Not all screws are made equal and it is important to consider what purpose you need the screws for. If you use a screw meant for steel it will most likely not work well for woodwork projects. Even within woodworking there are different types of woods that have varying properties including hardness or softness. One of the softer types of carpentry options is MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard.
MDF is affordable and versatile and rivals plywood and similar engineered wood projects in these aspects. It’s easy to work with because of its smooth surface and is ideal for light carpentry projects. While it is overall great to work with, many screws result in splitting of the MDF and certain screws are more adept for using with MDF as a result.
We have found the best screws for MDF that will easily fasten into your MDF without stripping or splitting your project. These are high quality screw options with a great finish that will seamlessly fit into your woodworking projects that require MDF.
COMPARISON CHART
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1. Rok Hardware #8 x 1/2″
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2. Bolt Dropper Xylan Flat Head Phillips Wood Screw
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3. JQK #6 x 1/2″ Black Screw
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4. Rok Hardware 100 Pack #8 x 1-1/4″
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5. IMScrews Self Drilling Screw
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1. Rok Hardware #8 x 1/2″
Specification
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Drive System | Phillips |
| Exterior Finish | Stainless Steel |
| Point Style | Self-Drilling |
Features
- #8 x 1/2 inch (12.7mm) screws are well made with a nice coating and a great bite. Used for many woodworking needs.
- Extra-wide pan head that starts easier in wood and moves smoothly, preventing wood cracking and damage.
- Strong, good quality 1/2 inch (12.7mm) length wood screws perfect for your woodworking projects.
- A pack consists of 100 pieces of small wood screws. Save big by buying in bulk.
A wood screw with a washer built in the large head you can use to secure your woodworking projects. Can also be re-used since they seldom bend during removal, and they can even be reinserted into the same holes without sacrificing strength. Washer head screws look like regular round head screws with small washers set under their heads. The added surface area on the underside of the large head prevents them from sinking too deeply, especially when driven with power drivers. No stripping. Great bite. A screw with excellent holding power in particle board, MDF, and plastic composites.
WHAT WE LIKE
These screws are great. No stripping even when you run the drill fast and apply pressure; it’s also nice to have a slight washer built into the head for added stability. Quality is the same as the industrial grade. They have nice threads that hold well in mdf and other softer materials. The bulk package size ensures you have more than enough screws available for your projects.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The heads are a little off center which can make alignment a bit tricky. The screws could stand to be just a bit more “pointed” or “sharper” so they start easier. Some screws have a closed up slot possibly due to poor manufacturing or poor quality control.
PROS
- No stripping
- Built in washer for ease of working
- Nice threads ideal for use in mdf
- Bulk package
- Quality same as industrial grade
CONS
- Head slightly off center
- Could be sharper
- Some closed up slots
2. Best Budget – Bolt Dropper Xylan Flat Head Phillips Wood Screw
Specification
| Material | Black Xylan |
| Drive System | Phillips |
| Head Style | Flat |
| Exterior Finish | Stainless Steel |
Features
- Flat Head Screws are made of 18-8 (304) Stainless Steel and Black Xylan Coating which is one of the highest forms of corrosion-resistant metals
- Bolt Dropper stainless hardware is great to have around for use in wood and wet environments
- Deep cut Philips Drive so stripping heads is a thing of the past.
- Great for use in MDF and particle board as Full Coarse thread that holds tight in composite woods.
BOLT DROPPER flat head wood screws are the only screws you will ever need to keep your applications secure and withstand the tests of time. Bolt Dropper flat head wood screws are solid stainless steel, but we took it a step further and coated our already incredibly resistant stainless screws with black Xylan to offer the best possible protection. Stop stripping screw heads and try our deep cut Phillips drive. Our wood screws ensure the bit fits deep and snug in the head to help reduce stripping.
WHAT WE LIKE
These screws are excellent. Great holding power. Easy to drive without stripping the Phillips slots. Once seated, you can remove and reinstall these screws multiple times, as long as you avoid overdriving the screw and stripping the threads. These are a true black, the right gauge and length and the finish looks just like the picture.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The threads could be a bit deeper and a tiny bit further apart for optimum holding strength in softer wood. The coating came off of the head of quite a few screws after fastening. The black finish is not consistent probably due to poor quality control. More expensive screw option.
PROS
- Great holding power
- Easy to drive without stripping
- Can remove and reuse
- True black screw
- Right gauge, length and finish
CONS
- Threads could be deeper
- Coating comes off easily
- Poor quality control
3. Premium Choice – JQK #6 x 1/2″ Black Screw
Specification
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Drive System | Phillips |
| Head Style | Flat |
| Exterior Finish | Stainless Steel |
Features
- 18-8 premium-grade stainless steel for protection against corrosion & rust.
- Diameter: #6 | Length: 1/2″ | Thread Type: Coarse (standard) | Head: Flat Head |Quantity: 100 pcs | Material: 18-8 Stainless Steel.
- Great for softer materials, it works for pine, plywood, particle board, MDF and melamine
- Hard to Strip with deep cut Philips Drive. No stripping heads any more.(pre-drilling recommended)
A high quality black screw that can be used in numerous applications. Made with high quality stainless steel for extra strength and durability and coated to offer protection against corrosion and rust. With a deep cut Philips drive these screws are hard to strip. These screws are ideal for use in softer materials like MDF.
WHAT WE LIKE
The finish is not tarnished (you cannot scratch it using even 12V drill). Finish seems durable and matches the hardware exactly for a clean looking overall finish. Ideal size screws that are not always easy to find that come in bulk packages to make sure you have enough for your projects. These screws are easy to use and tend to hold most things well.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Screw points are missing making them impossible to use. These screws unfortunately strip too easily which is not ideal when working with softer material like MDF. Poor quality overall and this results in inconsistent screws in the set.
PROS
- Untarnished finish for clean look
- Matches hardware
- Ideal screw size that’s easy to use
- Bulk package
- Holds well to most materials
CONS
- Missing screw points
- Tend to strip
- Poor overall quality
4. Best for Durability – Rok Hardware 100 Pack #8 x 1-1/4″
Specification
| Material | Metal |
| Drive System | Phillips |
| Head Style | Pan |
| Exterior Finish | Painted |
Features
- Used for many woodworking needs
- Diameter: #8 I Length: 1-1/4 in
- Drive: Pan Head Phillips
- Material: steel with black finish to make it rust resistant.
A screw with excellent holding power in particle board, MDF, and plastic composites. With a black finish that prevents corrosion and rust and also adds to this screw’s durability. Useful for a range of woodworking needs, these screws will stay where you put them.
WHAT WE LIKE
Quality fastener screws that are not always readily available at your local hardware. They are made strong and don’t strip out like similar screw options. The steel used in these is decently hard, they will not strip out easily if your screw driver bounces out a few times. They do really well to hold steady into MDF at a great price.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The black coating rubs off and if not careful it will transfer to your work. The threads seem slightly shallower than similar screws. Smaller than expected.
PROS
- Quality screws not always easily available
- Strong and do not stop
- Made of hard steel
- Hold steady in MDF
- Great price
CONS
- Black coating might rub off
- Could be sharper
5. Best Self Drilling Screw – IMScrews Self Drilling Screw
Specification
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Drive System | Phillips |
| Head Style | Truss |
| Exterior Finish | Stainless Steel, Plastic, Metal, Steel |
Features
- Diameter: #8 (4.2mm), Length: 3/4 in (19mm), Material: 410 Stainless Steel
- Pack of 200pcs truss head screws in durable IMSCREWS plastic bag, to prevent losing, it can be reserved for a long time.
- The modified truss head is extra wide with a low-profile dome and integral round washer.
- 100% 410 Stainless Steel which is one of the highest forms of corrosion resistant steel, making it last longer than other hardware on the market today.
These screws have a sharp point to drill in wood and metal sheet, and coarse thread design to help grab into metal studs. The Phillips drive has #2 x-shaped slot that accepts the Phillips driver and is designed to allow the driver to slip out of the head to help prevent over-tightening and damage to the thread or fastener.
These screws are organized by Size / Type in a Transparent Storage bag for Quick Access and Protection in an IMSCREWS plastic bag. 410 Stainless Steel has high strength and hardness ratings and resists corrosion in mild environments. Self-drilling screws provide secure fastening with strong holding power without the need to pre-drill.
WHAT WE LIKE
The screws are of good quality and secured items well. The Phillips recess holds the bits tightly and does not strip at all. The screws are easy to use and do not rust. The cutting portion is sharp enough to screw in with ease.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
These screws are made in China and have very bad threads. There isn’t a deep enough thread to hold once they go in. Some actually didn’t appear to have a thread at all. Inconsistent quality control of screws.
PROS
- Good quality
- Secure items well
- Holds bits tightly without stripping
- Easy to use and do not rust
- Sharp cutting portion
CONS
- Bad threads
- Threads not deep enough
- Inconsistent quality control
Buyer’s Guide
You may wonder what to look out for when you are looking for when buying screws that are best for use in MDF and we have some key items to look at.
Material
Stainless steel is usually the best type of screw to use when working with MDF. While they are usually more expensive than their more affordable counterparts they are still the better option as they are usually rust and corrosion resistant. Moisture and temperature changes are often contributing factors to this especially for outside MDF projects. If you are busy with an indoor project then the more affordable zinc screws can be used.
Head
When working with MDF then flat head and pan head are the best choices. These options are ideal for projects that do not need fasteners to be flush with the work piece. The wider head also allows for easier joining and more stability when working with the screw.
Drive
Carpentry has come a long way and where previously a Phillips drive was the only way to install screws there are now a multitude of options. Many power tools are available now including various drills that allow for quicker installation for screws but at the same time also tend to lead to stripping of the screw due to the high speed. When working with MDF the top screws usually have Phillips, square or star drives.
Size
Generally when working with MDF the screw length is more of a consideration than the screw width. The traditional formula for MDF projects is to choose a length that is at least half of the thickness of your MDF workpiece’s bottom part. In terms of diameter is you stick to the standard #8 size this will be a safe option. Usually thicker or heavier MDF boards, require greater diameter such as #12 or #14. Finer workpieces require smaller diameter like the #6 diameter.
Conclusion
All of our top screw options will work well for your MDF projects but we have to choose the Rok Hardware #8 x 1/2 as the best choice. A wood screw with a built in washer, this option will allow you to work on your MDF with ease and stability. This prevents stripping of the screw even with use of a drill or splitting of your MDF.
Offering industrial grade quality at a more affordable price these screws are a cut above the rest. These screws have great threads that hold well in MDF material. A bulk package ensures you have more than enough screws for your current MDF project and much more. You will be extremely satisfied with this MDF screw option and all its features.
I am a woodworker with over 19 years of experience crafting everything from furniture to ornamental pieces. I take pride in my ability to bring out the beauty of the wood I work with, creating unique and lasting objects. My passion for woodworking has been a life-long pursuit and I strive to push myself further and further with each new project. I am dedicated to the craft and take great satisfaction in the final product that I create.Read More.
