While nails tend to be more flexible and hold up better against shear pressure—or lateral force—screws have much better grip and tensile strength, which ultimately keeps drywall from pulling away from the studs. When it comes to holding power, screws simply can't be beaten.
Drywall nails
The nails drive into drywall and plaster walls at an angle, which allows them to use the wall surface as leverage and support. These are perfect for hanging items up to about 20 pounds. If you have a picture that is heavier than that, use a flat-mounted hook and anchor.
In general, screws have better holding power and superior strength than nails, and they are more easily removable.
For hanging drywall on ceilings, you may want to go with the longer drywall screw. For hanging drywall on walls, you can use either the long or short drywall screw.
When installing 1/2 inch drywall, nails or screws should be at least 1 1/4 inches long and nails should be of a ring shank variety to provide better security and reduce the chances of “popping”. 3/4 inch drywall necessitates a slightly longer 1 1/2 inch nail or 1 3/8 inch screw.
A nail is drywall is only able to hold a few pounds at most and should not exceed 10 pounds of weight. To can significantly increase the weight capacity by using drywall anchors or nailing into a stud.
Screws can rip right through certain materials, making them a poor fastener choice for weak, thin woods. Door skin (1/8-inch plywood) and similar materials may allow screw heads to sink or rip right through. Very soft woods such as balsa will also sink or dent under the pressure of a screw head being driven in.
A screw is better than nails as it holds the things better than a nail. This is due to the presence of threading in screws that grips the surrounding material tightly. Also screws are easier to control than nails and can be removed easily.
The answer is: It Depends. In many applications where force is placed vertically along the installation, a screw is a better choice, but in situations where the force is placed adjacent to the installation a nail is a better choice.
Choosing the right drywall screw
Most common — 1-1/4”: Use 1-1/4” drywall screws to secure 1/2″ drywall installed on wood-stud walls. These coarse-thread screws typically feature phosphate coatings, which better protect against rust compared to zinc coatings.
Hold the hammer near the center of the handle (never by the head) and tap the nail lightly. Once the tip of the nail is far enough into the wall that it can stand on its own, remove the sheet of cardboard. Then, continue to hammer until the nail is firmly in place.
The fasteners may be used interchangeably at times, but one will generally work better than the other. For example, if you are planning on installing subflooring or drywall, screws tend to be the preferred fastener because they tend to hold tighter, longer.
What's the main difference between nails and screws? While they may sometimes look similar, these standard or custom fasteners are definitely not the same. Essentially, screws offer more resistance to breaking under tension, while nails have better resistance to motion.
Screws provide a strong, clean bond for woodworking. They are easier to remove than nails and tend to damage a project less in removal. Screws can be used for all types of wood bonding and are easier to control than nails.
Cons: Perhaps the biggest con with nails is that they aren't as easy to remove as screws. In fact, removing nails can frequently cause cosmetic damage to the item you're removing them from.
In heavy-duty applications, such as screw jacks, a square thread or buttress thread is used, because it has the lowest friction and wear.
“Because drywall is too weak to hang things from, a drywall anchor is necessary,” explains Matt Michaels, a spokesman for Lowe's Home Improvement in Charlotte, NC. The anchor essentially allows you to insert screws into the wall without causing the soft drywall to crumble around it.
Simple Answer: NO – A screw directly into drywall will not hold. You need to use some type of picture hanging hardware to hang a heavy picture securely. The threads of a screw into only drywall, without an anchor, will NOT permanently hold in the drywall. It will just pull right back out sooner or later.
Drywall does a very poor job of holding nails. It is important to drive the finish nails into the wall studs to secure the baseboard.
Screws typically pop out of drywall for one of two reasons: they were installed too deep, or the studs have expanded and contracted. If you drive a screw too deep through the drywall and into the stud, it may pop out. As you may know, drywall panels are covered in a thin layer of paper-like material.