Self-tapping screws for gypsum board profile: dimensions, GOST, choice

To fix many building materials use special threaded fastening elements. Self-tapping screws for the profile under the drywall are of different types and sizes. Their choice depends on the type of sheets and the place of installation. Knowing what type of screws for fixing drywall are best suited, you will not spoil this material and provide a strong grip.

What are self-tapping screws?

Self-tapping is a kind of fastener that is equipped with a wide flat head and a sharp threaded rod. The product is made, as a rule, made of steel, since it meets the parameters of rigidity and strength as much as possible.

Self-tapping screws, depending on the material for which they are intended, are divided into the following types:

• For the profile (metal);
• Wood;
• Gypsum board;
• etc.

Material

The following types of steel are used for the production of this product:

• Stainless.
• Alloyed.
• More rarely brass. This alloy is perfectly resistant to corrosion and therefore often used for street work or installation of drywall in places with high humidity (bathroom, bath, kitchen).

It is also possible to separate out self-tapping screws covered with reinforcement joints. Most often self-screwing screws and dowels used for insulation, zinced for better resistance to aggressive external environment. Fasteners for mounting the frame are covered with oxides or phosphates, they are painted black. The products are distinguished by good stiffness indicators.

Dimensions of screws

Imported and domestic manufacturers of fasteners, as a rule, adhere to the standard parameters for their production.

The length of the products varies. It can be 16-152 mm. The normal diameter of the screws varies between 3.5-4.8 mm. If you have difficulties in choosing, you can consult with the sales manager.

Before you go to the store, write down the basic parameters of the purchased sheet drywall.

What kind of screws do you need to mount drywall?

Self-cutters for a profile under gypsum cardboard can be mounted without much effort, since special tools are not needed for their installation. However, the installation process is much faster when using a screwdriver. The most important thing is to make the right choice of fasteners. It is important to remember that for the metal and wooden frame it is necessary to use different parts.

For wood, the sheets are fastened with suitable wood screws, which are mostly shorter. Their length is up to 24 mm. For a metal base, self-tapping screws for the profile under gypsum board - up to 32 mm. However, this length is not always sufficient for fastening individual sheets. For example, if you need to attach two levels of cardboard to the frame, then you should choose the sizes of 33-35 mm self-tapping screws.

Thread

In order to screw the screws more easily, they are released with different frequency of thread (frequent or rare). Rare is more preferable, because it allows more reliable fixation of the material. However, it should be remembered that with high brittleness and poor plate quality, coarse threads can lead to mechanical damage.

Try to evaluate the type of drywall you use as objectively as possible.

The core thickness is also key indicators. As a rule, this parameter varies from 0.6 to 0.8 mm.

For fixing to the gypsum board of self-tapping screws, special types of products having carob-type heads are used. When fastening, they are buried in the surface, which ensures the smoothness of the original coating, which is very important for the subsequent correct finishing of the coating.

How to make the right choice?

In order to choose the right type of parts for fastening the drywall or profile, you must first familiarize yourself with the distinctive features of each kind.

1. Self-tapping screws (GOST specifies this) for wood are produced with a rarer thread. Due to the fact that wood is a rather fragile building material, fewer turns are used for it.
2. The length can range from 11 to 200 mm, but they are rarely used for repair work, only if special decorative elements are needed.
3. Screws for the profile under gypsum cardboard, with which metal is fastened, can be installed in different metal covers. They have a fine thread and a wider head. Self-tapping screws (GOST 11652) also differ in their large diameter.

Self-tapping consumption

Before calculating the total cost of fasteners, you need to know how many self-tapping screws are needed per sheet of plasterboard. It must be remembered that different numbers of fasteners are used for connections of different types of materials. The step for wood profile self-cutters is 35 mm, 30 mm, for metal profiles - 30 mm, in some cases deviations of several millimeters can be tolerated. It is also necessary to consider how many layers of cardboard will be installed: one, two or more. In the latter case, it will be necessary to reduce the distance between some fasteners or increase the size of the parts to ensure rigidity of the installation.

Proceeding from the above, the approximate number of screws per 1 sheet of drywall - 70-110 pieces.

Installation of parts

1. First of all, you need to make markings on the wall, with which you can easily install the elements in the right place, calculate the required number of them and calculate the approximate number of screws required for one sheet of drywall.
2. Then, with a small drill, make a hole in the place where the fastener is installed. Depending on the size of the fasteners, both a large and a small drill are selected. Care should be taken to ensure that the depth of the slot does not exceed 3 mm, otherwise the installation site will very quickly loosen.
3. To fix the screws on the profile for the ceilings use a special attachment that controls the depth of the drill in the plasterboard.

After the installation has been carried out, they must be treated with special anti-corrosion agents and then plastered, as otherwise they will be very noticeable after the finish on the surface of the sheets. In addition, you should try not to "drown" the heads of screws, so that large furrows do not appear.

You can buy a screw for panels and plasterboard in all construction shops, on the market or on the Internet.

Packaging

The approximate number of fastening points should be calculated in advance. Self-tapping screws, the price of which is indicated below, are most often sold in packages and have a standard number of pieces. As a rule, they are packed in 100, 250, 300, 400 pieces. If you work on a large area (for example, when repairing offices), you can purchase packages even for 5000 or 20,000 pieces.

If you do not know the quality of the product, it is recommended to buy a small bag first. At the same time it will allow to check up in practice, whether the carving is correctly chosen.

The product must be viewed at purchase. Counting the number of pieces, of course, is not worth it, but check for the presence of marriage will be superfluous. If you suddenly find a rust or a carved thread, it is better to choose another manufacturer.

Self-tapping screws: price

The cost of screws depends on their type and size. The average price of one piece is a couple of rubles. In the pack, which includes from 100 to 500 pieces of screws, one copy will cost a little less - about one ruble.