Screw won't go into the wall? Find the cause and fix it
A screw that stops, spins or won't bite is hitting something. Learn how to tell a stud, metal plate, masonry or a stripped hole apart, and fix each one.
Hub
Fasteners & anchors
Screws, wall anchors, nails, bolts and snap rings. Find the right fastener for your wall or material, and fix screws that won't go in or won't stay put.
This hub is for the moment something won't go in, won't stay in, or you're not sure what to use. It covers screws, wall anchors, nails, bolts, and the small rings and clips that hold parts on a shaft.
Most fastener trouble comes down to a mismatch. The screw is wrong for the material, the anchor is wrong for the wall, or there's no pilot hole. So the guides are grouped by the job, not by the part.
How to pick a guide:
- Something already went wrong? Start with screw won't go into the wall, or the stripped and stuck guides.
- Hanging something? Go to wall anchors, or concrete and brick if the wall is masonry.
- Choosing a tool or a part? See screws, nail guns, or our coil vs stick framing nailer comparison.
- Working on a machine, bike or mower? The snap ring guides start with how to remove a snap ring without pliers.
Each cluster below starts with one main guide, then the smaller fixes. Material pages show what holds best in drywall, wood, concrete and steel.
Safety basics for this job
- Think about what's behind the wall. Code calls for steel plates where cables pass within 1 1/4 inches of a stud's face. If a screw stops on metal, stop and move over.
- Wear safety glasses. Chips fly when you drill or drive into masonry and metal. OSHA requires eye protection at work for flying particles, and it makes sense at home too.
- Use a full sequential trigger on nail guns. NIOSH and OSHA say a full sequential trigger is the safest choice. Keep your free hand well away from the nose.
- Match the anchor to the load. Check the weight on the package, and use a stud or a pro install for anything heavy overhead.
Start here
Coil vs stick framing nailer: which one should you buy?
Coil framing nailers can hold 200+ nails per load. Stick nailers hold fewer but come in more nail angles. Compare specs, nail types and safety.
How to remove a snap ring without pliers
No snap ring pliers? Use needle-nose pliers, two small screwdrivers or a pick, matched to the ring type. Here's which method fits which ring, done safely.
Topics in this hub
Wall anchors & hanging things
Which anchor holds in drywall, plaster, tile or concrete, and what to do when a screw or anchor spins or won't bite.
Concrete & brick fasteners
Tapcon, sleeve, wedge and drop-in anchors: which one to use, the bit size, and how to remove a broken one.
Screws: types & sizes
Wood, drywall, deck, lag and self-drilling screws, head and drive types, and how to pick the right size.
Pilot holes
When you need a pilot hole, what size to drill, and how to stop wood from splitting.
Stripped & stuck
Get out stripped screws, rounded bolts, snapped heads and rusted nuts, easiest method first.
Snap rings & clips
Snap rings, circlips and E-clips: how to tell them apart, remove them and put them back.
Nails & nail guns
Framing, finish and brad nailers, nail sizes, and what to check when a nail gun won't fire.
Finding studs
Find a stud with or without a stud finder, in drywall or old plaster walls.
Bolts & threads
Read bolt size and thread pitch, tell SAE from metric, and look up basic torque values.
Tools for this hub
- Screw & anchor selector (wall type × weight)
- Pilot hole chart (printable PDF)
- Screw head & drive types chart (printable PDF)
Materials
All fasteners & anchors guides
Types of nail guns and what each one is for
Eight nail gun types, the nails each one shoots and the jobs they fit, from framing and roofing to brad and pin. Plus air vs cordless and trigger safety.
How to install quarter round without a nail gun
No nail gun? Hand-nail quarter round with finish nails and a nail set, or glue it with construction adhesive. Fasten it to the baseboard, not the floor.
Coil vs stick framing nailer: which one should you buy?
Coil framing nailers can hold 200+ nails per load. Stick nailers hold fewer but come in more nail angles. Compare specs, nail types and safety.
What is a nailer board? (Framing term explained)
A nailer board is a strip of lumber added only to give you something to nail into. Where nailers go for drywall, cabinets, crown, roof edges and turf.
Screw won't go into the wall? Find the cause and fix it
A screw that stops, spins or won't bite is hitting something. Learn how to tell a stud, metal plate, masonry or a stripped hole apart, and fix each one.
How to remove a spanner nut without the spanner wrench
Lost the pin wrench? Loosen a grinder flange nut, faucet nut or slotted ring nut with pliers, a strap wrench or a basin wrench. No hammer and screwdriver.
How to remove a snap ring without pliers
No snap ring pliers? Use needle-nose pliers, two small screwdrivers or a pick, matched to the ring type. Here's which method fits which ring, done safely.