Screws are great because they come out easy if you ever need to
dissasemble-nails not so easy.
Lawrence wrote:
Eigenvector wrote:
When you guys do wood repairs, do you use nails or screws? Obviously I'm
not talking about trim molding but rather things like hanging drywall,
repairing damaged boards, mounting fixtures to framing, heck even building
shelving and bookcases??

I'm one of those screw kinds of guys, mostly because my skill with a hammer
sucks pretty badly. Its simple to put in a screw and in my mind a lot more
secure and reversable with minimal damage to the wood. Again that might be
based on my sucky stills with the ol' hammer but give me a power drill and I
can hang drywall all day. Give me a hammer and I can break my thumb on the
first hit, the second hit breaks the drywall, the third hit puts the nail
just inside of the stud and bends the head.

I usually use drywall screws and keep a collection on hand. I also
keep a selection of exterior screws on hand. These types of screws
have a sharp point which is self-starting. Cordless drivers have made
driving screws fast and easy. I usually just pound them in but it is
worth it to learn how to correctly install a screw.

For example, when attaching some plywood (or solid wood) you can drill
a 3/16" hole in the plywood to accept the shank of the screw and this
will make things easier. Then you can pound them into the substrate
without having to worry about starting the hole. It also makes a
better connection. Drilling pilots in the substrate is usually only
necessary when building or repairing furniture and the like.

If the screw is splitting the material then it is better to drill the
shank and the pilot. The shank is drilled to the diameter of the screw
(3/16") and the pilot is drilled slightly smalller than the diameter of
the screw threads. You can also counter-sink the screw head. There
are drill bits which will drill it all in one pass. It is the correct
way to install a screw even though I don't usually bother if I don't
have to.

I also use nails for some things. They can be quite a lot faster than
screws esp for rough work and framing. I have air nailers I use and
rarely hand nail. I do keep a hammer and a selection of nails on hand
nevertheless for the occasional situation which requires them.

Lawrence