Driving and Sinking Drywall Screws Correctly
When hanging drywall, driving and sinking the drywall screws correctly is crucial. Professional installers often use drywall screw guns to sink drywall fasteners. Screw guns can be pre-set to sink screws at the perfect depth every time. While that is a great option for professionals, most home DIY-ers opt for a tool they tend to have on hand. This tool is the cordless drill. A drill is perfectly suitable for hanging drywall on a limited scale. What’s more, it will do a great job of sinking any drywall fastener.
Perfectly Sinking a Drywall Screw
You want to secure the drywall sheet to the studs. Unlike wood, deeper does not equal better. There is a specific sweet spot of deep, but not too deep that you’re aiming for.
You should drive the drywall fastener just below the outer paper covering. Aim to create a dimple in the paper. Ensure the drywall fasteners sit above the surface. Otherwise, applying the drywall compound to finish the walls will be near impossible.
That said, you don’t want the screws to sit too far in. If this occurs, the screw head will puncture the paper and end up in the gypsum part of the drywall. This means that the screw is not properly holding the drywall to the stud.
There are special drill bit extensions that help with sinking drywall screws if you plan to do it at home. But, it is often best to do it manually.
Helpful Tips
Here are helpful tips to remember for driving the drywall fasteners to create a good dimple in the paper.
Choose a Coarse Drywall Screw
Coarse-thread drywall screws will properly bite into the wood. This makes them much better suited to drywall than fine-thread screws. The better the bite, the less physical exertion needed to push with the drill.
Choose Drywall Screws That are the Right Length:
Longer screws will help create a consistent draw-in speed so that you know when to stop.
Watch at an Angle:
When sinking a drywall screw, approach viewing your work from a high angle. This will ensure that you can see exactly when the dimple begins to form. If you were to try and observe from behind the drill, you likely wouldn’t be able to tell when the drywall fastener starts to sink into the paper.
Good light is critical:
It is a good idea to put a work like on the side of the dry wall. The shadows this creates will help you to see when the drywall fastener begins to dimple the paper.
Slow, consistent speed is the best option:
It may take some practice, but the best course of action to take is to drill all the way. Then, sink the drywall fasteners without ever stopping the drill. If you were to stop the drill, you lose any momentum you’ve gained. If you do need to stop for any reason, make sure that the driver-bit is secure on the drywall screw head. Then, apply some pressure and begin screwing again.
Adjust torque:
Adjustable torque is a feature on all cordless drilled that is often overlooked. Using Turning the torque to its lowest level is the best way forward when sinking a drywall fastener.
Screw Distributers provide a fastener engineering consultancy service. We are ready to assist you with all your screw and fastener needs! From wood screws to drywall fasteners, we at Screw Distributers have what your need.
