Choosing the Right Fastener: Tapered Shank Screws vs. Non-Tapered Structural Bolts

Characterized by a thinner shank and asymmetrical thread profile, chipboard screws are designed to maximize pull-out resistance in low-density substrates such as chipboard and particleboard. Compared with drywall screws, their geometry reduces the risk of material splitting, though overall shear strength is relatively lower.
Primary Use: Furniture and cabinet assembly in particleboard, where controlled thread engagement prevents material failure under load.

Concrete screws are purpose-built fasteners for anchoring into concrete, brick, or masonry. Manufactured from carbon or stainless steel and typically coated for corrosion resistance, they are offered in flat-head Phillips or hex washer-head styles. Standard dimensions range from 4.76–9.53 mm in diameter and 32–127 mm in length. Installation requires pre-drilling with a hammer drill; embedment depth must be at least 25.4 mm and not exceed 44.45 mm, with the optimal range being 31.75–38.1 mm for maximum holding strength.
Primary Use: Attaching wood, metal, or hardware fixtures (e.g., brackets, hooks, conduits) directly to concrete or brick substrates.

Engineered for exterior applications, deck screws are manufactured with enhanced corrosion resistance and larger dimensions to withstand outdoor exposure. A bugle head ensures flush seating without damaging the wood grain, while the Type-17 self-drilling tip allows efficient penetration into decking boards without pre-drilling.
Primary Use: Outdoor decking, fencing, and structural applications subject to moisture and weathering.

• Dowel Screw: Headless fasteners with sharp points at both ends, designed for concealed wood-to-wood connections in furniture and panel joints (e.g., table legs).
• Hanger Bolt (Handrail Bolt): Combines a wood screw thread on one end with a machine thread on the other, enabling secure connections between wood members and metal components such as brackets, rails, or fittings.

Primary Use: Structural furniture joints, handrail assemblies, and wood-to-metal connections requiring mechanical strength with minimal visible hardware.

Distinguished by a rounded or mushroom-style head and a shank with multiple helical ribs over a short pilot section, drive screws are driven by hammering rather than turning. Their interference fit provides a tamper-resistant, permanent fastening solution.
Primary Use: Permanent attachment of nameplates, identification tags, or rating plates to equipment and machinery.

Drywall screws are a standard fastener in building construction. Featuring a bugle head that seats flush against drywall, they are designed with a thread diameter larger than the shank to achieve a strong grip in wood or light-gauge steel studs.
Primary Use: Securing drywall sheets to studs; also applied in light wood joinery and basic furniture assembly.

Eye screws are threaded fasteners with a looped head designed for suspension or anchoring.

• Standard Eye Screw: General-purpose type; larger forms (Lag Eye Screws) are used as suspension points for fixtures such as lights, hooks, or hanging planters.
• Vine Eye (UK usage): Features a longer shank with a smaller loop, commonly used to anchor guide wires for climbing plants against walls.

Primary Use: Suspension, hanging fixtures, and anchoring wire or cable systems.

Lag bolts are heavy-duty wood fasteners manufactured to DIN 571 standards. With diameters ranging from 6.35 to 12.7 mm and lengths up to 381 mm, they are significantly larger than standard wood screws. Featuring coarse, deep threads and hex heads for wrench-driven installation, they are often paired with expansion anchors for enhanced load-bearing performance.
Primary Use: Structural timber connections (e.g., beams, bridges, posts) and fastening wood to concrete, such as outdoor columns and heavy frames.

Self-drilling wood screws incorporate a drill-tip point, eliminating the need for pre-drilling in softwoods and hardwoods up to 10 mm thick. Their spiral flutes clear chips efficiently, preventing jams, while tightly spaced threads ensure secure engagement with wood fibers. Typically supplied with countersunk Phillips or hex-drive heads, these fasteners are optimized for use with power tools.
Primary Use: Solid wood furniture, outdoor fencing, timber ceiling joists, and other woodworking requiring fast installation.

Specifically designed for medium-density fiberboard, MDF screws use a fine-pitch, wide-thread design to reduce splitting and improve pull-out resistance by approximately 20%. A rounded, blunt tip minimizes edge blowout, while anti-slip ribs under the head promote even load distribution.
Primary Use: Assembly of MDF-based furniture, decorative panels, shelving, and custom cabinetry.

Plastic self-tapping screws are engineered for polymers such as PVC, ABS, and PP, addressing challenges of cracking and over-penetration. With shallow, dome-profile threads for flexible engagement and collar rings under the head to prevent over-tightening, they are offered in nylon (lightweight, corrosion-free) and zinc-plated steel (higher strength).
Primary Use: PVC pipe fittings, plastic housings in electronics, and fastening components in appliances or lightweight plastic assemblies.

• Description: Flat-head screw with a central threaded hole that accepts a decorative chrome-plated cover cap, combining mechanical strength with a clean, finished appearance.
• Primary Use: Mounting mirrors, panels, or fixtures where aesthetics and flush finishing are critical.

• Description: Fully threaded screw with sharp points to penetrate and secure thin-gauge metal, plastic, or wood sheets. Some variants include chip-clearance slots for easier installation.
• Primary Use: Fastening sheet metal assemblies, HVAC ductwork, enclosures, and lightweight structural connections.

• Description: Screw with dual thread starts, allowing approximately twice the driving speed compared to conventional single-thread screws.
• Primary Use: Rapid installation in drywall, light framing, and panel fastening.

• Description: Traditional wood-to-wood fastener, typically partially threaded to draw members tightly together. Available in multiple head styles (flat, oval, pan) and standardized under ANSI B18.6.1 and DIN 95/96/97.
• Primary Use: General woodworking, furniture assembly, and carpentry across a wide range of applications.

• Description: Screw with specialized drive profiles (tri-wing, hex-pin, breakaway), requiring dedicated tools for removal and providing tamper resistance. Made in stainless steel and alloy steel variants.
• Primary Use: Public infrastructure (streetlights, traffic signs), safety enclosures, and applications requiring vandalism or theft protection.

Anchor bolts are embedded in concrete, leaving the threaded portion exposed to accommodate nut fastening. Designed to transfer both tensile and shear loads, they provide secure anchorage between structural or mechanical elements and concrete substrates.
Primary Use: Fixing steel columns to foundations, securing façade systems, or fastening equipment brackets and machinery bases to concrete walls and floors.

Breakaway bolts feature a hollow or engineered shank designed to fracture under controlled impact or overload conditions. This intentional failure mechanism prevents damage to primary structures. In aerospace applications, hollow shank construction also offers weight reduction.
Primary Use: Fire hydrants and fire protection systems (preventing structural damage during collisions), as well as aerospace assemblies requiring controlled breakage or weight optimization.

A general classification that encompasses a wide range of head styles, including hex, flat, round, and socket heads. Defined under ASME B18.6.2 and ASME B18.3, cap screws are typically used without nuts, threading directly into tapped holes.
Primary Use: Engines, machinery, and precision equipment where fastener head geometry must match assembly requirements.

Socket screws incorporate a cylindrical head with an internal hex drive, requiring an Allen key or hex wrench for installation. Their compact head profile enables use in confined spaces, while high-strength alloy steel variants maintain structural integrity at temperatures exceeding 587 °C.
Primary Use: Engines, electronic devices, furniture, and assemblies requiring a flush, unobtrusive finish with high mechanical performance.

Carriage bolts are characterized by a domed or countersunk head with a square or ribbed neck directly beneath. This design locks the bolt in place during tightening, allowing installation from one side only and leaving a smooth, tamper-resistant head on the exposed surface.
Primary Use: Fencing, wooden gates, vehicle structures, and applications requiring single-sided installation with enhanced safety or vandal resistance.

Specialized bolts designed for extreme service conditions such as boilers, steam pipelines, and nuclear or chemical reactors operating above 300 °C and 10 MPa.

• Materials: Nickel-based alloys (e.g., Inconel 718) or high-temperature stainless steels (e.g., 310S).
• Structure: Often incorporates gasket grooves to accommodate metal or graphite seals.
• Threads: Fine-pitch profiles provide precise preload control and minimize relaxation at elevated temperatures.
  Primary Use: Power plant boilers, chemical processing reactors, and nuclear steam generator assemblies.

Ultra-small screare were manufactured to extremely tight tolerances for use in miniaturized assemblies. Diameters can be as small as 0.5 mm with lengths of 2–10 mm, manufactured to precision grades (ISO 4H/5g) with dimensional deviations under 0.01 mm.
Primary Use: Electronics (smartphones, wearables), medical instruments, microsensors, and precision optical devices.

Bolts are designed for high-vibration environments such as automotive, rail, and rotating machinery.

• Locking Methods: Nylon insert locking, dual-thread configurations, or serrated-head interfaces to resist loosening under vibration.
• Materials: High-strength steels (Grade 8.8 or higher), typically with anti-corrosion coatings.
  Primary Use: Automotive engines, rail axles, electric motor housings, and pump flanges where vibration resistance is critical.

Fasteners engineered for long-term performance in marine and offshore environments with high saltwater exposure.

• Materials: Super duplex stainless steels (e.g., 2507) or titanium alloys for superior corrosion resistance.
• Coatings: Fluoropolymer or ceramic coatings capable of exceeding 1000 hours in salt spray testing.
• Design: Sloped head geometries and drainage features to prevent water entrapment.
  Primary Use: Ship decks, offshore oil and gas platforms, port infrastructure, and desalination facilities.

Designed for particleboard and MDF, with a large thread diameter that provides higher pull-out resistance than standard wood screws.
Primary Use: Cabinet and furniture assembly in engineered wood products.

Features a thin, wide, flat head with a square neck beneath to prevent rotation.
Primary Use: Conveyor belts, elevators, and adjustable furniture where a flush surface is required.

Incorporates a circular loop head for attachment of cables, ropes, or lifting hooks. Load-rated variants are used in lifting and rigging.
Primary Use: Lifting points, cable terminations, and suspension systems.

Hexagonal head with tighter manufacturing tolerances than standard bolts; fully or partially threaded.
Primary Use: High-strength machinery, automotive, and structural assemblies requiring precision.

Machined with ultra-fine threads (40–254 TPI) for incremental adjustment.
Primary Use: Precision instruments such as microscopes, optical devices, and calibration equipment.

Small-diameter, fully threaded fastener, available with various drive and head types. Socket-head versions permit higher torque transmission.
Primary Use: Mechanical and electronic assemblies, panels, and metal-to-metal fastening.

Economical, low-carbon steel screw with round or flat head.
Primary Use: Sheet-metal assemblies, ductwork, and general light-duty fastening.

Countersunk or flat head designed to sit flush for abrasion resistance.
Primary Use: Heavy earth-moving equipment, grader blades, and plows.

Equipped with a drill-point tip capable of penetrating steel up to 12.7 mm without pre-drilling.
Primary Use: Steel framing, roofing sheets, and structural metal-to-metal connections.

Cuts its own threads into metal, allowing repeated assembly and disassembly.
Primary Use: Sheet-metal housings, electronics, and serviceable enclosures.

Headless or low-profile screw used to secure rotating parts onto shafts.
Primary Use: Gear hubs, pulleys, collars, and rotating machinery components.

Features a precision-machined shoulder for use as a pivot, guide, or bearing surface.
Primary Use: Mold tooling, linkages, and mechanisms requiring controlled sliding or rotation.

High-strength structural bolt with a breakaway spline that ensures correct installation torque.
Primary Use: Steel framework connections in bridges, buildings, and heavy structures.

Forms threads by displacement rather than cutting, producing no chips and improving fatigue strength.
Primary Use: Electronics, appliances, and food-processing equipment.

Two-part assembly with a barrel nut and mating screw, providing a clean and tamper-resistant finish.
Primary Use: Furniture, binders, architectural signage, and bookbinding.

• U-Bolt: U-shaped with two threaded ends for pipe or conduit clamping.
• J-Bolt: J-shaped, embedded into concrete as a structural anchor.
  Primary Use: Pipe support systems, pole anchoring, and embedded connections.

Bolt with a hook-shaped head for suspension applications.
Primary Use: Hanging loads, piping, and industrial supports.

An anchor bolt that expands inside concrete upon tightening to provide secure anchorage.
Primary Use: Heavy-duty anchoring in concrete structures, machinery bases, and supports.

Reverse-threaded bolt with integrated washer, preventing saw blades from loosening during operation.
Primary Use: Circular saws, grinders, and rotating blade equipment.

Designed for single-sided installation where rear access is unavailable; provides stronger performance than rivets.
Primary Use: Steel structures, hollow sections, and pipeline walls.

Dual-thread design (wood screw on one end, machine screw on the other) for fastening wooden furniture legs to metal fittings.
Primary Use: Furniture assembly, particularly detachable leg connections.