An Introduction To Sheet Metal Screws

Fastening sheet metal is a process that usually requires technical expertise in order to do it right. Unfortunately, not many people understand this. As a result, there are many incidences where an individual spends a lot of money on doing such fastening only for it to turn out to be not very good. The key to avoiding this is by making sure that you understand the different types of fasteners you can use for the job. Remember, using the wrong fastener will only lead to destruction of the joint within a short time. There are several types of fasteners you can use for this application. Some of these include:

The pan head screws

These types of screws usually look like rivets. They are designed in such a manner that they have a protruding head. They also usually have a slotted or Phillips type head. These types of fasteners usually have zinc or other type of plating. When you are selecting this type of fastener, you should always ensure that it’s made of a material that has the properties suitable for the application you want to use it for. For instance, if the sheet metal is going to be subjected to high tensile forces, you need to use a material that can withstand such forces. For instance, you would find that titanium is much better than aluminum at such applications.

Oval head screws

These sheet metal screws look like regular flat head screws, such as stainless steel hex head cap screws. However, they usually have more girdles. This plays the role of making the screws have a more finished appearance when in place. As with the other types of screws, you can also order them with Phillips or slotted heads. These types of screws are most ideal for situations where you need the aesthetic outcome of the fastening to be very good.

 

Flat head screws

The flat head screws, as their name suggests, have a flat upper surface. They could have either slotted or Phillips type heads. These are the best types of sheet metal screws to use when you need the fasteners to be countersunk. An example of this is where the sheet metal is part of a moving part. In such cases, using a countersunk fastener will help in reducing the friction between the moving parts. These types of screws can be gotten in various designs. You therefore need to be very clear about what you need before ordering them.

Self-drilling screws

These screws are designed to have a pointed tip, which means that you can put them in place without first drilling a pilot hole in the material. This makes them different from other types of fasteners such as aluminum socket head cap screws. In order to make them more effective, you may need to get them in a material that is hard enough to be used both as a drill bit and a fastener.
The selection of the right fastener for sheet metal fastening is essential to get quality results. The above are some of the best types you can get.