As a result, you’ll need a longer size wood screw to help secure joints at the end of boards. This is one of the most common types of construction I do in the shop — attaching a sheet of 3/4″ plywood to a carcass made of 3/4″-thick lumber. The #8 x 1-1/4 screw is perfect for bringing these two boards together.

How long should plywood screws be?

You’ll want the screw to go about an inch past the plywood into the joist or underlying layer beneath it. So if your subfloor is 3/4 of an inch thick, any screw about 1 3/4 inches long will do the trick. If the plywood subfloor you’re placing is 5/8 of an inch thick, you need a screw about 1 5/8 inches long.

What type of screws should I use for plywood?





For construction outdoors, such as an exterior stairway, zinc coated nails or decking screws should be used to attach plywood. These are designed to prevent rusting, which destroys the fastener.

What are the best screws for plywood subfloor?

Steel screws: Steel screws usually have a helical thread that spirals most of the way up the shaft. These screws are designed to keep plywood intact, minimize fiber damage and sustain lateral movement without snapping or warping.

How do you choose the right length of wood screws?

When choosing a screw length it’s important to remember that the nail should always be three times as long as the thickness of the material in which it will be driven into. To find this: hold the screw up against the piece you’re putting it through and select a nail approximately three times the thickness.

What size screws 3/4 plywood?

As a result, you’ll need a longer size wood screw to help secure joints at the end of boards. This is one of the most common types of construction I do in the shop — attaching a sheet of 3/4″ plywood to a carcass made of 3/4″-thick lumber. The #8 x 1-1/4 screw is perfect for bringing these two boards together.

How long should screws be for 3/4 inch wood?





The general rule is that two thirds of the length of the screw should penetrate into the lower piece. For example, if the upper piece is 34” thick, I use a screw that penetrates twice this thickness (112“) into the lower piece. The total length of the screw should be in the range of 214“.

How deep do screws go in plywood?

The general rule of thumb is that the screw should enter at least half the thickness of the bottom material, e.g. 3/4″ into a 2 x 4.

Should you pre drill plywood?

Our first recommendation is to pre-drill if you are going to be screwing something into the edge of the plywood. The sheets of ply have a habit of separating when screws are inserted or even large nails. However, if you get the ball rolling with a little bit of pre-drilling this issue disappears completely.

Are longer screws stronger?

Structural screws (also called “construction” screws) are stronger than lags and make longer-lasting connections. You can just zip them in with any 18-volt drill (no pilot hole required).

How do you screw plywood together?



Hold the 1/2-inch screw with the tip in the drilled hole. Using the Phillips head drill bit and the electric drill, slowly rotate the screw into the hole. Once it is started, increase the speed of the drill until the screw head is flush (even) with the surface of the plywood.

How long should a screw be to hit a stud?

The screw should go into a WOOD stud a minimum of 3/4” to develop “full strength “. Add 1/2” for gypsum board wallboard (probably) plus the thickness of the backing on the bookcase… probably 1/4”. So, I’d use a screw about 1 1/2” long (#8 screw, but check the length because they come in various lengths.)

What does a #8 screw mean?

The #8 gauge screw has a major diameter of 0.17″ and 8 TPI. The screw is 1-1/4″ long, a measurement taken from the bottom of the head to the point.

How many screws come in a 4×8 sheet of plywood?



How Many Screws in a 4’x8′ Sheet of OSB or Plywood. When securing OSB or plywood subflooring, you should use a screw every 8 inches along the floor joist or truss. So, you’ll need 12 screws down the 8-foot length of OSB or plywood.

How do you screw without splitting plywood?


Quote from Youtube video: If you don't drill holes first especially near the end of a board drilling a pilot hole lets the threads of the screw. Cut into the walls of the hole. Rather than forcing the fibers of the wood apart.

Is a #8 or 10 screw bigger?

Machine screws are often found in sizes of: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14—the larger the number, the larger the screw.

How do you figure out screw size?

To measure the diameter of screws and bolts, you measure the distance from the outer thread on one side to the outer thread on the other side. This is called the major diameter and will usually be the proper size of the bolt.

What does G mean in screw sizes?



Screw Gauge Size

Screw Gauge Size. (g) (mm)

What does a #6 screw mean?

A gage number like “6” is the diameter and the length is the length of the screw that goes into the wood not inclusive of the head unless it’s a flat head. The smaller the gage number the smaller the screw diameter (opposite of nails and wire diameter).

Should I use #6 or #8 drywall screws?

In most cases, you will be using either #6 or #8 drywall screws. Keep in mind that as gauge numbers increase, the screw becomes larger in diameter. So, a #6 drywall screw would be thinner than a #8 drywall screw. While this may seem evident, many materials related to home construction work in the opposite direction.

How thick is a #8 screw?



A #8 screw size is . 164 fraction of an inch. The diameters listed in the chart below are in fractions of an inch, so the #12 is just shy of 1/4 inch. A more detailed table with thread count can be found below, along with tap drill sizes.