Figured out a trick for keeping drywall screws from stripping out on old studs

I had a job last month where every other screw was spinning out in this 1920s house. Tried pre-drilling with a smaller bit and it saved me from snapping a dozen screws. Has anyone else run into this with brittle lumber?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliviabutler12d ago

Pre-drilling really is the only way to save your sanity on that old brittle stuff.

kevin_williams12d ago

Buddy of mine didn't pre-drill an old oak beam and the damn thing cracked right down the middle. Learned that lesson the hard way...

gray31412d ago

Read somewhere that even the pros pre-drill for old wood, not worth the risk. Seems like a simple step that saves a ton of headache later.