Gearing up for your next project — whether it’s building an entertainment center, shelving for your shop or a larger construction project — requires a bit of pre-planning. You have to think about what materials you’ll need and what fasteners you’ll use. Bolts and screws are two standard options, which brings us to a common question:

When should you use bolts instead of screws?

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF BOLTS AND SCREWS?

When it comes to the bolts vs. screws debate, you’ll find they have different advantages because they’re designed for different applications and materials.

HOW TO DECIDE WHEN TO USE BOLTS INSTEAD OF SCREWS

Before choosing a side in the bolts vs. screws debate for your next project, think about these three factors:

APPLICATION

Your project is the biggest factor in whether you use screws or bolts. Remember: bolts provide a tremendous amount of holding strength whereas screws offer a middle-ground for holding power. Light to medium construction projects, like for fencing or framing, are best for screws. Your heavy-duty projects are best for bolts. Bolts are also best when the finished project is meant to be assembled and disassembled easily.

MATERIAL

Whether you’re using sheet metal, wood, concrete or drywall for your DIY undertaking, you want to think about how it applies to bolts vs. screws. Material matters.

Materials That Typically Require Screws:

• Plywood
• Press board
• Drywall
• Sheet metal
• Deck planks

MATERIALS THAT ARE USUALLY BEST FOR BOLTS:

• Concrete
• Studs
• Beams

There are some materials that could require either a screw or a bolt assembly for fastening. For example, a 2” x 4” might be best fastened as a stud that is part of the framework for a wall using screws, but for an application like a deck assembly, bolts are likely a better choice. Be sure to consider the load being put on the fastener in combination with the material when choosing between bolts and screws.

COST

Price is always a factor when budgeting a project, especially if you’re going to need a large number of fasteners. While using bolts can be more costly, using the correct fastener will save you money in the long run. If you end up having to do repairs on the project because you used the wrong fastener for the material or application, you aren’t really saving any money by going the cheaper route.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BOLTS VERSUS SCREWS

1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOLT AND A SCREW?

Bolts and screws can both provide a secure hold in fastening applications. However, these fasteners are not the same. Usually self-tapping, a screw features a helical groove wrapped around a shaft. The threads of the screw mate with the material it is turned through to hold the screw in place. A bolt, on the other hand, is not self-tapping and requires a nut to stay secure.

Screws and bolts also differ in shape and cost — screws are often tapered, while bolts are not, and bolts tend to cost more than screws.

2. IS A BOLT STRONGER THAN A SCREW?

Yes, bolts provide greater holding strength than screws. This is partly due to the presence of the washer, which spreads out the load over a larger surface area. Because bolts offer increased strength, they work well for heavy-duty, load-bearing applications.

3. IS A MACHINE SCREW A BOLT?

A machine screw has threads that spiral up the entire cylinder. This type of fastener works with a nut or threaded hole, which technically makes a machine screw a bolt. As a result, some people call them machine bolts.

4. WHAT IS A NUT, BOLT AND SCREW?

A nut is a component that fits over the end of a bolt and helps it hold objects in place. A bolt is a non-tapered fastener that uses a washer and nut to hold objects together. A screw is a tapered fastener that mates with an existing thread or creates its own thread in a material as it turns.

5. WHAT DO YOU CALL A SCREW WITHOUT A HEAD?

A screw without a head is sometimes called a blind screw. Two types include dowel screws and set screws. Used for joining wood, dowel screws feature threads at both ends. Set screws are fully threaded and usually driven using an internal wrenching drive. These screws work well when you need to secure an object against or inside another object.

6. WHAT DO YOU CALL A BOLT WITHOUT A HEAD?

There are several types of bolts that lack the head found on typical designs. A hanger bolt has two threaded ends, with one end shaped like a wood screw. You might use one of these fasteners if you want to secure something overhead or fasten metal to wood. Another bolt without a head is called a stud bolt. You can use these fully threaded fasteners to create flange connections with nuts on either side of the bolt.

7. WHAT ARE ALLEN KEY SCREWS CALLED?

Other names for an Allen key screw include Allen bolt, socket screw and socket head cap screw. These fasteners have a hexagonal drive hole sunken into the head. To tighten this type of bolt, you will need to use a compatible Allen wrench.

8. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOLT AND A HEX HEAD CAP SCREW?

Bolts look similar to hex head cap screws. The main difference between them has to do with how you install them. A bolt works in tandem with a nut to secure objects or materials together. To install a cap screw, you need to turn the screw inside a tapped hole.

PICK UP YOUR BOLTS AND SCREWS AT CONSTRUCTION FASTENERS AND TOOLS

Knowing when to use bolts instead of screws, or vice versa, can be a challenge until you have more experience. Help from our team of experts — and access to our contractor-approved inventory and service — can make the process easier and give you more confidence as you begin your project.

At Construction Fasteners and Tools, our energetic and friendly team is ready to help you find the right fasteners for your next job. We also provide same-day shipping for most orders, a safe and secure checkout and free shipping on orders over $99.

Contact us today for a helping hand or browse our wide selection of screws, bolts and nuts now.