holes for them.
However, if the sheet thickness is more than 2 mm, you will still need to prepare a recess, but of a smaller diameter than the self-tapping screw. This will make the screwing process easier.
