Most cordless drills these days are also designed to drive screws, that’s why they’re called a drill driver. If you’ve never used yours as a screwdriver or have tried but haven’t had much success, here’s a complete guide to using your drill to drive screws.

The type of bit you need depends on the shape on the head of the screw. The most common is the star-shaped Phillips head. For this you’ll need a No. 2 Phillips head driver bit which is the correct size to suit most types of these screws. Other common driver bits you’ll come across are the internal hex drive for bugle head batten screws; the square drive bit for decking screws and the nutsetter hex bit which fits over roofing screws.   

Low speed gives you the most control over driving screws, especially for the beginner and if you’re using Phillips head bits screws which don’t lock into the head of a screw as well as other types of bits. Once you get used to using your drill as a screwdriver, you can try cranking up the speed to get through the job quicker.

The action setting is the switch on the drill with pictures of a screw, a hammer and a drill bit. Turn it to the screw setting which means the drill is ready to drive screws. The other settings are for general drilling and for putting the drill into hammer mode when you’re drilling into bricks or concrete.

The torque setting is the adjustable collar on the drill with a whole lot of numbers on it. Torque is the turning power of the drill and the torque setting allows you to control how much force is applied to turn the screw. Putting the drill at the correct torque setting will mean you don’t overdrive the screw. Test it out at the start of the job to get the right setting to suit the job you’re doing. Generally soft materials need a low torque setting while for harder materials crank it up to a higher number.

This usually happens with Phillips head screws as the head of the bit doesn’t lock into the screw as well as other bit types. If it does happen, stop immediately. The bit won’t lock back into the screw and all you’ll end up doing is stripping the head of the screw and creating an even bigger problem. Here’s a 4 Step guide to driving Phillips head screws.

What tool should I use?

10 DIY tricks that are second nature to tradies

Plus, your chance to win

Plus, your chance to win

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%