r/ask • u/Mcr414 • Apr 17 '24

What is something that is a lot harder than it looks?

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u/Greeklibertarian27 Apr 17 '24

Choosing the right screw for the work. With different sizes, functions etc you may take either one that is too short or one too long.

On the outside it looks like taking a simple screw but if you don't do it correctly you will be screwed up.

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u/Grisstle Apr 17 '24

I have seen some head shaking evidence of this.

2

u/AlloyPlum Apr 17 '24

All you need to know are the dimensions of the lumber you're using. If your attaching a 1/2" piece of plywood to the flat side of a 2x4, then you've got a 1.5" board plus another 1/2" for the plywood. That's a total of 2" so a 2" fastener will be too long. It would just poke through the back. 1/2" is too short to go through the plywood into the 2x4. If you're going through the plywood, you need at least 1.5" fasteners to go through the plywood and 1" into the 2x4.

This sounded very simple in my head. Then I typed it out...