Drywall Screws

A complete range of drywall screws in the lengths most commonly specified on UK sites, from 25mm through to 75mm. Stocked in our UK warehouse and available for next-day delivery to drylining contractors, first-fix carpenters and self-builders nationwide.

The Correct Drywall Screw for Every Board and Frame

Selecting the right drywall screws for the job is one of the most straightforward decisions on a drylining project, but choosing the wrong length has real consequences. A screw that is too short will not engage sufficiently into the metal stud or timber batten behind the board, resulting in a fixing that works loose over time and causes the plasterboard surface to crack or bow. A screw that is too long risks breaking through the face of a second board layer or interfering with services concealed within the partition.

This collection brings together the five lengths most frequently specified on UK drylining projects, each suited to a defined set of board thicknesses and substrate types. Every screw in the range features a bugle head that pulls cleanly into the plasterboard face without tearing the paper liner, and a coarse thread that bites firmly into both timber and light-gauge steel framing.

Drywall Screws by Length

Our drywall screws are stocked in five lengths to cover single-layer, double-layer and special-thickness board installations. Each size below links directly to the relevant products in the range.

25mm Drywall Screws

The shortest length in our range, our 25mm drywall screws are the correct choice for fixing 12.5mm plasterboard to 12.5mm or thicker plywood sheeting, and for attaching thin board to direct bond dot-and-dab areas where a short fixing is required. Also used to laminate two boards face-to-face during double-layer build-ups before the outer board is fixed through to the frame.

32mm Drywall Screws

Our 32mm drywall screws are well suited to fixing single-layer 12.5mm board to light-gauge metal stud framing, where a minimum of 10mm engagement into the stud flange is required by most manufacturers. Also used for fixing 15mm acoustic or fire board as a single layer to metal frames in partition and ceiling applications.

38mm Drywall Screws

A versatile intermediate length, our 38mm drywall screws provide reliable fixing for 12.5mm board to timber studwork and battens, giving approximately 25mm of thread engagement into the timber behind. Also the correct length for fixing 15mm board to metal framing where additional pull-through resistance is specified, and for fixing 12.5mm board through a 12mm ply lining layer into timber behind.

Drywall Screws 50mm

Our drywall screws 50mm are the standard length for single-layer 15mm or 18mm board fixed to timber framing, giving strong thread engagement into the stud or batten behind. Widely used on timber-frame housing projects and in ceiling installations where 15mm board is specified for its additional fire or acoustic performance. One of the most frequently ordered lengths in this collection.

75mm Drywall Screws

The longest length in our standard drywall range, our 75mm drywall screws are used for double-layer board installations where two layers of 12.5mm board are fixed through to the frame in a single pass, and for fixing single layers of 15mm or 18mm board through additional rigid insulation or acoustic quilt mounted against the frame. Also specified in ceiling grid applications where the board must be fixed through a deep substrate layer before reaching the structural support.

Fine Thread vs Coarse Thread Drywall Screws

The two most common thread types for drywall screws are fine thread and coarse thread, and choosing correctly between them depends on the substrate rather than the board being fixed.

Coarse thread drywall screws are the standard choice for fixing plasterboard to timber framing. The wider thread pitch bites into the wood grain quickly and provides high pull-out resistance in softwood studs and battens. Coarse thread screws in our 38mm drywall screws, drywall screws 50mm and 75mm drywall screws sizes are the most frequently specified for timber-frame partitions and ceiling battens on UK sites.

Fine thread drywall screws are designed for fixing into light-gauge steel stud and track framing. The tighter thread pitch is engineered to cut cleanly through thin-gauge steel without stripping, and provides secure engagement in the stud flange. For metal-frame partitions, fine thread is the correct choice across all lengths from our 25mm drywall screws through to our 50mm drywall screws.

Choosing the Correct Drywall Screw Length

As a practical guide, a drywall screw should pass fully through the board and engage a minimum of 10mm into metal framing or 25mm into timber framing. The table below summarises the correct length for the most common board and substrate combinations encountered on UK drylining projects.

For a single layer of 12.5mm plasterboard fixed to a metal stud, 32mm drywall screws are the standard choice. For 12.5mm board fixed to timber, 38mm drywall screws provide the additional engagement needed in wood. For 15mm board on timber framing, drywall screws 50mm are the correct length. For double-layer installations using two sheets of 12.5mm board, 75mm drywall screws are required to reach through both layers and into the frame. For face-laminating boards during double-layer build-ups, 25mm drywall screws are the appropriate short fixing.

Bugle Head Profile: Every drywall screw in this range features a bugle head — the slightly curved countersunk profile that is designed specifically for plasterboard. The bugle head compresses the paper liner and gypsum surface cleanly as it drives home, sitting just below the board face without tearing through the liner. A torn liner significantly reduces the holding strength of the fixing and creates a weak point in the board surface that can telegraph through a skim coat finish.

Phosphate-Coated for Plasterboard Compatibility

All drywall screws in this range carry a black phosphate coating. This coating serves two purposes: it provides a degree of corrosion resistance in the dry internal environments where drywall screws are typically used, and it gives a low-friction surface that drives cleanly through the gypsum core of the board without generating excessive heat that could cause the screw to strip in the liner.

The black phosphate finish also accepts skim plaster and filler cleanly, which matters in finishing work where the screw head must be stopped flush and painted over without a rust bleed appearing through the decoration. This applies across all lengths in our range, from 25mm drywall screws through to 75mm drywall screws.

Trade Stocked, Next-Day Delivered

JALFT supplies drywall screws to drylining contractors, first-fix carpenters, main contractors and self-builders throughout the UK. Every length in this range — from 25mm drywall screws to 75mm drywall screws — is held in our UK warehouse and available for next-day delivery on orders placed before 2pm. Products are available in trade tubs and contractor packs, with pricing structured for the volumes required on active drylining programmes.