Introduction

It's not hard to see why screws fasten so well. The threads grip wood fibers in a way that a smooth nail cannot. When the screw is driven home, the threads exert tremendous pressure against the screw head to hold the fastener firmly in place. With the right tools (Tool Tip Box), driving screws can be almost as quick as nailing. If you make a mistake, it's easy to remove a screw without damaging your work. Screws must be driven with care, however. If you do not start out straight, there is no way to correct the mistake as you continue driving the screw. Without a pilot hole, the screw may split the wood and the screw will not hold securely. If the pilot hole is too large, again, the screw will not grip well.