Torx Screw Recommendation

[WarnerConstCo.]

How do the GRK's compare to the Spax in quality, and ease of use, wise?? I just got a bunch of the Spax from McFeely's  [sad]

Thanks!

Spax sucks compared to GRK's.

Whoever said the cheap deck screws at HD, those things suck too.

For little extra a premium screw costs, it is worth it in not being frustrated with cheap screws.

GRK makes a washer head screw for hanging cabinets.

I use the trim heads all the time for assembly work.

Yeah GRK!!

 

[Tim Morris]

+1 on everything Darcy just said.

 

[bbarlage]

How do the GRK's compare to the Spax in quality, and ease of use, wise?? I just got a bunch of the Spax from McFeely's  [sad]

Thanks!

Spax sucks compared to GRK's.

Whoever said the cheap deck screws at HD, those things suck too.

For little extra a premium screw costs, it is worth it in not being frustrated with cheap screws.

GRK makes a washer head screw for hanging cabinets.

I use the trim heads all the time for assembly work.

Yeah GRK!!

I'm just a hobby kind of wood worker, so forgive the questions. But, what is the advantage of the trim head verses the R4 for assembly work.  Also, what size and head type do you guys use for different task? 

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

How do the GRK's compare to the Spax in quality, and ease of use, wise?? I just got a bunch of the Spax from McFeely's  [sad]

Thanks!

Spax sucks compared to GRK's.

Whoever said the cheap deck screws at HD, those things suck too.

For little extra a premium screw costs, it is worth it in not being frustrated with cheap screws.

GRK makes a washer head screw for hanging cabinets.

I use the trim heads all the time for assembly work.

Yeah GRK!!

I'm just a hobby kind of wood worker, so forgive the questions. But, what is the advantage of the trim head verses the R4 for assembly work.  Also, what size and head type do you guys use for different task?  

http://www.grkfasteners.com/

Just check out the site.  It is full of great info regarding what each screw is meant for.

Just last week I wrapped a 32' long beam in Soft Maple, the bottom of it was 13" wide.

I thought to myself, self, 15 ga nails would probably be all right but, I don't want to worry about it.

So, I used some 2" grk trim screws.  They hold great and with the reverse threads before the head, they let you tweak the board with out the screw coming out of the piece.  Plus the holes are small and easy to fill before painting.

I use the R4's for beefier work.  I like having a good supply of R4's, trim heads, cabinet screws and a few select RSS ones.

They come in all sorts of different size pac's.  I usually buy a 3000 count box of 2 1/2" R4's as I seem to use them a lot.

 

[Tim Morris]

The R4 is going to be similar size head and shank to a comparable sized deck or drywall screw. The trim screw has a head not much larger that the shank of the screw itself. The trim screws are handy in place of a nail in an installation where the nail won't grab or pull something up tight to the substrate you are attaching to. The head is small enough that once puttied it doesn't look much larger that a 15ga finish nail. Also very common when attaching trim to metal framing in commercial applications.

 

[semenza]

I would say the GRK R4 heads are slightly smaller than most drywall / deck screws.

Another aspect of  GRK that I like is that it is a very complete line. I have been able to make my screw selection uniform, and simplified. All the same type drive, all are interior / exterior, etc.

Seth

 

[Nigel]

Those GRK's look suspiciously like Wurth's.I know Wurth re-badges.....

Never seen the GRk's over here.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I would say the GRK R4 heads are slightly smaller than most drywall / deck screws.

Another aspect of  GRK that I like is that it is a very complete line. I have been able to make my screw selection uniform, and simplified. All the same type drive, all are interior / exterior, etc.

Seth

Not to mention also that I almost never have to pre-drill.

I like that the tips are color coded so I know what one to grab quickly.

Their concrete screws are simply the best out there too.

Like Seth said, they can be used inside, outside and in any type of material.
No more carrying interior and exterior screws, or special ones for this or that.

Buy a small selection and you are set for anything.

I bet I buy 2k worth of their screws per year.

 

[bbarlage]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

 

[Deansocial]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

well they deffo hold better in chibboard than an normal screw

 

[peter halle]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

If I remember correctly the Euro style hardware screws have a different taper to the underside of the head and are designed to fit the countersink of the hardware flush.  Non Euro-s will not sit flush.

Peter

 

[jmbfestool]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

loads better than normal screws like Dean said in Chipboard and MDF

 

[Brice Burrell]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

If I remember correctly the Euro style hardware screws have a different taper to the underside of the head and are designed to fit the countersink of the hardware flush.  Non Euro-s will not sit flush.

Peter

McFeely's has a screw with an undercut head so it sits flush.

 

[peter halle]

Guys, thanks for the torx screw recommendations.  I'm going to get some GRK's in the morning.  I've got another screw related question. What are your thoughts on the 5mm Euro style hardware screws for hinges and slides?
Thanks!

If I remember correctly the Euro style hardware screws have a different taper to the underside of the head and are designed to fit the countersink of the hardware flush.  Non Euro-s will not sit flush.

Peter

McFeely's has a screw with an undercut head so it sits flush.

Brice,

That is exactly where mine came from.  [thumbs up]

Peter

 

[tbellemare]

It's common here to have 82-degree heads and in Europe to have 100-degree heads. They definitely seat differently in the same countersink.

Tom

 

[bbarlage]

What size and type screws to you guys use for attaching hinges and slides?  Would a 3/4" GRK R4 be good?
Thanks again!

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Spax sucks compared to GRK's.

Whoever said the cheap deck screws at HD, those things suck too.

For little extra a premium screw costs, it is worth it in not being frustrated with cheap screws.

GRK makes a washer head screw for hanging cabinets.

I use the trim heads all the time for assembly work.

Yeah GRK!!

Hmm...I thought we were talking about screws for cabinet construction here....I guess if you want to spend $5 bucks in screws for a couple cabinets then more power to you.

Why not use some gilded paint and make it a masterpiece of MDF and veneer...true art I say.  Make sure to take a pic using your Festool drills while you are at it and get some royalties baby.

 

[Sparktrician]

Spax sucks compared to GRK's.

Whoever said the cheap deck screws at HD, those things suck too.

For little extra a premium screw costs, it is worth it in not being frustrated with cheap screws.

GRK makes a washer head screw for hanging cabinets.

I use the trim heads all the time for assembly work.

Yeah GRK!!

Hmm...I thought we were talking about screws for cabinet construction here....I guess if you want to spend $5 bucks in screws for a couple cabinets then more power to you.

Why not use some gilded paint and make it a masterpiece of MDF and veneer...true art I say.  Make sure to take a pic using your Festool drills while you are at it and get some royalties baby.

When your customer is shelling out big bucks for top-quality cabinets, the additional cost for the best screws is a paltry expense.  In this business, you're only as good as your last job.  If your customer's cabinets fall off the wall because you cheaped out on the critical screws, your reputation for quality work suffers.  ultimately, the customer pays for the screws, so why not use the best?  Home Despot screws are Chinese-made junk compared to GRK. 

[smile]

 

[Kevin Stricker]

When your customer is shelling out big bucks for top-quality cabinets, the additional cost for the best screws is a paltry expense.  In this business, you're only as good as your last job.  If your customer's cabinets fall off the wall because you cheaped out on the critical screws, your reputation for quality work suffers.  ultimately, the customer pays for the screws, so why not use the best?  Home Despot screws are Chinese-made junk compared to GRK. 

[smile]

Sorry, not buying it.  If you are building "top- quality" cabinets then you had better not be using  butt joints and screws for your joinery or you are going to have big problems with your reputation down the line.  Based on AWI standards you need to be using conformat screws in that application and GRK does not make any of those.  Either way it is an acceptable minimum but not top of the line by any means.

Also, the customer might pay for the screws ultimately, but if you are in the business of making money then you should be looking for ways to reduce overhead.  Using a decking screw for clamping a properly built cabinet ( i.e. dado'ed and glued) is actually stronger than the standard hi-lo screw commonly used.

For installation a 3" #9 deck screw also exceeds standards when used with a washer.  I will use a Fastcap or GRK for uppers mostly for appearance sake.  Either one is going to be only as strong as the cabinet and framing it is attached to.  If you can only get a couple screws in because of a funky run of uppers not properly blocked you bet I am using some RSS screws but in that case the cabinet is going to be the weak link, you could use some headlocs and it still might fail.

For many other applications GRK's are my go to screw but I think it is important to consider several factors when deciding on hardware.  In the case of cabinet construction the substrate is the weakest link.  Overload a particleboard core cabinet and it does not matter if you used twenty R4's to build it it is still going to fail.  Most likely because you used the 20 R4's, especially if you didn't predrill.  Your customer is only going to know you built a poor quality cabinet and will not give a hoot if you used $5 bucks in screws to make it.

 

[waho6o9]

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