The best Drywall screws, compared.
Top pick: ForgeFix coarse 3.5 x 38 mm – Coarse 3.5 x 38 mm black bugle screws, box of 200, at about £2.57, with 4.6 from 2,288 reviews, for a single 12.5 mm board into timber. Best value: Forgefix 4.2 x 100 mm – A 4.2 x 100 mm coarse box at about £3.59 for a thick or double lining on timber, not a second award for the cheapest 38 mm screw. Updated October 2026.
A drywall screw, sold in the UK as a plasterboard screw, is a hardened steel fastener with a bugle head and a sharp point. You buy one to fix gypsum board to timber studs or to light-gauge metal. You tell a suitable screw from a chipboard screw by the bugle head, the thread and the substrate on the card. Coarse thread is the timber screw. Fine thread is the light-metal screw. A self-drilling point is for thicker steel. Length is the board thickness plus the purchase in the frame: at least 25 mm into timber, or at least 10 mm into metal. A single 12.5 mm board into timber wants a coarse screw around 38 mm. The same board into light metal wants a shorter fine screw. A second layer or a thick board needs a longer screw so the point still reaches the stud. Black phosphate is for dry internal rooms. It is not an outdoor screw, and it is not a fixing for a television on the board face. See the [drywall screws buying guide](/hub/screws-and-accessories/drywall-screws/sub/drywall-screws-buying-guide).
A drywall screw, sold in the UK as a plasterboard screw, is a hardened steel fastener with a bugle head and a sharp point. You buy one to fix gypsum board to timber studs or to light-gauge metal.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What is behind the board?
The ForgeFix 200DWS38 box is coarse black-phosphate bugle screws at 3.5 x 38 mm, 200 in the box, listed at £2.57 on amazon.co.uk. That is the usual stock length for a single 12.5 mm plasterboard sheet into a timber stud, and the listing line is 4.6 from 2,288 reviews, the largest sample in this set, which is why it is the top pick. UK reviews describe grip in plasterboard and timber, a low price, and use on acoustic panels. A few heads broke while someone boarded a new room, so a snapped head is a repeated complaint rather than a one-off comment. The title does not include a driver bit, and one UK review expected a PH2 bit that was not in the box. The material field lists both alloy steel and carbon steel, so the card does not settle the steel grade.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fixing a single 12.5 mm board to timber studs and you already own a PH2 bit.
Less suitable: You need a fine thread for light-gauge metal, a 500-piece room pack, or a screw longer than 38 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the ForgeFix listing say these screws are for?
The bullets say fitting plasterboard, fibreboard and other insulation boards to wood or steel studding. The title says coarse thread, 3.5 x 38 mm, black phosphate, box of 200.
Does the box include a driver bit?
The title does not mention a bit. One UK review expected a PH2 bit that was not in the box.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Grip in plasterboard and timber, a low price, and use on acoustic panels. A few heads broke while boarding a new room. The listing line is 4.6 from 2,288.
The SEQUAL box is titled as fine-thread Phillips bugle screws, M3.5 x 38 mm, black phosphate, 200 pieces, at £9.99. The point field says self-drill and the thread class says fine, which is the pattern sold for light metal, though the title also says wood. On amazon.co.uk it is 4.6 from 1,159 reviews. UK reviews disagree about a driver bit: one says a bit was included, another says the free bit was missing, and one buyer who had searched for Pozi found Phillips. A further buyer says these are wood screws, not plasterboard screws, and the fastener-type field says wood screws. The pieces field says 1 against a title of 200, and both alloy steel and carbon steel appear. You pay more than the coarse 38 mm box for a fine-thread claim the rest of the card then blurs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a fine-thread 38 mm screw for light metal and you will ignore the pieces field of 1.
Less suitable: You need a coarse timber screw, a Pozi drive, or a card whose piece count matches the title.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the title say fine thread?
Yes. It says fine thread, M3.5 x 38 mm, Phillips bugle head, black phosphate, box of 200, for plasterboard, drywall and wood. The point field says self-drill.
Do the specification lines match the title?
The size field says 3.5 x 38 mm. The pieces field says 1, while the unit count and number of items say 200. The fastener type field says wood screws.
What do UK reviews say about the bit?
One review says a bit was included. Another says the free bit was missing. One buyer had searched for Pozi and found Phillips. One buyer says these are wood screws, not plasterboard screws.
The Wavanta listing is titled M4 x 30 mm coarse bugle screws, 200 pieces, with a Phillips bit, at £9.99. The fastener-size and diameter fields say 3.9 mm, and the finish field says black oxide rather than phosphate. Thirty millimetres still leaves less than 25 mm in a timber stud behind 12.5 mm board. One UK review describes 16 mm screws used for light fixings on 12.5 mm drywall, while other reviews mention holding plasterboard and boarding a loft with 18 mm boards. Stars are 4.6 from 72. Item dimensions print 30 x 8 x 8 mm. A bullet asks for a pilot hole in hardwood. You cannot treat the title length as the length a reviewer received.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have checked a screw from the bag and 30 mm of coarse thread is actually what you need.
Less suitable: You are fixing 12.5 mm plasterboard to timber, or you need the diameter and the finish to match the title.
Specifications
Common questions
What diameter does the card state?
The title says M4 x 30 mm. The fastener size and diameter fields say 3.9 mm. Item dimensions say 30 x 8 x 8 mm.
What finish is on the specification line?
Black oxide. The bullets say a black protective finish and do not say phosphate.
What length appears in the reviews?
One UK review describes 16 mm screws for light fixings on 12.5 mm drywall. Other reviews mention holding plasterboard and boarding a loft with 18 mm boards. Stars are 4.6 from 72.
The Heifix HEIDRYW title says 3.5 x 42 mm, 200 screws, black, with a free PH2 bit, at £7.39. The bullets then say a single fine thread for drywall and timber studs, which pairs a metal-style thread with a timber job. The unit count says 500, the number of items says 1, and the set name says 200 pieces. Several UK reviews describe 500 black screws at 3.5 x 50 mm, not 200 at 42 mm. One review says the black coating comes off and leaves splinters. Stars are 4.6 from 33. The highlight says countersunk heads, while the thread coverage field says fully threaded and the point is a slash point. Until the parcel matches one length and one count, this card does not tell you what will arrive.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You can measure the delivered screws and accept that the title, the unit count and the reviews name different packs.
Less suitable: You need 200 screws at 42 mm as printed, or a coarse thread stated for timber.
Specifications
Common questions
How many screws does the title state?
200, at 3.5 x 42 mm, with a free PH2 bit. The unit count says 500. The number of items says 1. The set name says 200 pieces.
What thread do the bullets name for timber?
Single fine thread, for drywall and timber studs. The highlight says countersunk heads and fine thread for timber and studwork.
What length do the reviews describe?
Several UK reviews describe 500 black screws at 3.5 x 50 mm, not 200 at 42 mm. One review says the black coating comes off and leaves splinters. Stars are 4.6 from 33.
The Jiahezhi box is M4 x 25 mm black-phosphate bugle screws, 260 pieces, with a Phillips bit in the bullets, at £6.99. Twenty-five millimetres is short for 12.5 mm plasterboard into timber if you want about 25 mm of purchase in the stud. The title also says cement board, and a bullet says the phosphate finish suits indoor and outdoor use. UK reviews mention acoustic wall panels fixed without a pilot hole, a floor-mounted cupboard fixed to a plasterboard wall, and one short note that the grip is hard. Stars are 4.6 from 30. The diameter fields say 4 mm, while item dimensions print 20 x 4 x 4 mm, so the length line is not clean either. The shear field says 80.0 newtons, which is a printed figure, not a test run for this comparison.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have a thin lining where 25 mm of coarse screw is enough, and you will ignore the outdoor bullet.
Less suitable: You are boarding 12.5 mm plasterboard to timber, or you need a wet-area coating.
Specifications
Common questions
What length is on the title?
M4 x 25 mm, 260 pieces. The diameter fields say 4 mm. The title also says cement board screws.
Does the listing claim outdoor use?
Yes. A bullet says the black phosphate finish is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications. The shear field says 80.0 newtons.
What did UK buyers use them for?
Acoustic wall panels without a pilot hole, and a floor-mounted cupboard fixed to a plasterboard wall. One short review says the grip is hard. Stars are 4.6 from 30.
The TIMCO 00050DRYS listing is PH2, 3.5 x 50 mm, grey, box of 200, at £6.01, with a listing line of 4.5 from 899 reviews. Fifty millimetres is longer than the 38 mm timber screw, so it can suit a thicker single board, but the card does not agree with itself on what you are buying. One head field says bugle and another says pan. The title says grey and the finish field says black phosphate, while the colour field says dark grey. The coverage field says partially threaded, and a bullet says fully threaded up to 50 mm. UK reviews mention hold in drywall and wood, a comparison with a Wickes-type screw, dark grey for acoustic panels, loose metal shavings, and one review title for 3.5 x 25 mm black screws. Read the parcel, not only the title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 50 mm PH2 screw and you will check the colour and the head on the screws that arrive.
Less suitable: You need one agreed head, one agreed colour, or a card that states the thread in the title.
Specifications
Common questions
What size and colour does the title state?
PH2, 3.5 x 50 mm, grey, box of 200. The colour field says dark grey. The finish field says black phosphate.
Do the head and thread fields agree?
One field says bugle and another says pan. The coverage field says partially threaded. A bullet says fully threaded up to 50 mm and partially threaded after that.
What do UK reviews mention?
Hold for drywall and wood, a comparison with a Wickes-type screw, dark grey rather than black for acoustic panels, loose metal shavings, and one review title for 3.5 x 25 mm black screws. Stars are 4.5 from 899.
The Forgefix 100DWS100 box is 4.2 x 100 mm Phillips bugle screws, black phosphate, 100 in the box, at £3.59. The title says SCT and the bullets say a single coarse thread for dry linings to studding, which is a longer screw than a single 12.5 mm board needs. It is the best value in this set when the lining is thick or doubled and you still want a coarse screw for a few pounds. The coverage field says partially threaded, so the shank is not threaded for the full 100 mm. The review text on this ASIN matches B0073CJ6D0, and one detailed review says about 5% were not straight on 60 mm insulated plasterboard. Stars are 4.5 from 898, shared with that other listing, so those sentences are not proof that this 100 mm box was the product reviewed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fixing a thick or double lining to timber and you will measure the screws that arrive.
Less suitable: You only have a single 12.5 mm board, or you need a review file that is clearly about this 100 mm box.
Specifications
Common questions
What length does the title state?
4.2 x 100 mm, box of 100, Phillips bugle head, black phosphate. The title says the screws are for fitting dry linings to studding.
Are they fully threaded?
The coverage field says partially threaded. The bullets on this card do not say fully threaded. They do say a single coarse thread to penetrate the plasterboard skin.
Can the reviews be tied to this box?
The review text is the same as ASIN B0073CJ6D0, and the stars match (4.5 from 898). One detailed review says about 5% were not straight on 60 mm insulated plasterboard.
The Forgefix 100DWS75 listing is titled 4.2 x 75 mm, black, box of 100, at £3.59, the same shelf price as the 100 mm Forgefix box. A bullet then says an extra-long 100 mm profile, and the Best Sellers Rank line matches ASIN B0073CR3EO. The bullets describe a coarse thread for plasterboard to timber studs, a bugle head, Phillips No.2, and black phosphate against moisture from plaster and jointing compound. The review body is the same as the 100 mm ASIN, at 4.5 from 898, so those sentences are not evidence that a 75 mm box was the product reviewed. Alloy steel and carbon steel both appear on the card. Buy this only after you measure a screw from the parcel, because the title and the bullet do not name one length.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need about 75 mm of coarse screw for timber and you will measure what arrives before you board.
Less suitable: You need the title and the bullets to agree on 75 mm, or you are treating the shared reviews as proof of this length.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the 75 mm box or the 100 mm box?
The title says 4.2 x 75 mm, box of 100. A bullet says an extra-long 100 mm profile. The Best Sellers Rank line matches ASIN B0073CR3EO.
What substrate do the bullets name?
Timber studs, with a coarse thread, a bugle head, and black phosphate against moisture from plaster and jointing compound.
Do the reviews describe this length?
The review body is the same as B0073CR3EO. Do not treat those sentences as evidence that this 75 mm box was the product reviewed. Stars are 4.5 from 898.
The meite box is coarse black-phosphate screws at 3.5 x 38 mm, 188 pieces in a case, at £9.98. The title size matches a timber plasterboard job, and the bullets also name gypsum board to wood studs, plus soft metals and plastic. The listing line is 4.4 from 28 reviews. The review blocks on the listing are marked United States, and several name other lengths, including 1-1/4 inch, 2 inch, 2-1/2 inch and 3 inch. A bullet writes #6 x 1-5/8 inch beside the metric title, and the thread-size field says #6-40. The number-of-items field says 1. Reviews describe a plastic box that does not sit flat. At almost £10 this is a dearer 38 mm coarse box than the ForgeFix 200, with fewer reviews, and those reviews are not marked as UK.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cased coarse 38 mm screw and you will not treat the US review texts as UK proof of this length.
Less suitable: You are choosing by UK review volume, or you need the thread-size field to match 3.5 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is on the title?
3.5 x 38 mm coarse thread, black phosphate, 188 pieces. A bullet also writes #6 x 1-5/8 inch. The thread size field says #6-40.
Where were the reviews written?
The review blocks on the listing are marked United States. Several name other lengths, including 1-1/4 inch, 2 inch, 2-1/2 inch and 3 inch. The listing line is 4.4 from 28.
What case does the listing mention?
A bullet says the 188 screws come in a sturdy case. Reviews describe a plastic box that does not sit flat.
Nine amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the stored pages. Shelf date 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory drive test. A star rating is not a measured pull-out. The score is an editorial sort key. The scoring note uses five parts with caps of 36, 18, 15, 12 and 10. Those caps sum to 91. The weights below are the same five parts scaled so this block sums to 100. The highest total is the top pick, once. Best value is the longer coarse box for a thick or double lining, not a second award for the cheapest 38 mm screw.
Job match
40%A coarse 3.5 x 38 mm black bugle for plasterboard on timber scores at the top. A longer coarse screw for a thick lining scores next. A fine-thread title scores for a metal stud. Points come off when the length is 25 mm or 30 mm for a timber job, when a bullet claims outdoor use for phosphate, or when the card says fine thread for timber.
Stars
20%Listings at 4.4 to 4.6 in this set take the full stars part. The column does not separate 4.4 from 4.6. The figure is the amazon.co.uk listing line, not a measured pull-out.
Review sample
16%About 900 reviews and above take the full sample part. About 28 to 72 reviews take the lower band. The counts are the amazon.co.uk listing lines for these nine boxes.
Listing consistency
13%A card scores higher when the title, bullets and specification block describe one screw. Points come off for a pieces field of 1, a shared review body, a 75 mm title with a 100 mm bullet, grey versus black, bugle versus pan, M4 versus 3.9 mm, or a unit count of 500 against a title of 200.
Value
11%A coherent coarse box at about £2.57 takes the top of this part. A 100 mm box at about £3.59 is next. A fine-thread box at about £9.99, or a 38 mm box at about £9.98 with a review file marked United States, scores low.
Buy the stud and the length before you buy a star line. Coarse thread is for timber. Fine thread is for light metal. Length is the board plus the purchase in the frame. Black phosphate is for dry rooms. A card whose size, thread and piece count disagree is a reason to measure the screws that arrive. Prices on this page are the amazon.co.uk lines from 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory pull-out test.
A drywall screw, sold in the UK as a plasterboard screw, is a hardened steel fastener with a bugle head and a sharp point. You use it to fix gypsum board to timber or to light-gauge metal. You tell it from a chipboard screw or a plasterboard plug by the bugle head, the thread and the substrate the card names. Coarse thread is the timber screw. Fine thread is the light-metal screw. Self-drilling fine thread is for thicker steel. Plugs and self-drilling anchors are a different product.
Into timber you want at least 25 mm of purchase in the stud, so a single 12.5 mm board wants about 38 mm of coarse screw. A 25 mm or 32 mm screw on that job is short. Into metal the same board wants about 25 mm of fine screw, which is a different sum.
Coarse thread is for timber. Fine thread is for light-gauge metal, and self-drilling fine thread is for thicker steel. Plugs and self-drilling anchors are a different product. A board screw is not a shelf fixing.
Inch sizes, a #6 field, an M4 label standing in for 3.5 mm, grey versus black, or a piece count that does not match the title are reasons to read the parcel. Driving through the paper, often with an impact driver, blows the core.
Choose the stud before the box. Coarse thread is for timber studs, joists and battens. Fine thread, with a needle point, is for light-gauge metal. British Gypsum describes needle-point screws for C studs under about 0.8 mm. Knauf cites up to about 0.7 mm. Self-drilling is for thicker steel. The Speedline fixings sheet puts that split at over 0.9 mm and up to 3 mm. Coarse thread in metal, and a fine thread sold as the timber screw, are not interchangeable.
Length is the board thickness plus the purchase, then the next stock size. Keep at least 25 mm in timber or at least 10 mm in metal. A 12.5 mm board into timber needs about 38 mm coarse. The same board into metal needs about 25 mm fine. A 15 mm board into timber needs about 42 mm. A second 12.5 mm layer needs a longer face screw, about 50 mm into timber if you keep the 25 mm purchase. The head is a bugle and the drive is Phillips PH2. A dimpler or a low clutch keeps the paper intact.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are boarding a timber stud wall with a single 12.5 mm sheet and you already own a PH2 bit. The ForgeFix coarse 3.5 x 38 mm box of 200 is the top pick at about £2.57, with 4.6 from 2,288 amazon.co.uk reviews. A few UK reviews report heads snapping, and the title does not include a bit.
You are fixing plasterboard to light-gauge metal and you want a fine-thread title. The SEQUAL box is M3.5 x 38 mm, 200 pieces, at about £9.99, with 4.6 from 1,159 reviews. The pieces field says 1, the fastener type says wood screws, and UK reviews disagree about a bit in the box.
You are fixing a thick or double lining to timber and you will measure what arrives. The Forgefix 4.2 x 100 mm box of 100 is best value at about £3.59. The coverage field says partially threaded, and the review text matches the 75 mm listing.
The top pick is the ForgeFix coarse 3.5 x 38 mm box of 200 at about £2.57. It is the usual stock length for a single 12.5 mm board into timber, and the listing line is 4.6 from 2,288 reviews, the largest sample here. Best value is the Forgefix 4.2 x 100 mm box of 100 at about £3.59, a longer coarse screw for a thick or double lining, not a second award for the cheapest 38 mm box. The fine-thread title in this set is the SEQUAL M3.5 x 38 mm box at about £9.99. None of these scores is a laboratory pull-out test. Where a title and a bullet disagree on length, measure a screw from the parcel before you board.
ForgeFix coarse 3.5 x 38 mm
Coarse 3.5 x 38 mm black bugle screws, box of 200, at about £2.57, with 4.6 from 2,288 reviews, for a single 12.5 mm board into timber.
Forgefix 4.2 x 100 mm
A 4.2 x 100 mm coarse box at about £3.59 for a thick or double lining on timber, not a second award for the cheapest 38 mm screw.
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 listing lines captured on 19 October 2026. The high-street price band that day is a rule of thumb and is not one of these rows. There is no laboratory pull-out test.
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.
