Drywall screws are fasteners that are essential to the process of hanging most items on drywall. While the process sounds simple, the size, shape and substance of drywall screws and mounting hardware must be carefully chosen to ensure the success of such a project.

Fine, coarse and collated drywall screws are just a few of the classifications that are priced between $2 and $150. As you begin the process of researching the pricing and costs of drywall screws for your business, keep the following information in mind:

1. Identify the correct classification of drywall screws for your project to refrain from making costly mistakes.

2. Expect a drywall screw anchor to be in the same price range as screws for drywall.

3. Invest in a drywall screw gun and other drywall tools that simplify tasks and save your business time and labor.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase the right drywall screws for your project

The size and type of drywall screws are of the utmost importance for hanging objects on drywall. Take care to find the right fit for your project. Drywall screws are usually sold in large quantities with a 1 inch drywall course phillips starting as low as $2 for a box count of 100 and a 1-1/4 inch square drive drywall at the top of the range selling for close to $155 for a box count of 8000. Look for savings on the amount of screws you're getting for a particular price.

I recommend: Get Bugle Head, Black Phosphate, Hi-Lo Thread and more at ToolBarn.com. McFeely's offers a wide range of drywall screws that include fine, coarse, steel stud and square drive. Carefully select the right type of drywall screws for a project. Be sure to use links to drywall screws on both websites to find out more about the style and application.

Get drywall screw anchors for about the same price as drywall screws

Drywall screw anchors are fasteners that are used in place of drywall screws for certain projects. Look for low-end prices that range between $10 and $20 as you shop for these resources.

I recommend: The Natural Handyman offers information and tips on the types and uses of drywall screw anchors. Grainger sells a variety of self-drilling drywall anchors, anchor kits and more. The website also includes required accessories, alternate products, tech specs and additional information for best use of drywall anchors. Consider Cobra triple grip drywall screw anchors from LK Technology and save money by buying in bulk.

Improve production with the purchase of drywall screw guns and other drywall tools

Drywall tools that include a drywall screw gun and a drywall screw driver range from $78 to $379. Find features that include dual speed ranges, a depth-sensitive nose piece, adjustable depth drive and more to shorten production time, improve the quality of service and simplify the process. Expect to pay more for special features that can improve productivity and ultimately save your business money.

I recommend: Ames Taping Tool Systems sells brand name drywall screw guns like DeWalt and Makita. Get drywall screwdrivers including a cordless drywall screw gun from BizRate. Hometime offers tips on drywall screw spacing, drywall screw size and more. Learn techniques that save time, prevent costly repairs and help you choose the right tools for drywall projects.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Drywall screws are manufactured for a specific purpose. Pay close attention to the material used to produce these resources as this information is just as important as the size and the type of screws you choose for your projects and are significant factor in how drywall screws are priced.

Most drywall applications do not require screws longer than 1.5 inches. But since drywall screws are so versatile, they're available in sizes in excess of 4 inches. These longer versions are often labeled all-purpose screws. Drywall screws have a Phillips bugle head, and are rust resistant and durable.

Drywall screws come in bulk, or in 1 to 5 pound packages. Collated drywall screws are another option but allow for application with a collated drywall screw driver. Useful for tricky framing issues, hanging pictures, securing loose boards, and filling in nicely when the right screw is unavailable, a drywall screw is good to have around.

There are different categories of drywall screw:

1. Type W have a coarse thread intended for wood studs.
2. Type G have a larger diameter and work well in drywall-to-drywall applications.
3. Type S has a fine thread that is effective for steel stud applications.
4. A special Type S drywall screw has a self-tapping tip that enters steel more easily that the usually sharp point.

Action Steps
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Hunt for the drywall screw source with the lowest prices

Nearly any hardware source includes drywall screws in their stock, and there is little differentiation between quality. So, especially if you have a big job, shop around. For small and even large jobs, you may want to pick up your screws for drywall directly from whichever hardware store you know to be cheapest.

I recommend: If you want to order your drywall screws or drywall screw gun, try Lowe's. They'll even deliver to your job site. Otherwise, Grainger is an excellent source.

Choose your drywall screw driver

Drywall screws finish better during the mudding process if you take care during their application. Over-driving with screws for drywall results in frayed surfaces and insecure holds. You also save time if you choose good equipment. The main goal is that each screw does not penetrate through the top surface of the drywall. Instead, the head should dimple the drywall surface.

I recommend: Cordless drills can be effective if you set the torque appropriately or use a drywall bit. But a drywall screw driver is just one of many options. Drywall screw guns come in hopper styles. There are also collated screw drivers available at Tooled-Up.com. The drawback there is that this kind of drywall screw gun must be used with collated drywall screws. NexTag does good job of offering up a variety of screw gun possibilities.

Save time by getting the minimum required length of drywall screw

Choosing drywall screw size is partly a matter of getting a secure hold, but it's also a matter of time. Excess drywall screw length means added driving time. Drywall screw spacing is about 12 inches, or even less for some applications, which means even a fraction of a second per screw can add up to minutes or even hours on a big job. For either type W or S, choose a 1 inch drywall screw for 3/8 inch drywall. For 1/2 inch drywall go up to a 1 and 1/8 inch screw for Type W, and a 1 and 1/4 inch screw for Type S. For 5/8 inch drywall, go up to a 1 1/4 inch screw for Type W and a 1 3/8 inch screw for Type S.

I recommend: InStock Fasteners, Inc. is another good source for drywall screws. They clearly display the various sizes on their website. Aubuchon Hardware is another online outlet with a nice variety of drywall screws.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Using a type S drywall screw on wood means wasting time. The fine threads take longer to drive.
• •  Use the sharp point of a drywall screw to pilot a hole for a less aggressive screw.

When it comes to drywall, screws are the choice of the day. Where a lot of drywall used to be "hung" (fixed to the wall) with nails, now these long, thin screws are used almost universally to put up the gypsum that provides so much of our clean, even wall space.

When it comes to using drywall screws, workers have to know not only how to screw in drywall sheets straight, and how deep to go to avoid ruining the seam, but also other issues like avoiding knots, wires, or other obstacles, and how to find studs to correctly attach the drywall sheet. Lots of this training can come from the web. Seekers of info on screws for drywall can find:

1. Handy tips on screw depth, material choices and more directly from contractors at work trade forums.

2. More tips and how-to info on how to use a drywall screw driver or drywall screw gun from independent DIY home improvement sites.

3. Training classes options, whether from trade schools and universities, or specialized learning centers.

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Learn from web drywall screws contractor forums

One way to get the tips you need on drywall screws is through online web postings from seasoned veterans. These online threads offer tips including what kind of screws and drills to use, drill methodology, screws per sheet, and much more!

I recommend: The forums at Drywall Talk offer tons of tips about using drywall screws to hang sheets from a variety of professionals. Get more of this kind of info on drywall screw size, drywall screw spacing and more at Contractor Talk.

Use DIY sites for drywall screw use

Other sites are more set up as straightforward, narrated instructional pages. Use these to walk yourself through a process like drywall hanging and to find out how drywall screws are used in neat, easy steps.

I recommend: Find out how to use drywall screws to hang drywall at the DIY network. Learn about finishing drywall screws (covering up the heads for an even result), drywall screw length and more at OnlineTips.org.

Find online or site-based training options for drywall screws education and training

If comprehensive drywall screws training is your goal, lots of institutions and trade schools are willing to help. Colleges across the country offer this kind of trade skills training, as well as other learning centers, and educational portal sites help users locate their trade programs.

I recommend: Find drywall hanging training options at O-Net. Other programs like this one from Ivy Tech Community College will help train workers in how to use drywall screws and other drywall equipment on a job for hanging sheets of drywall correctly.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For specialized screw types such as collated drywall screws, don't overlook any tips that may come with your purchase. Examine the box or container for info on the specific screw models that are already in your toolbox.

Drywall screws pricing and costs affect bidding for jobs by contractors. The large amount of drywall screws needed for a project adds up quickly. Therefore, most contractors look to buy in bulk or wholesale to save money. In some cases, contractors purchase drywall screws by the box. In other cases, they buy the screws by the pound. Drywall screws may cost as little as $2 a box for smaller quantities or as much as $70 for much larger amounts.

The need for accessories typically accompanies the need for drywall screws. Contractors often purchase and use drywall screw guns and drywall screwdrivers along with collated drywall screws. These increase the speed of the work. A good auto feed drywall screw gun costs $200 or more. Consider the following thoughts when thinking about drywall screws pricing and costs:

1. Buying drywall screws in small boxes is appropriate for specialty sizes and infrequently used screw types.

2. Purchasing larger amounts of commonly used drywall screws will offer a savings.

3. Including all tools used in the application of drywall screws is necessary to figure your drywall screws pricing and costs budget.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase small boxes of types of screws for drywall used infrequently

In some cases, larger or smaller sixes of drywall screws may be used less frequently than common sizes. In this case, to purchase smaller amounts of these screws will prevent waste and save money. Many drywall screw providers offer boxes of 100 drywall screws. Such boxes may cost $2 or less.

I recommend: Drill Spot offers boxes of 191 drywall screws for slightly more than $3 a box. Jamestown Distributors sells boxes of 100 drywall screws for less than $1.50 per box.

Choose large quantities of commonly used drywall screws

For drywall screws that are frequently used throughout a project, buying in bulk is the way to go. When you purchase drywall screws in large amounts, you often save money and the inconvenience of traveling back to the store for more screws. Some drywall screw dealers sell large amounts of drywall screws per box while others sell them by the pound. Bulk drywall screws average around $50 for 25 pounds.

I recommend: Ace Hardware sells drywall screws for about $50 for 25 pounds. Hardware and Tools offers boxes of 10,000 drywall screws for a little over $60 a box.

Include drywall screw guns and drywall screw drivers in your drywall screws pricing and costs

Drywall screw guns and drywall screwdrivers make the application of drywall screws much faster and more efficient. These tools run from very basic models to more elaborate automatic models, and also include a cordless drywall screw gun and a drywall screw drill. Choose your tool depending on the need for your project and your budget. An auto feed drywall screw gun may cost more than $200. Basic models may run as little as $50.

I recommend: Ace Tool Online features electric drywall screwdrivers for less than $110. Nail Gun Depot has auto feed drywall screw guns for less than $150.