Which drywall screw for wood or steel studs, the thread and head sizes by gauge, and the bit they take.
A drywall screw has a bugle head — a head that curves into the shank so it sits just under the paper without tearing it. The thread matches the framing: coarse thread for wood studs, fine thread for steel studs, and a drill point for heavier steel. Drywall screws are sized by gauge (#6, #7, #8, #10) and measured overall.
Jump to: Which type · Fine thread · Bugle head + bit
| Type | Thread | Point | Fastens | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type W | Coarse | Self-piercing | Gypsum board to wood studs | ASTM C1002 |
| Type S | Fine | Self-piercing | Gypsum board to steel studs under .033″ (0.84 mm) thick | ASTM C1002 |
| Drill point | — | Drill (self-drilling) | Gypsum board to steel .033″–.112″ (0.84–2.84 mm) thick | ASTM C954 |
| Type G | Coarse, high thread | Self-piercing | Gypsum board to gypsum board | ASTM C1002 |
| Type A | Coarse (tapping) | Self-piercing | Metal plaster base (lath) to wood or steel | ASTM C1002 |
| Size | Threads per inch | Major dia (max / min) |
|---|---|---|
| #6 | — | — / — |
| #7 | — | — / — |
| #8 | 15 | — / .161 |
| #10 | — | — / — |
| Size | Head dia (max / min) | Phillips driver |
|---|---|---|
| #6 | — / .315 | #2 Phillips |
| #7 | — / — | #2 Phillips |
| #8 | — / .315 | #2 Phillips |
| #10 | — / — | #2 Phillips |
Good to know
Coarse thread is not charted: the makers’ published threads per inch differ (#6: 8 per Aspen or 9 per L.H. Dottie; the other gauges have one source only), so we leave it to the box.
Set the head: drive it just below the paper surface without tearing the paper — too deep breaks the paper and loses its hold (Fastener Mart, Albany County Fasteners).
Drive them with a drywall screw gun or a depth-setting nose piece, so every head stops at the same depth (Fastener Mart, DuraFast).
Not on this chart: trim head screws (a smaller head — makers differ on the size and the bit), hi-lo and laminating screws, and cement board screws.
Quick answers
- Coarse or fine drywall screws?
- Coarse thread (Type W) for wood studs; fine thread (Type S) for steel studs under .033″ thick; a drill point (self-drilling) screw for steel .033″–.112″ thick (ASTM C1002 / C954).
- What bit do drywall screws take?
- A bugle head drywall screw takes a #2 Phillips bit in #6, #7, #8 and #10.
- How many threads per inch on a #8 fine drywall screw?
- 15 threads per inch, major diameter .161″ minimum.
- What is ASTM C1002?
- The ASTM specification for steel self-piercing tapping screws that fasten gypsum board to wood or light steel studs (under .033″) and to other gypsum board. Heavier steel, .033″–.112″, is ASTM C954 drill screws.
- How are drywall screws measured?
- Overall — from the top of the bugle head to the tip, because the head sits flush in the board.