Tek screws - what are they?

We get asked for tek screws every day, but what are they and what are they used for? The term 'Tek screws' covers a large range of products for a variety of different applications so it is important that you purchase the correct tek screw for your job. Tek screws, also called self-drilling screws, are self-tapping fasteners that have a drill bit end allowing them to be used for screwing materials such as wood and metal together without pre-drilling. Tek screws are best fitted with a high-speed impact drive.

They come in a range of shapes and sizes which can be broken down into four categories: hexagon head, countersunk, pan head and low-profile head. FYI - 'Tek screws' is the most common spelling, but you may also see tec screws, tech screws, tex screws, teck screws and probably many more! Rest assured that they are all referring to the same principle of a self-tapping fastener which has a drill point

How do they work?

Tek screws have a self-tapping thread (this means that they will cut their own thread into the fixing substrate), and a drilling point. The combination of both provides you with a fast and efficient means of attaching two materials together. Whereas with a traditional self-tapping screw you would have to pre-drill the hole first to accept the fastener, with self-drilling screws you do not need to pilot drill first - this function is performed by the tek screw during installation. Depending on which tek screws you have, the material thicknesses and types will vary from application to application, but all tek screws will work the same way - they will pilot drill through the first material, before drilling and fastening into the second material.

The different types

Hexagon Head Tek Screws

Countersunk Tek Screws

Pan Head Tek Screws

Low Profile Tek Screws

Hex Head Tek Screws

Hex Head Tek Screws are mostly used in the roofing industry for self drilling through metal. The two most common options for hex head tek screws are TEK-3 & TEK-5 hex head screws with EPDM washers. The TEK-3 option will drill through 3.5mm steel and the TEK-5 option will drill through 12.5mm steel. They are mainly used for fixing cladding and roofing sheets, and the EPDM washer helps to create a waterproof seal. We also have a range of smaller hex head screws and stitching screws, for fixing thin gauge metals, and gash point screws for fixing thin gauge metal to timber.

View Hex Head Tek Screws

Countersunk Tek Screws

Countersunk Tek Screws are used for fixing timber substrates to metal without the need to pre-drill. Our range includes light (TEK-3) and heavy (TEK-5) section wing tipped countersunk self drilling tek screws, used for securing timber to steel substrates. The TEK-3 option will drill through 3.5mm steel and the TEK-5 option will drill through 12.5mm steel. We also now have a SUPERTEK-7 range of countersunk tek screws which will self-drill into 18mm thick steel, and they have a torx drive for high torque.

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Pan Head Tek Screws

Pan Head Tek Screws are for light duty metal to metal fixings. They are a very popular fixing sold to many industries & for a multitude of applications. These screws eliminate the need to pre-drill the hole and are much faster than traditional self tapping screws which require pilot-drilling. We have moved our range of pan head tek screws to torx drive as this gives the user higher torque and less cam-out when installing.

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Low Profile Tek Screws

Low Profile Tek Screws include baypole, pancake head and wafer head tek screws, which are used where a low profile or un-obtrusive fixing is required. The head sits almost flush with the material once installed, meaning that this type of fixing is popular for use in sliding tracks for moving parts where space is limited, or on surfaces exposed to high traffic such as wall/floor panels.

View Low-Profile Head Tek Screws