Self-tapping screw for profile and drywall

The choice of self-tapping screws for assembling and fastening a profile framework for drywall depends on the framing material used. It can be wood or aluminium profiles, with or without brackets.

• Self-tapping screws for wood feature a coarse, widely spaced thread. They are used both for joining individual frame parts together and for fastening drywall sheets. Self-tapping screws with a plastic sleeve are used to fasten wood battens to a wall or ceiling.

• The metal frame is assembled with a short fastener with a wide flat head. Finishers call it a “bug” or “seed” because of its small size.

Self-tapping screws for profile and drywall are produced with a zinc-plated or oxide coating, with a sharp point or a drill tip. Sharp-point screws are preferred: thin profile metal and aluminium alloys can be drilled through without a drill bit. For fastening drywall to the frame, self-tapping screws with a convenient head and a length exceeding the base thickness by at least two times are chosen. A collated strip version for auto-feed screwdrivers is common.