01
How to Use Drywall Screws
Match Your Material
Drywall isn’t the same in every building or home.
Older buildings will often use purer plaster walls over wooden frames where layer after layer of plaster was added. Plaster likes to fight back against penetration so it can crack and fall off when using any drywall screw of relative thickness. Toggle bolts tend to be the way to go, though some drywall TEK screws can also get the job done.
Newer homes will use drywall — plaster sheets wrapped in paper layers — for most of their walls, though sometimes you’ll also run into brick indoors. For these walls, your best bet is to use a drywall anchor screw of the smallest size designed to hold your desired weight.
The same goes for your drywall ceiling screws. Always match your screw size and length to your wall, plus weight to what your wall or ceiling can bear and what your job requires.
A screwdriver and a bit of pressure are all you’ll usually need when hanging something on drywall, but what if you’re installing the drywall itself?