Practical help from the hardware counter. Free to read, save and use.
You do not need to know every fastener name to find the right drawer. Start with what the part must do, keep the original if you have one, and check one detail at a time.
Linked fastener names open a search in a new tab, keeping your place here. Items without cataloged drawers open a request with the name filled in.
A wood screw makes its grip in the wood. Match the outside width and useful length, then decide whether the head should sit flush or stand above the surface. For restoration, compare the original head, slot and finish as well as the size. A pilot hole can help protect the timber and reduce the chance of twisting off the screw; use the fastener maker's guidance for the wood and screw in hand.
Show wood screw drawersA machine screw needs a matching thread. Both the outside size and the spacing of the threads matter. A #8-32 is different from a #8-36, even though their outside widths are alike. Measure the original, check its thread system, and start a trial fit gently by hand. Stop if it binds.
Show machine screw drawersA nut must match the screw's thread. A washer may spread load, protect a surface or serve a specified locking or spacing purpose; the hole, outside width and thickness all matter. A bolt must suit both the joint and the mating thread. Tell us the job and the original dimensions through the home-page request choices when a drawer has not yet been cataloged.
Ask at the hardware counterOn a machine screw, #8-32 means a number 8 outside diameter with 32 threads per inch. 1/4-20 means a quarter-inch outside diameter with 20 threads per inch. The number on a wood screw describes a different kind of screw: #8 wood is not a complete machine-thread designation. Metric threads use millimeters and must not be substituted just because they look close.
Measure flat, countersunk screws from the top of the head to the tip. Measure round, pan and other non-countersunk heads from under the head to the tip. Check the actual head shape when an older pattern does not follow a familiar convention.
Print the free matching gaugeThey are close in diameter, but they are different catalog sizes. Some charts show 1/4 inch as the nearest fractional comparison for a #14 wood screw; that is a rounded comparison.
| Item | Nominal diameter | What to match |
|---|---|---|
| #14 wood screw | 0.242 inch / 6.15 mm | Wood-screw size, length and head; not a mating machine thread |
| 1/4-20 machine screw or nut | 0.250 inch / 6.35 mm | Quarter-inch thread with 20 threads per inch |
| 1/4-28 machine screw or nut | 0.250 inch / 6.35 mm | Quarter-inch thread with 28 threads per inch |
Measure like for like: the smooth shank, the outside of the threads and the smaller core between threads are different measurements. These are nominal size references; inspect the actual NOS lot and its fit.
Wood-screw diameter reference · Machine-thread diameter reference
New old stock can have different packaging, coatings and condition between batches. Open the drawer, study the actual product photographs, read the lot notes and check how many pieces are in a package. The restoration register lets you keep your own reference measurements and photos together. An empty drawer is still useful: ask us to look for the quantity and condition you need.
Before checkout, think about the other lengths needed for the same project. Add only the sizes you expect to use; keep different threads separated and labeled. Any configured quantity or package offer is calculated at checkout. A visually similar part is not automatically a safe replacement.
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