Self-drilling screws, often called Tek screws, save you time and effort by drilling their own holes and fastening in a single operation. They feature a notched tip that drills it’s own hole in metal and then forms or taps mating threads. Designed for speed and convenience, a properly specified self-drilling screw requires only a Screwgun for installation, eliminating the need for a pilot bit or a pre-drilled hole. Self-drilling screws are available in different head styles and materials and can be used for a variety of different applications such as fastening Metal to Metal or Wood to Metal. Teks will not fasten securely into wood so are best specified for applications where metal is the base layer of a fastened assembly. In this scenario a Tek, (self-drilling) screw works very well for securing wood, steel siding, rigid insulation and other construction materials to a suitable metal backing. Pan Head Teks are manufactured of case-hardened steel with a Clear Zinc Chromate plating to provide protection against normal atmospheric corrosion. They are also available in 400 series stainless steel for use in wetter or more severe environments when corrosion is a concern.
When selecting a self-drilling screw it is critical to match the screws drill capacity range, (Cut Depth), to the thickness of the metal being fastened. Tek screws can drill no deeper into metal than the length of the pilot tip on the screw. As a general rule, after installation a minimum of three screw threads should protrude past the back side of the supporting/fastened metal. Please see the Technical Specs section of this web page for specific cut depth capacity information. Successful installation of these self-drilling screws requires using a screw gun with a 0-2500 rpm range.