Wood Screws vs Hex Lag Screws: What’s the Difference?


Hex lag screws by Monroe

When shopping for fasteners, you may come across wood screws and hex lag screws. They are commonly used in carpentry and other woodworking applications. They both feature a sharp tip, and they are both designed for use with wooden objects. Hex lag screws, however, feature a unique design that distinguishes them from all other wood screws.

What Are Wood Screws?

Wood screws are threaded fasteners that are designed for use with wooden objects and workpieces. They typically feature a sharp tip and coarse threading.

Some wood screws may be fully threaded, whereas others are only partially threaded. Partially threaded wood screws are designed to pull the objects or workpieces with which they are used together. Therefore, they offer a higher level of security than their fully threaded counterparts.

What are Hex Lag Screws?

Hex lag screws are threaded fasteners with a hexagonal head. Like wood screws, they typically feature a sharp tip and coarse threading, and they are also designed for use with wooden objects and workpieces. Hex lag screws are strong threaded fasteners with a hexagonal head.

You can find hex lag screws in different materials. Some of them are made of stainless steel. Other hex lag screws are made of low-carbon or high-carbon steel. Regardless, hex lag screws share a few common characteristics. They are threaded fasteners with a pointed tip and a hexagonal head.

Differences Between Wood Screws and Hex Lag Screws

What’s the difference between wood screws and hex lag screws exactly? Technically speaking, hex lag screws are a type of wood screw. The term “wood screw” is used to describe any threaded fastener with a pointed tip that’s driven into wood. Hex lag screws fall under this category. They feature a head with a specific drive type, a threaded shank and a pointed tip. You can drive hex lag screws into wood using the right tool.

One of the primary differences between wood screws and hex lag screws involves the head. Hex lag screws have a hexagonal head. That’s why they are known as “hex lag screws.” Wood screws, on the other hand, are available in a variety of head styles.

Hex lag screws are also larger than most other wood screws. They feature a thick shank, making them ideal for heavy-duty fastening applications. Wood screws are available in different sizes, but most of them are smaller than hex lag screws.

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