drywall screw size

[ship]

Just restocking my ammo cans of screws tonight for the first time in like twelve years.

Ok, we have for Black Oxide Coated Bugle Head Philips Screws, #6 fine or Coarse and #8 coarse or high/low threaded for many types of normal drywall screw.

At the home center tonight I noted that while 1.1/4" there was #6 coarse or fine in 1# boxes and #8 coarse in 5# boxes - High/low only available. For 2", only a choice only course #6 in 1# boxes or #8 coarse in 5# boxes.


Very dissippointed in that selection. Still had for 2" at least a few pounds of #8 screws in stock, just the thinner screws most needed I could not get in bulk, this much less coice of fine thread also not available.

Kind of dissipointed that the 1# verses the 5# boxes were not the same in size, this much less given 2" screw is often the screw of choice for me, it wasn't available at all in #6 size.

I mostly use 1.1/4 screws and 2" Philips drywall scews most. Like the smaller #6 size to them most often and dependant on the situation, fine thread more usually.

Yea.. could get them elsewhere but it's my local store. What's up with the 1# verses the 5# boxes being different wire gauges?

This much less what's your most used size of screw and what course and size do you ues?

 

[thatactorguy]

At Playhouse, we use 1", 1 5/8", and 3" mostly, with the occasional 2 1/2" thrown in the mix, all course thread. A couple of the builders just go to Lowe's to get them (at $5/lb!!), refusing to go to the local lumber yard and get them for $2/lb. For them, it's a matter of convenience, old habit, and availability of the Lowe's credit card (we have a charge acct at the lumber yard)...

 

[gafftaper]

Just expanding off of Thatactorguy's post

Never buy your wood screws, bolts, nuts, washers, lag screws, nails, or any sort of fastener at Home Depot/Lowes you will often pay twice the rate (or more) than your local lumber yard charges.

In general, I find that my local lumber yard has better wood than the big box stores and free delivery with a $250 purchase. Can't beat that!

 

[ship]

Just expanding off of Thatactorguy's post

Never buy your wood screws, bolts, nuts, washers, lag screws, nails, or any sort of fastener at Home Depot/Lowes you will often pay twice the rate (or more) than your local lumber yard charges.

In general, I find that my local lumber yard has better wood than the big box stores and free delivery with a $250 purchase. Can't beat that!

While in college and between colleges I worked both for Builder's Square (big back in the 80's) and for Hines Lumber during the same period or eraly 90's as a sales person that worked at the special order/lumber desk for both during my summer breaks or while off from school.

Can honestly say that based on what I remember and or what I see for lumber yard or home center be it lumber or fastener ain't the case of prices cheaper. Quality say for lumber might at times be better as a possibility but not assured but often while at the lumber yard we had a hard time especially on other than lumber matching the price of the home center by way of profit margin and price. What as a sales person there we made money on was the lumber and not the home owner sales, more the whole house sale = everything needed for that McMansion house on a flat truck dumped off onto the jobsite. Hines since closed down the branch I worked at as with Builder's Square I think out of business for the most part - K-Mart bying them out and introducing crap to sell destroyed their concept as with Menards I think almost going under in being the new guys in town and at one point in the mid-90's introducing crap or even now reducing what's on the floor so as to sell food in risking it though it is useful to shop for cat food while also shopping for drawer glides.

This much less, "we sell our experience" as why you shopped with us verses at the home center, this much less with all that experience in earning my way to the service desk at B'S, much less also contractor level senior cashieer when really needed, after Builder's Square, I got hired by the lumber yard but was not qualified to be a "Helpful Hardware Man" in applying to Ace Hardware. Still always love to walk into and hear advice by my "Helpful Hardware man" or pay such prices. Heck, no matter where I go I love to both chat with employees in understanding and or hear the employees explain stuff they at times don't fully comprehend and either laugh or take over for them.

Prices... depends on bulk... $209 for a lamp or if buying say 100x, and already at $203, where can we get to.... $150's for a lamp or if say buying a thousand, where can we get to in price? Same with screws by way of supplier... local lumber yard or chain of lumber yard in price verses chain of home centers. Perhaps the same price but not persay expected to be cheaper overall. I think at least.

 

[tjrobb]

I second the avoidance of "Big Box" stores. After the flood killed our main space, we built a temporary home in an abandoned movie theatre. The stage itself was built from lumber yard stock, the apron from "HD" stock (we miscalculated the quantity). While the stage proper's deck (maso) is level and smooth, the apron (also maso) looks a 'bit' wavy.

 

[PepperEvans]

Funny that I stumbled on this thread as our team had just started working on the stage for a children's mime presentation this weekend. The organizers, however, don't want the typical drama of black so we're coming up with an array of concepts to make the stage appear unique. I've even asked my drywall contractor in Ohio some suggestions as they are very good with colors and design ideas.

 

[kicknargel]

Gotta chime in again: I can't recommend enough spending the extra bucks on mcFeeley's square drive (or combo drive). They drive better than drywall screws and are way stronger (solid steel). I love the sawtooth--no more predrilling!

Nick Kargel
www.youwantwhatproductions.com