Self-Drilling Screws

Self-drilling screws are easy to distinguish if you look at their point, which curves gently at the end and is shaped like a twist drill. They're often called Tek Screws, after the brand name that popularized them.

Screw lengths vary, but drill points are standardized, identifiable by number (1 to 5), which determines their length and thickness. Head and drive styles vary; self-drilling screws are most commonly Phillips, hex, or square.

Unlike self-tapping screws, self-drilling screws need no pilot hole to cut and fasten; they can drill, tap, and fasten in one go, which saves you the extra step of drilling, then fastening.

These screws can fasten metal to metal, wood to metal, and work well with light, low-density materials. In general, they have more specialized applications than self-tapping screws. They are good for metal building and light gauge metal assemblies; Point #5 is already capable of fastening half-inch steel sheets.

Self-drilling screws are useful in HVAC applications, cladding, metal roofing, steel framing, and other general construction tasks.

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