The best chipboard screws, compared.
Top pick: fischer Power-Fast II 5.0 x 60 mm Best value: fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm – Box of 1,200 at about £19.85, about 1.7 pence a screw. Four reviews mean the unit price is not a quality verdict. Updated October 2026.
A chipboard screw is a hardened countersunk screw with a coarse thread that runs to the head. In the UK you buy chipboard screws for chipboard, MDF and softwood, where a coach screw is the wrong shape. Trade guides separate the two by that thread-to-the-head point. You tell a suitable box by whether the title, the bullets and the specification block agree on diameter, length, thread and recess, and by whether the length suits the board in front of you. A general indoor carcass usually wants one size, often about 4.0 mm. A longer, thicker screw is the heavier bite. An assortment is a workshop tub, not one specified fixing. Full thread grips both pieces of chipboard. A part thread clamps a board to a joist. For P5 flooring, a sheet-materials guide uses about 2.5 times the board thickness. Pozidriv and Phillips are not the same recess. Plated zinc is an indoor coating, not a finish for an exposed fence. Diameter, length, thread and drive are set out in the [chipboard screw buying guide](/hub/screws-and-accessories/chipboard-screws/sub/chipboard-screws-buying-guide).
A chipboard screw is a hardened countersunk screw with a coarse thread that runs to the head. In the UK you buy chipboard screws for chipboard, MDF and softwood, where a coach screw is the wrong shape.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Which job is in front of you?
The fischer Power-Fast II 5.0 x 60 mm is a box of 100 at about £4.57, and the listing line is 4.7 from 1,568 reviews. The title says an inner-star TX drive and a full thread. A bullet says Phillips PZ and a partially threaded screw, and the finish field says wax while the title says galvanised blue passivated. Only one UK review is in the file, and it calls the screw a Torx flooring screw used to fix plywood to floorboards. That single text is not a reading of the 1,568 count. The colour field is not written in English. You cannot treat this page as both Torx and Pozidriv, or as both full thread and part thread, until you measure a screw from the parcel. A low shelf price does not settle which drive is in the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already hold a screw from this parcel and it matches one drive and one thread, and 60 mm is the length you need.
Less suitable: You need the listing itself to settle Torx or Pozidriv, or full thread or part thread, before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Which drive does this fischer box claim?
The title says inner star TX and the drive field says Torx. A bullet says Phillips PZ. Both lines are on the stored page. Do not treat the box as both.
Is the thread full or partial?
The title and the thread-coverage field say fully threaded. A bullet says partially threaded.
What does the UK review in the file say?
The listing line is 4.7 from 1,568. One UK review calls it a flooring screw with a Torx head, used to fix plywood to floorboards. No second UK review is in the file. That single text is not a reading of the 1,568 count.
The SEQUAL M5 x 60 mm is a Pozidriv chipboard screw, fully threaded, box of 200 at about £12.99. The bullets say yellow zinc for indoor and sheltered outdoor use, and they name a drill bit in the box. The star line is 4.7 from 22 reviews, while only three UK reviews are in the raw file. One of those orders arrived as 100 screws instead of 200, and the rest were sent after an email. The material-type field says zinc while the metal field says alloy steel, so the steel grade is not a single line. Stated uses run from chipboard, hardwood and MDF to plastic, uPVC and sheet metal. Sheltered outdoor in a bullet is not an exposed fence. It is the heavier Pozidriv length in this set, with a thin UK sample and a short-count complaint already on the card.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a 5 x 60 mm Pozidriv screw indoors, or in a sheltered spot, and you will count the box on arrival.
Less suitable: You need a large UK sample, a settled steel grade, or a screw for an exposed fence.
Specifications
Common questions
What finish limit do the bullets give?
The bullets say yellow zinc passivated for indoor and sheltered outdoor applications.
Is a bit named in the box?
The bullets say the box of 200 includes a drill bit. The title says countersunk Pozi.
What do the UK reviews in the file say about the count?
Three UK reviews are in the raw file, against a listing count of 22. One order arrived as 100 screws instead of 200, then the rest were sent after email.
The fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm is a blue-passivated, fully threaded Phillips chipboard screw, box of 1,200 at about £19.85, about 1.7 pence each. The star line is 4.7 from 4 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the only UK review in the file says five-star quality with no further detail. No complaint detail is stored for this listing, so the unit price is not a quality verdict. The colour field is spelled bule, and the number-of-items field says 1 against a title that says 1,200. Bullets also name fischer plugs, which are not the screw count. The material is carbon steel and the country of origin is Germany. It is the best value in this set when you want one consistent 4.0 x 40 mm Phillips box in bulk, and you accept that four reviews cannot carry the claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a large pack of one 4.0 x 40 mm Phillips screw and you will judge the steel yourself because the review sample is four.
Less suitable: You need a deep UK review sample, a Pozidriv or Torx recess, or a 50 mm or 60 mm length.
Specifications
Common questions
What size, drive and thread does the title state?
The title states fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm chipboard wood screws, countersunk, Phillips, fully threaded, blue passivated, box of 1,200, at about £19.85.
Where does the listing disagree with itself?
The colour field spells bule. Number of items is 1 while the title is a box of 1,200.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
The listing line is 4.7 from 4. One UK review says five-star quality and gives no further detail. No complaint detail is stored for this listing.
Across 5,255 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.6, the TIMCO Solo is a yellow 4.0 x 50 mm chipboard screw, box of 200 at about £5.40, about 2.7 pence each. UK texts in the file describe heads that did not round or snap, and a clean drive into softwood, chipboard and MDF. The title says PZ, the drive field says Phillips, and the head-type field says Hex, so the recess is not settled until you look at a screw from the parcel. At least two of those texts name 15 mm or 100 mm rather than 4.0 x 50 mm. The material is carbon steel, the finish field says lubricated, and no driver bit is stated in the box. Yellow zinc in this set is an indoor fixing. It leads the set on sample size for one 4.0 mm indoor box, with that drive clash still on the card.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one indoor 4.0 x 50 mm box for chipboard, MDF or softwood, and you will match the bit to a screw from the parcel.
Less suitable: You need a clamp-style floor screw, an outdoor finish, or a listing whose drive fields already agree.
Specifications
Common questions
What size and pack does the TIMCO listing state?
The title states yellow double-countersunk chipboard and woodscrews, 4.0 x 50 mm, box of 200, at about £5.40.
Which drive does the listing give?
The title says PZ. The drive-system field says Phillips and the head-type field says Hex.
What do the first UK reviews repeat?
Heads that did not round or snap, and a clean drive into softwood, chipboard and MDF. At least two texts name 15 mm or 100 mm rather than 4.0 x 50 mm.
The SEQUAL Hyper Drive is a Pozidriv M4 x 40 mm wood screw, fully threaded and zinc plated, box of 200 at about £10.79. Across 4,309 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.6, and UK texts describe a flush countersink and a firm hold in plywood and chipboard. A bit is not in the title, and those reviews both say a bit was included and that no bit was in the box, with some calling the supplied bit soft. One box was reported as about 90 screws rather than 200. The listing names a ribbed self-countersinking head, the country of origin is China, and an MDF question on the page has no stored answer. It is the next single-size Pozidriv box when 40 mm is the length you measured, though the short count and the bit are already in the reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You measured a 40 mm Pozidriv screw for plywood or chipboard and you can spare a PZ2 bit of your own.
Less suitable: You need 50 mm or 60 mm, a guaranteed driver bit, or a pack count you will not have to recount.
Specifications
Common questions
What drive and thread does this SEQUAL box state?
The drive field says Pozidriv and the thread-coverage field says fully threaded. The size is M4 x 40 mm, box of 200, at about £10.79.
Does the listing include a driver bit?
A bit is not in the title. UK reviews both say a bit was included and that no bit was in the box.
What do UK reviews repeat?
A flush countersink and a firm hold in plywood and chipboard. One box was reported as about 90 screws, not 200, and some buyers called the supplied bit soft or missing.
The Ulti-Mate ULTASSMB is a bright-zinc assortment of 1,600 screws at about £25.99, Phillips and square, and the bullets name eight Stick-Fit bits plus softwood, MDF, chipboard, plywood, OSB and plastic wall plugs. Across 245 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.6, UK texts describe a wide mix for kitchens, MDF and chipboard, and a Stick-Fit bit that holds the screw. The same reviews call the heads very soft and say the bits wear quickly, and one UK review found only one inner box. Diameter and length are not printed as a single size. Coverage says fully threaded, while the thread-type field says variable pitch, double thread. It is a workshop tub, not one specified fixing. A soft head is the repeated limit once the clutch is already high.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mixed indoor tub for MDF, chipboard and plywood, and you will stop before a soft head rounds.
Less suitable: You need one specified 4.0 mm or 5.0 mm length, or a head that UK reviews describe as holding under a high clutch.
Specifications
Common questions
Which boards do the bullets name?
Softwoods and man-made boards: MDF, chipboard, plywood and OSB, plus plastic wall plugs. Floorboards, loft boards and panels are named as uses.
What drive and bits does the listing state?
The drive is Phillips and square. The bullets name 1,600 screws and 8 Stick-Fit bits.
What do UK reviews repeat?
A wide mix for kitchens, MDF and chipboard, and a Stick-Fit bit that holds the screw. Heads are also called very soft, and bits are said to wear quickly.
The TOPYWMSP box is a yellow 3.5 x 30 mm wood screw, PH2, fully threaded, 100 pieces at about £6.09. The star line is 4.6 from 216 amazon.co.uk reviews. UK texts describe general woodwork, fencing strips and a timber shed, and other reviews say heads round or shear, including when a pilot hole was used, and call the metal soft. The title says zinc galvanised. The bullets say yellow zinc, a 72-hour salt-spray test and a never-rust guarantee, and the material field lists both alloy steel and carbon steel. That salt-spray line is seller wording, not an outdoor approval, and none of these ten boxes is stainless. A bit is not in the title, though one UK review mentions a supplied bit. At 30 mm it is a light furniture length, not a flooring screw for 18 mm or 22 mm board.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fixing light indoor woodwork with a PH2 bit and a 30 mm screw is the length you measured.
Less suitable: You are laying chipboard flooring, you need a hard head under the clutch, or you are fixing an exposed fence.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is this box?
The title states a flat-head single-thread wood screw, 3.5 x 30 mm, zinc galvanised, 100 pieces, at about £6.09. The head-type field says PH2.
What rust claim is on the listing?
The bullets say yellow zinc passivated, a 72-hour salt-spray test and a never-rust guarantee. That line is seller wording, not an outdoor approval.
What do UK reviews repeat?
General woodwork, fencing strips and a timber shed. Other reviews say heads round or shear, including with a pilot hole, and call the metal soft.
The Ulti-Mate FB42050 is a yellow-zinc 4.2 x 50 mm floorboard screw, box of 200 at about £9.99, and the bullets name chipboard, plywood, floorboards, sub-flooring and loft boards, plus a top thread and a Stick-Fit bit. Across 309 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.5, UK texts describe screws that pull floorboards and chipboard tight. The thread-coverage field says partially threaded, and one UK review says the thread runs to the head, so the clamp pattern is not settled. The same reviews include sheared heads, a missing or failed Stick-Fit bit, and packs below 200, including a box of 42 and a half box. The drive is Phillips and square. The metal field says zinc while the material type says alloy steel. It is the floor box in this set at a 50 mm length, which suits an 18 mm board on a 2.5-times rule of thumb and is short of that sum for 22 mm board.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fixing 18 mm chipboard or plywood flooring and you will count the pack and keep a spare square-drive bit.
Less suitable: You are laying 22 mm P5, you need a full-thread carcass screw, or you cannot accept snapped heads and short counts.
Specifications
Common questions
What boards does the listing name?
The bullets name chipboard, plywood, wooden floorboards, sub-flooring and loft boards, with a top thread to secure the board to the frame.
Is the thread partial or full?
The thread-coverage field says partially threaded. One UK review says the thread runs to the head.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Screws that pull floorboards and chipboard tight. Also sheared heads, a missing or failed Stick-Fit bit, and packs below the title count of 200, including a box of 42 and a half box.
The ANVINKU title says 200 Phillips M3.5 furniture screws, 12 mm to 35 mm, in a compartment box at about £6.98. The star line is 4.5 from 258 amazon.co.uk reviews, yet many of the first 50 UK blocks describe an M4 or 260-piece assortment, or seven lengths up to 50 mm, rather than the M3.5 count on the title. Thread coverage says fully threaded and the thread-style field says partially threaded. The material field says zinc, the bullets say colour zinc, and a bit is not stated as included. Indoor and outdoor woodworking, drywall, furniture, wall panels and decks are all named as uses, which is wider than a 35 mm furniture screw can cover. Until the parcel matches the title, you do not know which kit will arrive. That conflict is why this row sits at the bottom of the set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have opened the parcel, counted M3.5 screws from 12 mm to 35 mm, and that is the furniture job in front of you.
Less suitable: You need the listing and the reviews to describe the same kit, or you need a 4.0 mm or 5.0 mm chipboard screw.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the title say is in the box?
The title says 200 M3.5 self-tapping furniture screws. The variants line is 45 of 12 mm, 45 of 16 mm, 30 of 20 mm, 30 of 25 mm, 25 of 30 mm and 25 of 35 mm, at about £6.98.
Do the thread fields agree?
Thread coverage says fully threaded. The thread-style field says right-hand M3.5 partially threaded.
What do UK reviews describe?
Many of the first 50 UK blocks describe an M4 or 260-piece assortment, or seven lengths up to 50 mm, rather than the M3.5, 200-piece title.
The Gorffy assortment is a Phillips countersunk set, titled as 400 pieces from M3 to M4 and 16 mm to 40 mm, in a compartment box at about £6.88. Across 1,790 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.4, the lowest average in this set. UK texts call the box handy and the points sharp for light DIY. Other reviews report soft or rounded heads, snapped screws, and a broken box with the compartments mixed. The model number says 360 while the title says 400, and the material field says zinc rather than a steel grade. The diameter field prints 3 mm while the bullets also include M3.5 and M4. A driver bit is not stated as included, and a deck named in a bullet does not make this plated set an outdoor screw. It is a light mixed tub, and the soft-head reviews are why it sits below the single-size boxes for one specified carcass screw.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want several short Phillips lengths for light indoor DIY and you will discard a soft head rather than lean on the driver.
Less suitable: You need one 4.0 x 50 mm or 5.0 x 60 mm fixing, a hard head, or a box whose model number matches the title count.
Specifications
Common questions
Which sizes are in the title count of 400?
The variants line is 60 of M3 x 16 mm, 80 of M3 x 20 mm, 40 of M3 x 30 mm, 50 of M3.5 x 16 mm, 60 of M3.5 x 20 mm, 30 of M3.5 x 25 mm, 30 of M4 x 20 mm, 30 of M4 x 30 mm and 20 of M4 x 40 mm.
Does the model number match the title?
The model number says 360 pieces. The title says 400 pieces. The material field says zinc rather than a steel grade.
What do UK reviews repeat?
A handy compartment box and sharp points for light DIY. Other reviews report soft or rounded heads, snapped screws, and a broken box with mixed compartments.
Ten amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the stored pages. The editorial sort key is job match 40, stars 20, review sample 20, listing consistency 10 and value 10. Those weights sum to 100. The score is not a withdrawal test and not a laboratory ranking. The top pick is the stored award on the TIMCO Solo 4.0 x 50 mm. The best value is the stored award on the fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm. That note says the unit price is not a quality verdict, because the review sample is four. Prices, stars and counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in the display file.
Job match
40%Whether the listing is a chipboard or wood screw in a size that matches a carcass, a floor or light furniture. An assortment scores lower when the drawing names one diameter and one length.
Stars
20%The amazon.co.uk star line on the stored page. Stars are not a pull-out test and not a workshop trial.
Review sample
20%How large the amazon.co.uk review count is. A high star line from four reviews does not outrank a large sample.
Listing consistency
10%Whether the title, the bullets and the specification block agree on size, thread and recess. A clash stays on the card.
Value
10%Shelf price against the stated pack size. A low unit price with four reviews is not a quality verdict.
Judge the job, the length and whether the listing agrees with itself before you judge a star line. A plated zinc screw in this category is an indoor fixing. A short furniture screw is not a flooring screw. A conflicting title is not a settled drive.
A chipboard screw is a hardened countersunk screw with a coarse thread that runs to the head, sold for chipboard, MDF and softwood. Screwfix uses that thread-to-the-head point to separate it from a coach screw. You judge a box by whether the title, the bullets and the specification block agree on size, thread and recess, and by whether the length suits the board. A star line is not a pull-out test. Job and size come first.
Shop4Fasteners says a Phillips bit in a Pozidriv screw slips and damages the head. PZ2 covers most 3.5–5.0 mm timber screws. Phillips, Pozidriv and Torx are not the same recess.
Southern Timber’s rule of thumb is about 2.5 times the board thickness. That is about 55–60 mm for 22 mm P5. A 30 mm furniture screw is short of that length. P5 is moisture resistant, not waterproof.
Yellow, blue and bright zinc in this set are plated steel. None of the boxes is A2 or A4. A 72-hour salt-spray line or a never-rust bullet is not outdoor approval. TIMCO’s corrosion class 2 note belongs to a C2 SKU, not the Solo box compared here.
If the title says one drive or one thread and a bullet says another, the page has not settled the box. The same applies when UK reviews describe a different count or diameter from the title. Wait until a screw from the parcel matches one description.
A general indoor carcass wants a single size, usually 4.0 mm, the old No. 8. A 3.5 x 30 mm screw is light furniture. A 5.0 x 60 mm screw is the heavier length. An assortment is a workshop tub, not one specified fixing. Southern Timber says P5 flooring fixings should be about 2.5 times the board thickness, Pozidriv No. 8 or equivalent. That is about 50 mm for 18 mm board and about 55–60 mm for 22 mm board.
Full thread grips both pieces of chipboard. A part thread, or a flooring screw with an upper thread, clamps a board to a joist. If the thread field and a review disagree, the clamp pattern is not settled. Shop4Fasteners says a Phillips bit in a Pozidriv screw slips and damages the head. PZ2 covers most 3.5–5.0 mm timber screws. Do not treat a box as both Torx and Pozidriv when the title and a bullet disagree. Yellow zinc, blue zinc and bright zinc here are plated steel.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one coherent 4.0 mm indoor box and you will match the bit to a screw from the parcel. The TIMCO Solo 4.0 x 50 mm is the top pick at about £5.40, a yellow box of 200, with 4.6 from 5,255 amazon.co.uk reviews. The title says PZ and the drive field says Phillips.
You are fixing 18 mm chipboard or plywood flooring and you will count the pack. The Ulti-Mate 4.2 x 50 mm floorboard screw is about £9.99, box of 200, with 4.5 from 309 reviews. About 50 mm suits 18 mm board on a 2.5-times rule of thumb. It is short of that sum for 22 mm board.
You want one 4.0 x 40 mm Phillips screw in bulk and you will judge the steel yourself. The fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm is the best value at about £19.85 for 1,200, about 1.7 pence a screw. The star line is 4.7 from 4 reviews, so the unit price is not a quality verdict.
The top pick is the TIMCO Solo 4.0 x 50 mm at about £5.40: a yellow box of 200, 4.6 from 5,255 amazon.co.uk reviews, for one indoor 4.0 mm carcass screw if you match the bit to a screw from the parcel. The title says PZ and the drive field says Phillips. The best value is the fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm, a box of 1,200 at about £19.85, about 1.7 pence a screw. That award is a unit price. The star line is 4.7 from 4 reviews, so the price is not a quality verdict. None of these scores is a withdrawal test, and none of the plated finishes here is for an exposed fence.
fischer Power-Fast II 4.0 x 40 mm
Box of 1,200 at about £19.85, about 1.7 pence a screw. Four reviews mean the unit price is not a quality verdict.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in the display file. There is no laboratory test and no withdrawal value. A corrosion class stated for a different TIMCO SKU is not applied to the Solo box. ETA and EN 14592 citations are not copied onto unbranded assortments.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
