# Fine thread vs Course thread screws



## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

OK. This may be a dumb question but! 
Is there any good reason to Not use fine / fast thread screws for screwing to wood studs and joists?? 

Also. Does anyone hang their sheets with drywall nails and then screw it off. ?? 
I'm working alone hanging 12' sheets and have been tacking the sheets in place then screwing them off.


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## Dustincoc (Sep 14, 2011)

Well, they take more spins to drive and therefore you can drive fewer screws per battery and they take longer to drive.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

I've been having a heck of a time with the 1 5/8 course thread screws with the new Ridgid drywall gun I got last week. But the fast / fine thread zing right in . Maybe the course threads that I have are just crappy screws. . But, I loaded a strip for my Pam gun with them and they worked great.. the Millwalki gun on the Pam is 2500 rpm Ridgid is 4,000 rpm. Maybe it just me.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Fine for metal............Course for wood.

We had a few inspectors that would actually back out screws to make sure we were using the right type.

That's when we started using High-Low screws. Boy, have'nt seen them in a while.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

It's fairly common to tack and then screw the field I do believe, and what Big Shoe said.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

What thickness drywall? We use 1-1/4" for 1/2" drywall and 1-5/8" for 5/8" drywall. Always course for wood, sharp point or drill point fine thread for metal.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

I find fine drives easier when remodeling with old growth (petrified) studs... coarse for new stuff


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Working alone, if it's an awkward hang, I'll put some nails in, place the sheet and drive them to hold it until I can get some screws in. 

I have a few different kinds of drywall screw guns, including a Rigid. I don't have problems with them not driving screws, but I lock the trigger on, and don't unlock until I finish the sheet.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I almost never see coarse thread on a jobsite, I remember not to long ago the sheetrocker's boss arrived with a box of coarse thread screws and the guy yelled at him.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

OK. Thanks everyone. This building was framed a few years ago. , it's inside a heated and insulated steel building. . The original framing contractor got run off with good cause. 
I've been fixing and completing the framing this winter. The lumber runs from piss fir ( white fir), 2 nd growth Doug fir and western hemlock. Quite a bit of the Doug fir is harder than the hubs of hell. And the hemlock is real tough. It really dry here so lumber gets hard. I've snapped the heads off quite a few screws.


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## smeagol (May 13, 2008)

If a taper sees fine thread screws laying around in a just rocked house they will not cover future nail pops.


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## NothingButBath (Mar 18, 2013)

StrongBuilding said:


> I've been having a heck of a time with the 1 5/8 course thread screws with the new Ridgid drywall gun I got last week. But the fast / fine thread zing right in . Maybe the course threads that I have are just crappy screws. . But, I loaded a strip for my Pam gun with them and they worked great.. the Millwalki gun on the Pam is 2500 rpm Ridgid is 4,000 rpm. Maybe it just me.


That's because the rigid drywall gun is crap !!! Lol. Milwaukee makes the best IMO. Then DeWalt !! But I picked up the rigid on sale once. Used for a few hours and tossed it in the van where it has never been used again


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 3, 2010)

Like anything... you can get by with fine thread in wood... but the grip of course thread is better. Better or easier.... your decision I guess.

You can frame with #10's too I guess, or plumb with type M.

Peter

PS... I have been known to use fine in some of that Cali super hard dry doug.... but in Colorado where we use that soft SPF, I always use coarse.


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

NothingButBath said:


> That's because the rigid drywall gun is crap !!! Lol. Milwaukee makes the best IMO. Then DeWalt !! But I picked up the rigid on sale once. Used for a few hours and tossed it in the van where it has never been used again


Tried a hilti?


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## NothingButBath (Mar 18, 2013)

mbryan said:


> Tried a hilti?


Not a big fan of them either !!


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

Thanks for the replies all. I wanted to get a Milwaukee. But HD didn't have one . The Dewalts are a little to big for my hand. The Milwaukee, Ridgid and Makita fit my hand pretty well. . The Ridgid seem to be a good tool. 

I'm gonna try a Senco drywall collated gun. Anyone use one. ??????? 
Another? Anyone ever had a problem with a collated gun crushing the sheetrock under the nosepiece?


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

With the 1 5/8 course thread screws I'm using, I suspect the screws are the problem and or something I'm doing wrong. But if they get near a knot they break if the knot wasn't on the surface of the stud and if it is they bend. 

When framing with a hammer all you need to make a guy look like a green horn nail driver is fill his pouch with GripRite nails.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

For the life of me. I still don't know why someone would use 1-5/8 screws for one layer of drywall. :blink:

Back in my Illinois days in the 70's we used 1'' and 1-1/4'' Same here in Florida now.

That is your problem. Try shorter screws.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

The shorter screws did the trick. Out of say 50 driven only 1 or 2 flop over sideways. Which I think is do to me not having the gun not square to the board when I start the screw. 

Thanks! :thumbup:


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## ubcguy89 (Mar 23, 2013)

I am a commercial guy mainly hanging on metal, I prefer Hi Lows, but I always get fine thread. When I have a side job and I hang on wood, I use course thread. If I have to hang on a heavy guage stud then I use S-12's


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

StrongBuilding said:


> The shorter screws did the trick. Out of say 50 driven only 1 or 2 flop over sideways.


On older and harder wood the grain will make them do that. Just finished a reno built in early 80's. Trusses were very hard and a lot of screws were catching the grain and going in at a little angle.


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