where to buy 3" wood screws and what size


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Old 11-14-16, 09:06 AM
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where to buy 3" wood screws and what size

Recommendations are to put 3" wood screws for door hinges and strikeplates into door jamb for better security on exterior doors. But the longest wood screw at home improvement stores is 2 1/4" Where can I find 3" screws? Also, what size? #8 or #10? The head must be large enough to not go through hole in hinge. But not too large diameter at top nonthreaded portion to so it won't total seat in hinge hole.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 09:12 AM
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I've used deck screws when it wasn't important that they weren't brass. What makes you think that a 3" screw will be that much more secure? The main thing is for the screw to go into and be secured by a stud [not just the jamb]
 
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Old 11-14-16, 09:34 AM
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I meant stud not just jamb. Might need longer screw if using 1/8" steel striker plates or two 1/16" plates glued together until I can buy reinforcement kit like REBAR at kickproof. com.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 09:44 AM
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Box stores have all lengths of screws... look for #12 or #14 x 3" stainless screws in either single quantities (in drawer section of hardware) on in small quantity packages hanging on hooks with sheet metal screws and such.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 09:49 AM
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A good hardware store will have 3" screws. If you go to Home Depot look in the aisle where the nail guns are....the longer/heavier stuff will be there.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 10:07 AM
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I never use wood screws for hinges. One third of a wood screw has no threads. Because the hinge leaf is only about 1/8" thick that leaves almost an inch of unthreaded screw in the wood. Look at the screws that normally come with hinges. They are sheet metal screws with threads all the way. For your purposes though as suggested decking screws are fine. However for best hold you need sheet metal screws.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 03:04 PM
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Sheet metal screws have a pan head and will not work in a hinge.
I've never even seen a 3" sheet metal screw.
What difference would it make if there's no threads all the way up to the head, You need a clearance hole through the jamb anyway, then there's just air space before the threads hit the stud.
I always forget what gauge the screw needs to be by the time I go to pick them up, best is to just take one with you, loose it or forget to bring it just go to the shelve where the loose hinges are and match it up.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 06:42 PM
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Not all sheet metal screws are pan head. Some are flat head.

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Old 11-14-16, 08:08 PM
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To add to Ray's advice for sheet metal screws rather than wood screws, because a typical residential door frame is 3/4" or less thick, and there's usually an open gap between the frame and stud, so that a long wood screw ends up with mostly the unthreaded portion going thru the frame. Once the head comes into contact with the strike plate or hinge, further tightening will draw the frame into the wall. While this may be a desirable thing, in the case of say a top hinge, where you're trying to raise a sagging door, it's not good in the case of a strike plate, where pulling the frame in opens up the gap between it and the door. So for the strike plate, the all-thread sheet metal screw will have a tendency to tighten up without pulling the frame in, as threads in both frame and stud tend to "lock" the two components together, and better resist a pry-bar attack.

The tendency for frame distortion when using wood screws depends a great deal on where the builder has placed the shims, with one set ideally being right at the strike plate, which would prevent much distortion as the long screws are tightened. Also, if you have very thick elaborate door trim, this can help resist distortion. Nevertheless, use sheet metal screws if you don't want the frame to move.

As far as the length, the requirement will vary from door to door, because of the wide differences found in the interior gap between frame and stud. You can usually look into the deadbolt or latch hole, and with a little probing, determine the general depth needed to contact the stud. As long as you get at least an inch of screw into the stud (properly pilot-drilled) you'll be well off.
 
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Old 11-14-16, 08:17 PM
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Sheet-metal screws are readily available with a variety of head and slot styles as well as different grades of stainless steel and zinc-coated regular steel. Three-inch length are not difficult to find.

I buy a lot of screw fasteners mail order from Bolt Depot (do a Google). They sell by each as well as in quantity and they beat the local old-time hardware store in price by a wide margin. No minimum order that I recall although the shipping charges are enough to discourage buying just a few items. (I have no connection to Bolt Depot other than as a multi-time satisfied customer.)
 
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Old 11-14-16, 08:27 PM
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And I wouldn't have a runaway with replacing all the hinge screws....presuming you have 3 hinges, the middle one is the one that has to resist a kick-in attempt, so replacing the 2 screws nearest the wall center on the center hinge will do the most good.

AS I'm sure you're aware, the strike plate area is more important, as this is where a kick is usually attempted. Longer screws used to fasten a regular strike plate should be angled back slightly, so as to penetrate the stud closer to it's center. If you drill straight back, you'll penetrate the stud near it's edge, reducing the security. That's why many aftermarket security strike plates that have 2 rows of screw holes, instruct you to use the longer screws supplied on the row of holes closest to the frame center.

These are all nit-picky things, but they add up.
 
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Old 11-15-16, 06:34 PM
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Decided to install $69 steel door reinforcement kit. Even police battering ram fails to break down door when installed. Kits come with 3" screws to install steel reinforcement at door jamb and hinges (steel door so don't need reinforcement in knob/deadbolt area.) Also, upgrading my deadbolts to class 1 Smartkey technology which are hard to pick, bump or drill. BTW. My door hinges are 4" with 4 holes with two holes offset but wimpy metal.
 
 

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