Bolts vs Screws: Difference between Bolts and Screws

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Written by Anup Kumar Dey

Bolt s and Screws are t wo unique mechanical fast eners used t o hold t wo or more
component s t oget her. Many believe t hat bolt and screw refer t o t he same fast ening
hardware as t hey look similar and possess quit e similar feat ures. Even in naked eyes, bolt s
vs screws seem t o be t he same as much difference bet ween a bolt and a screw is not
observed. But as per engineering applicat ions and underst anding, t here are differences
bet ween bolt s and screws. In t his art icle, we will explore t he charact erist ic feat ures of
bolt s vs screws.

What is a Bolt?
A bolt is a mechanical fast ener wit h a cylindrical t hreaded shaft used t o assemble
unt hreaded object s. Usually, t he t erm bolt refers t o a fast ener having only part of it s
shaft t hreaded. In general, a bolt is insert ed t hrough part s having unt hreaded holes and
t hen a nut is screwed t o provide a clamping force and prevent axial movement .

Bolt s vs
Screws

The part of
t he shaft
t hat is
unt hreaded
is t ermed
as ‘t he
shank’. The
bolt head
and nut
prevent
axial
movement
and t he shaft of t he bolt rest rict s radial movement of t he part s. The unt hreaded shank
provides a more precise and less abrasive int erface wit h t he part s. At t he same t ime, t he
shank does not cont ain st ress concent rat ions due t o being unt hreaded.

What is a Screw?
A Screw is a mechanical fast ener having a t hreaded cylindrical or t apered shaft used t o
engage part s wit h t hreads. Screws wit h t apered shaft s are self-t hreading means t hread
cut s int o t he mat erial while t he screw is t urned. Screws have t heir ent ire shaft t hreaded.

The frict ion at t he t hreads is t he force t hat keeps t he part s securely fast ened. This
frict ion is generat ed by t he applied t orque in t he case of machine screws whereas for
self-t apping screws t he radial expansion of t he hole creat es a major part of t his frict ion.

Bolts vs Screws: Differences between Bolts and Screws

Now t hat Bolt s and Screws are clear, let ’s find out t he differences bet ween t hem.

Difference bet ween Bolt s and Screws

Bolts vs Screws-Construction
As per t he const ruct ion of Bolt s and Screws, Bolt s usually have part ially t hreaded uniform
cross-sect ions but Screws can have t apered shaft s. So t he cross-sect ion may vary
according t o t he lengt h of t he screws. Also, for screws, t he ent ire lengt h is t hreaded.

Bolts vs Screws-Application
To secure a bolt ed joint s, nut s are required whereas t he screws work on t heir own wit hout
t he requirement of nut s. Somet imes washers are also added in bolt s.

During t he inst allat ion of a bolt ed joint , t he t orque is applied at t he nut whereas for
screws t he t orque is applied at t he screw.
Bolt s are always used wit h un-t hreaded part s whereas Screws are used wit h t hreaded
part s. In case t he t hread is not available, t he self-t apping screws creat e t hose while
inst allat ion.

Screws vs Bolts-Clamping Force

The nut and bolt assembly creat es a very high clamping force keeping t he member in
bet ween under compression. On t he ot her hand, Screws are used where clamping force
requirement is low.

Bolts vs Screws-Load Carrying Capability

The reliabilit y of bolt ed joint s is very high. Bolt s can carry high loads. For increasing load
carrying capabilit ies, larger size bolt s are used in const ruct ion indust ries. But , Screws have
a lower load-carrying capabilit y and t hey are not available in larger sizes. The reliabilit y of
Screws is moderat e.

Other differences between Bolts and Nuts

As nut s are used t o t ight en a bolt , t he lengt h of t he bolt s must be more t han t he widt h of
t he part s t hrough which it is prot ruding. On t he cont rary, t he lengt h of screws is usually
less t han t he widt h of t he assembled component s.

Bolt s are usually fast ened using a spanner or ot her t ools whereas Screws are normally
t ight ened using a screwdriver or a driver bit .

Removing a bolt is usually easier t han removing a screw.

The cost of Bolt s is usually higher t han t hat of Screws. So, Bolt ing is a cost lier opt ion
whereas screws are cheaper.

A range of Bolt s and Screws are available for engineering applicat ions. Different t ypes of
Bolt s include anchor bolt s, arbor bolt s, elevat or bolt s, hanger bolt s, hex bolt s, J bolt s, lag
bolt s, rock bolt s, shoulder bolt s, and U bolt s; which are available in a wide range of
mat erials like st eel, st ainless st eel, brass, bronze, nylon, plast ic, et c. Similarly, different
t ypes of screws are hip-board screws, part icleboard screws, deck screws, drive screws,
hammer drive screws, drywall screws, eye screws, dowel screws, wood screws, t win-fast
screws, securit y head screws, and sheet met al screws; t he mat erial of t hese screws also
vary depending on t he applicat ion.

Should I use bolts or screws?

Using bolt s or screws will be decided based on t he applicat ions. Screws are used for
medium holding power whereas bolt s are t he best for heavy-dut y project s. In general,
screws are used for sheet met al, plywood, drywall, pressboard, deck planks, et c.
Alt ernat ely, bolt s are usually used for beams, concret es, and st uds.
Are screws and bolts the same?
No, bolt s and screws are not t he same. The principal difference bet ween bolt s and
screws is t hat screws are used for t hreaded object s and bolt s for unt hreaded object s.

Which is stronger: Bolt or Screw?

Bolt s have great er holding st rengt h as compared t o screws. This is t he reason t hat bolt s
are used for high load-bearing applicat ions.