Introduction

Whether you are looking to secure ½” or 5/8” drywall sheets to your ceiling joists or wall studs, collated drywall screws are your best bet. One great advantage you will have with these screws is faster installation, thanks to their auto-feed nature. 

Although collated screws can be twice as costly as bulk screws, their labor savings are worth it. Especially for drywall installers who make a living by completing a given square area of “footage” in a day’s time, the more sheets installed, the more money made.

Labor Reduction/ Ease of Use

Getting the right tools ensures that you not only perform your work faster but also deliver the best possible results. In the case of hanging drywall sheets, having collated screw guns and Tracer collated screws or Senco collated screws can be extremely useful.

The design of collated screws makes them user-friendly. When using a screw gun, you don’t have to apply a lot of force to drive the screws in. Moreover, collated screws make for a quick installation process since you can use them with many types of screw guns if you have the correct nose cone attachment (sometimes referred to as a strip screw magazine).

Pros of Using Collated Drywall Screws

The pros of collated screws include:

• They are easy to use
• Minimal overall force is required to drive the screw into the drywall
• You can use them with screw guns
• The screw cannot strip into the drywall and draw powder. Therefore, you can use your driver many times.

However, driving the screws vertically upwards into a ceiling can result in powder dropping into your power driver, consequently jamming it. Also, you need more initial force to disengage the strip from the screw and drive through the drywall as opposed to merely driving the screw into the wood. This is particularly disadvantageous when driving collated screws into the ceiling or at arms-length to one side. While collated screws might work well with standard drywall application, they are often unsuitable when working with weaker materials such as cladding panels.

For some additional reading, here is a great comparison article between the 5 most common screw guns and there strip screw attachments.

Conclusion

If you desire to hang your drywall faster and with minimal force, choose collated screws. Although the screws have some disadvantages, the compatibility with screw guns and the ease of use makes them an irresistible choice.