The best SPAX screws, compared.
Top pick: SPAX A2 4 x 40 mm – Stainless 4 x 40 mm box of 200 at about £20.02, 4.8 from 4,208 ratings, for direct weather, if you look at the recess before you buy a bit. Best value: SPAX YELLOX 4 x 30 mm – Lowest shelf price in this set, about £4.27 for 200, with the second-highest score. The powder-coated field and one wrong-length review stay in the cons. Updated October 2026.
SPAX screws are branded wood screws for softwood, MDF, chipboard and OSB in the UK. You tell a suitable box by diameter, length, full or partial thread, and the recess, which is either Pozidriv Z2 or T-STAR plus. Then you check that the screws which arrive match the title. Yellow zinc on steel is the coating for dry interior work. Direct rain needs stainless A2. Coastal salt is a separate stainless grade, and a sheltered outdoor coating does not replace stainless. Full thread grips both pieces and suits a board you are fixing down. Partial thread clamps the top piece to the bottom piece. Buy one measured length when you know the size, and a mixed case when you do not. A trade rule of thumb is at least half the thickness of the bottom piece, without bursting the far face. These screws are not masonry anchors. A joist, rafter or balcony needs a structural assessment. Finish, drive, thread and length are set out in the [SPAX screws buying guide](/hub/screws-and-accessories/spax-screws/sub/spax-screws-buying-guide).
SPAX screws are branded wood screws for softwood, MDF, chipboard and OSB in the UK. You tell a suitable box by diameter, length, full or partial thread, and the recess, which is either Pozidriv Z2 or T-STAR plus.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Will rain sit on the screw head?
The SPAX A2 box, ASIN B000VD9T6M, is 200 stainless 4 x 40 mm screws with a partial thread at about £20.02, and the bullet names exterior work that is directly weather-exposed. Across 4,208 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.8, the largest sample in this set. UK reviews still say the box does not include a driver bit, so you buy a T-STAR plus bit separately. The title prints T20, yet a UK review found a T15 head, another was sent a cross-head screw, and another found a Torx 20 bit a tight fit and not magnetic. Partial thread can pull the top piece down, and it is the wrong default if you wanted full thread into a thin board. The unit-count field says 1 stuk, which does not describe a 200-piece box. It is the top pick here when rain will reach a 40 mm screw, and a poor match for a dry kitchen carcass if you only own a PZ2 bit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a 4 x 40 mm stainless screw where rain will sit on the head, and you will look at the recess before you buy a bit.
Less suitable: A dry carcass if you only own PZ2 bits, a coastal or decking job that needs a different stainless range, or any length other than 40 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the SPAX listing say these screws are for?
The bullet says exterior applications that are directly weather-exposed. The title is stainless steel A2, 4 x 40 mm, partial thread, flat countersunk head, T-STAR plus T20, 4CUT, 200 pieces.
Does the box include a driver bit?
The title does not include a bit. More than one UK review says you have to buy the driver separately.
What do the UK reviews repeat about the drive?
The title says T20. A UK review says the head was T15, another was sent a cross-head screw, and another found a Torx 20 bit a tight fit and not magnetic. The listing line is 4.8 from 4,208.
The 4 x 50 mm YELLOX box, ASIN B0057XFTYM, is 200 full-thread Z2 screws at about £18.95, more than four times the 4 x 30 mm shelf price for an extra 20 mm of length. The star line is 4.7 from 1,782 ratings. UK reviews mention a bit that does not slip, sharp screws, curtain poles, blinds, shelf brackets in ply, and a chest of drawers. Country of origin says China, while a UK review calls them German made, so those two lines do not agree. The thread-size field says #0-80, which does not describe a 4 mm wood screw, and the rank line is the same as the 4 x 30 mm ASIN. One review mentions 35 mm, and another buyer wanted a different size. Full thread at 50 mm reaches a thicker second piece, and it can jack a gap if both boards are threaded the whole way. Buy it when you have measured about 50 mm and you will ignore the nonsense thread field.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have measured about 50 mm into interior timber, ply, or a carcass, and you already own a PZ2 bit.
Less suitable: A 30 mm loft board, a screw that will sit in the rain, or a buyer who needs the thread field on the card to be true.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the title say this box is?
SPAX universal screw, 4 x 50 mm, 200 pieces, full thread, flat countersunk head, cross recess Z2, 4CUT, YELLOX.
Where does the card say they were made?
Country of origin says China. A UK review calls them German made. The thread-size field says #0-80, which does not describe a 4 mm wood screw.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
A bit that does not slip, sharp screws, and jobs such as curtain poles, blinds, and shelf brackets in ply. One buyer wanted a different size, and one review mentions 35 mm. The listing line is 4.7 from 1,782.
The 4 x 30 mm YELLOX box, ASIN B0057WZEIY, is 200 full-thread universal screws with a Z2 cross recess at about £4.27, the lowest shelf price in this set. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from 1,209 ratings. UK reviews describe grip in the head, a sharp tip, and jobs such as loft chipboard, flooring, and fence repairs. One UK review says the length was not what they ordered, so you measure a screw when the box arrives. The title says yellow zinc YELLOX, while finish types says powder coated, and an outside-diameter field says 8 mm against a 4 mm title. The Best Sellers Rank line matches the 4 x 50 mm ASIN, which is a listing fault rather than a second size in the box. A fence-repair comment does not turn YELLOX into a stainless outdoor screw. It is the best value here for a short interior screw if you can live with those card conflicts.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a short indoor screw for chipboard, flooring, or a carcass at 30 mm, and you will check the length on arrival.
Less suitable: You need 50 mm, direct rain on the head, or a listing whose finish and diameter fields already agree.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is this SPAX box?
The title says 4 x 30 mm, 200 pieces, full thread, flat countersunk head, cross recess Z2, 4CUT, YELLOX. The outside-diameter field says 8 mm, and a thread field says M3.5.
Is the finish yellow zinc or powder coated?
The title and the exterior-finish field say yellow zinc. Finish types says powder coated. Both lines are on the card.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Grip in the head, a sharp tip, loft chipboard, flooring, and fence repairs. One UK review says the length was not what they ordered. The listing line is 4.7 from 1,209.
The SPAX Pozi kit, ASIN B00LXESS1U, is the only box in this set whose bullets include free SPAX bits and a bit holder, at about £21.49. The title says 199 pieces, a bullet says a set of 195 screws, and the unit count says 198, so you cannot quote one number. The star line is 4.7 from only 30 ratings, and the Best Sellers Rank sits in screwdriver bit sets rather than screws. Three UK texts praise the standard and the compact case, and one would not pay full price and calls the bit holder generic. Bullets name wood, chipboard, plastic, and thin sheet metal, plus yellow zinc, while thread coverage says both fully threaded and partially threaded. Diameter fields print 5 mm and the size string mixes 20 x 5 mm with 60 mm, so length is not a single figure. It is a bits-in-the-lid option only if you accept a 30-rating sample and a piece count that disagrees with itself.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want yellow Pozidriv screws and bits in one case, and you will count the compartments when the parcel arrives.
Less suitable: You want a known 200-piece length, a deep review sample, or a stainless screw for weather.
Specifications
Common questions
How many screws are in this SPAX kit?
The title says 199 pieces. A bullet says a set of 195 screws. The unit count says 198. The bullets also say free SPAX bits and a bit holder in a plastic case.
What does the listing say they are for?
The bullets say wood, chipboard, plastic and thin sheet metal, yellow zinc, Pozi drive, and no pre-drilling. The chipboard question on the page has no answer line.
What do the UK reviews say?
Three UK texts. They praise the standard and the compact case with bits. One would not pay full price and calls the bit holder generic. The listing line is 4.7 from 30.
The 245-piece SPAX case, ASIN B00AJGJOTI, lists 3.5 x 16 mm through 5 x 60 mm in yellow zinc with a Pozidriv drive at about £20.80. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 197 ratings, a smaller sample than any of the 200-piece single lengths. Nine UK texts are almost all praise for ordinary DIY and a lid that closes, and one calls the set expensive. The bullets say yellow-passivated and made in Germany, while the colour field says gray and there is no origin field to match the Germany bullet. The head-type field says testa svasata, and the thread-coverage field says fully threaded even though an assortment does not print one thread map. You get several popular lengths in one plastic case, which helps when you do not know tomorrow’s size, at a price close to 200 of the stainless 4 x 40 mm screws. It is the mixed indoor case if you accept a thinner UK sample and a colour field that does not say yellow.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a household case of popular indoor sizes and you will sort the compartments yourself.
Less suitable: You already know you need 200 of one length, a stainless screw for rain, or a colour field that matches the screws.
Specifications
Common questions
Which lengths are on the SPAX 245-piece card?
The size field lists 3.5 x 16, 4 x 30, 4 x 35, 4 x 40, 4.5 x 50, and 5 x 60 mm. The bullets say yellow zinc, Pozidriv, and a plastic case.
Does the colour field match the bullets?
The bullets say yellow zinc. The colour field says gray. The head-type field says testa svasata.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Nine UK texts. Buyers describe them as better than cheap screws, handy for DIY, with a lid that closes. One calls them expensive. The listing line is 4.6 from 197.
Five amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 21 October 2026. Each stored total is job match, stars, review sample, listing consistency and value added together. Scaled to 100 from the highest-scoring row, those blocks are 32, 22, 23, 12 and 11. A lower row does not use the same split. There is no pull-out test, no salt-spray test, and no check that a box matches a structural ETA. A star line is not a measured joint. The top pick is the stored award on the SPAX A2 4 x 40 mm. The best value is the stored award on the SPAX YELLOX 4 x 30 mm, the lowest shelf price in this set. Prices, stars and counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in the display file.
Job match
32%Whether the listing matches the job in front of you: stainless for direct weather, or a yellow interior screw of a length you have measured. A mixed case scores for usefulness when the next size is unknown.
Stars
22%The amazon.co.uk star line on the stored page. Stars are not a pull-out test and not a salt-spray result.
Review sample
23%How large the amazon.co.uk review count is. A high star line from 30 ratings does not outrank a sample of several thousand.
Listing consistency
12%Whether the title, the specification fields and the UK reviews agree on drive, finish, diameter and piece count. A clash stays on the card.
Value
11%Shelf price in GBP inside this set. The lowest price is not treated as the usual UK trade price.
Judge the environment, then the thread, then a drive you can fit, then the length, then whether the title agrees with itself. A star line does not settle a powder-coated field, a gray colour field, or a piece count that prints three numbers.
SPAX screws are branded wood screws from SPAX International, which has a GB office at Four Ashes, Wolverhampton, with boxes sold on amazon.co.uk. You judge a box by diameter, length, full or partial thread, the recess, and whether the metal is coated steel or stainless. Then you check that the screws which arrive match the title. A star line is not a measured joint, and this page is not a pull-out test or a salt-spray test.
Z2 is Pozidriv size 2, not Phillips. A Phillips bit cams out of a Pozidriv recess. T-STAR plus needs the matching star bit. If a title says T20 and a review found T15, look at the head before you buy another box.
YELLOX is yellow zinc for dry interior work. WIROX is the sheltered-outdoor coating, and SPAX says it does not replace stainless. Direct rain needs A2. Coastal salt is A4. A fence-repair comment on a yellow box does not change that.
A powder-coated line, a gray colour field, an 8 mm diameter, or a thread field that says #0-80 does not override a 4 mm title. The same applies when the piece count is 199, 195 and 198 on one card. Measure a screw from the parcel.
Interior and dry timber can be YELLOX, which is yellow zinc on steel. Sheltered open structures are the maker’s WIROX use class 2 story, including carports and pergolas, and WIROX is still not stainless. SPAX says WIROX does not replace stainless steel. Rain, fences and decking move you to A2. Coastal salt is the maker’s A4 warning, not a yellow box. The stainless listing kept here is A2, partial thread, 4 x 40 mm. None of the yellow titles is a decking system.
Full thread grips both pieces and suits boards you are fixing down. Partial thread clamps the top piece to the bottom. The A2 4 x 40 mm listing is partial thread. Both single-length YELLOX listings are full thread. Full thread at 50 mm can reach a thicker second piece, and it can jack a gap if both boards are threaded the whole way. Z2 is Pozidriv size 2, not Phillips. A Phillips bit in a Pozidriv head is a common mistake. T-STAR plus needs the matching star bit.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one yellow length that a PZ2 bit can hold, for a loft board, flooring or a carcass at about 30 mm. The SPAX YELLOX 4 x 30 mm is the best value at about £4.27 for 200, with 4.7 from 1,209 amazon.co.uk ratings. Check the length on arrival. Finish types says powder coated against a yellow-zinc title.
Fences, cladding and any screw that rain will reach want stainless A2. Coastal salt is the maker’s A4 warning, which is not a yellow box. The SPAX A2 4 x 40 mm is the top pick at about £20.02 for 200, with 4.8 from 4,208 ratings. The title says T20, and UK reviews report T15 and a cross-head delivery. There is no bit in the box.
You do not know tomorrow’s length and you want popular indoor sizes in one plastic case. The SPAX assortment 245 lists 3.5 x 16 mm through 5 x 60 mm at about £20.80, with 4.6 from 197 ratings. The bullets say yellow zinc. The colour field says gray. It is not a stainless screw for rain.
The top pick is the SPAX A2 4 x 40 mm at about £20.02: 200 stainless screws, partial thread, 4.8 from 4,208 amazon.co.uk ratings, when rain will reach a 40 mm screw. UK reviews say the box has no driver bit, and they report a T15 head and a cross-head delivery against a T20 title. The best value is the SPAX YELLOX 4 x 30 mm, 200 full-thread Z2 screws at about £4.27, 4.7 from 1,209 ratings, for a short dry interior job if you check the length on arrival. Finish types says powder coated against a yellow-zinc title. The 4 x 50 mm box at about £18.95 is not the value pick. None of these scores is a pull-out test, and yellow zinc is not stainless.
SPAX A2 4 x 40 mm
Stainless 4 x 40 mm box of 200 at about £20.02, 4.8 from 4,208 ratings, for direct weather, if you look at the recess before you buy a bit.
SPAX YELLOX 4 x 30 mm
Lowest shelf price in this set, about £4.27 for 200, with the second-highest score. The powder-coated field and one wrong-length review stay in the cons.
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, no salt-spray test, and no pull-out value. A yellow assortment is not treated as ETA-12/0114.
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.
