A

• ACQ (Alkaline Copper Quaternary): A wood preservative used in pressure-treated lumber. ACQ-treated wood is corrosive to many metals, requiring compatible fasteners such as hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel.
• Allen: A hexagonal internal drive requiring an Allen wrench or hex key.
• Alloy: A metallic substance made by blending two or more elements that is typically harder or more corrosion-resistant than pure metals.
• Aluminum: A lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal used in some fasteners and washers.
• Anchor: A fastener designed to secure objects into concrete, masonry, drywall, or hollow materials.
• Anodic Materials: Active metals such as zinc and aluminum that are prone to galvanic corrosion and often used in coatings to protect the material below.

B

• Backing Out: Fasteners withdrawing from a material.
• Bearing Surface: The area where a fastener head contacts material to transfer load.
• Bolt: A flat-tipped fastener with helical threads, often used with a threaded nut.
• Brass: A copper-zinc alloy known for corrosion resistance and decorative appearance.
• Bright: A finish with little or no protective coating, giving the metal a bright, shiny appearance.
• Brittleness: A material's likeliness to break, split, or shatter under stress.
• Bronze: A corrosion-resistant copper-based alloy often used in marine applications.

C

• Calipers: A measuring tool used to determine diameter, thickness, and length.
• Cam Out: When a driver bit slips out of the recess during installation.
• Carbide: A compound made of metal and carbon that is extremely hard and heat-resistant.
• Carbide Bit: A drill bit tipped with carbide for drilling hard materials.
• Carbon: An element commonly used in steel alloys to increase strength and hardness.
• Carbon Steel: Steel primarily composed of iron and carbon.
• High-Carbon Steel: Steel with a high carbon content that is extremely hard and brittle.
• Low-Carbon Steel: Steel with a low carbon content that is softer and more flexible.
• Carriage Bolt: A bolt with a smooth, domed head and a square neck, usually used with a nut to connect materials.
• Cathodic Materials: Metals that are less reactive and resist galvanic corrosion, such as stainless steel, titanium, brass, and copper.
• Cement Board: A cement-based panel used under tile and exterior finishes.
• Clamping Force: The compressive force created when a fastener is tightened.
• Coating: A layer of material applied to the surface of a fastener.
• Ceramic Coating: A corrosion-resistant coating often applied to exterior fasteners.
• Duplex Coating: A combination of hot-dip galvanizing and a paint or powder coating.
• Nano Coating: An ultra-thin protective coating that improves corrosion resistance.
• Vinyl Coating: A polymer coating that improves driving ease and holding power.
• Zinc-Aluminum Coating: A dual coating that protects against galvanic corrosion and heat damage.
• Collated Nails: Rows of nails joined together in strips or coils for use in nail guns.
• Common Nail: A standard nail with a thick shank and flat head used in framing and general construction.
• Concrete Screw: A screw designed to anchor connections in concrete.
• Composite: A material made from two or more components, such as composite decking.
• Connection: The joint formed by two or more materials fastened together.
• Copper: A soft, highly conductive, and corrosion-resistant metallic element.
• Corrosion: The deterioration of metal due to chemical or environmental exposure.
• Galvanic Corrosion: Corrosion caused by contact between incompatible metals along with moisture or saltwater.
• Countersinking: Driving a fastener to sit flush or below the surface after installation.
• Countersinking Fastener: A fastener with a head designed to sink into material.
• Non-Countersinking Fastener: A fastener with a head designed to sit above the surface.

D

• Deck Screw: A coarse-thread screw designed for use in composite decking.
• Deformation: Change in shape caused by stress or load.
• Elastic Deformation: Temporary change that resolves when stress is removed.
• Plastic Deformation: Permanent change that cannot be reversed.
• Density: Mass per unit volume of a material.
• Diameter: The width of a fastener measured across its widest section.
• Major Diameter: The outside diameter measured across thread crests.
• Minor Diameter: The diameter measured between thread valleys.
• Drag: Resistance encountered while driving a fastener.
• Drill: A tool used to create pilot holes or drive fasteners.
• Drill Point: A fastener point designed to drill its own hole during installation.
• Drive: The feature on the head used to apply torque and install the fastener.
• Phillips Drive: A cross-shaped drive style.
• Slotted Drive: A single-slot drive style.
• Star Drive: A six-lobed drive design commonly called Torx.
• Square Drive: A four-sided drive recess, also called Robertson.
• Driver: The tool that delivers torque or impact to insert a fastener.
• Drywall Screw: A countersinking screw designed to hold lightweight materials.
• Ductility: A material's ability to stretch and bend permanently under stress.

E

• Elasticity: A material's ability to return to its original shape after being deformed under stress.
• EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer): A durable synthetic rubber commonly used in sealing washers for metal roofing screws.
• Exterior Fasteners: Designed to withstand weather exposure in outdoor environments.

F

• Failure: Loss of a fastener's ability to perform as intended.
• Fatigue Failure: Failure caused by gradual weakening from repeated loads.
• Fastener: Hardware used to join two or more objects together.
• Finish Nails: Small-headed nails designed for trim and finish carpentry.
• Framing: The structural framework of a building.
• Free Shipping: Available for all orders through Jake Sales within the contiguous United States.

G

• Galvanized: Coated with zinc to reduce corrosion on the fastener.
• Electrogalvanized: A thin, smooth zinc coating applied through electroplating.
• Hot-Dip Galvanized: A thicker zinc coating applied via immersion in molten zinc.
• Gauge: A numerical sizing system used for screws, nails, and wire.

H

• Hardness: A material's ability to resist deformation under stress.
• Head: The portion of a fastener that receives driving force and provides bearing surface.
• Bugle Head: A concave countersunk head commonly used on drywall and wood screws.
• Button Head: A low-profile rounded head.
• Clipped Head: A nail head with one side removed to increase capacity in collated nails.
• Flat Head: A countersunk head designed to sit flush with the surface.
• Full Head: A complete round nail head.
• Hex Head: A six-sided head driven by a wrench or socket driver.
• Pancake Head: An extra low-profile round head.
• Tapered Head: A head that gradually narrows.
• Trim Head: A small-diameter countersunk head for finish and detail work.
• Truss Head: An extra-wide low-profile head.
• Wafer Head: A broad, thin head used for sheet metal and wood applications.
• Waffle Head: A nail head with a crosshatched pattern to prevent slippage.
• Heat Treated: Strengthened through controlled heating and cooling.
• Hi-Lo Thread: A thread design with alternating high and low threads.
• Holding Power: A fastener's resistance to pull-out and movement.

I

• Impact Driver: A power tool that drives fasteners through rotational impacts.
• Interior Fasteners: Designed for indoor applications with limited moisture exposure.

J

• Joint: The point where two or more materials are connected.

K

• Knurl: Raised edges on a fastener shaft designed to facilitate installation.

L

• Lag Screw: A heavy-duty structural screw designed to hold large loads.
• Low Profile (Lo Pro): A head design with reduced height above the surface.

M

• Marine Fasteners: Fasteners made to resist corrosion from saltwater, typically made from high-quality stainless steel.
• Metal: A hard material used to create fasteners for strong connections.
• Mini Driller: A small self-drilling point designed to speed up start times in thin metal.
• Mushrooming: Bulging caused by material moving upward during fastener installation; common in composite decking.

N

• Nail: A pointed fastener driven by impact on the head.
• Nailer: A power tool used to drive collated nails.
• Neoprene: A synthetic rubber formerly used in roofing hardware; largely replaced by EPDM.
• Notched Point: A screw point with a vertical notch to reduce splitting and speed up start times.
• Nut: A small threaded piece of metal used with a bolt to clamp materials together.
• Nylon: A durable synthetic polymer used to protect fasteners from abrasion.

O

• Overdriving: Driving fasteners too deep, reducing shear strength and risking moisture leaks.
• Overtightening: Applying excessive torque, potentially causing stripping, breakage, or material damage.
• Oxidation: The reaction that occurs when metals are exposed to oxygen, resulting in rust formation.
• Ozone: A naturally occurring gas that can degrade some rubber materials over time.

P

• Pallet: A platform used for shipping and storing bulk products.
• Penny Size: A standardized nail sizing system abbreviated "d".
• Pilot Hole: A pre-drilled hole that guides a fastener during installation.
• Pitch: The distance between adjacent threads on a fastener.
• Point: The leading end of a fastener.
• Polyurethane: A durable polymer used in coatings to extend fastener life.
• Pre-Drilling: Drilling a hole before installing a fastener.
• Pressure-Treated Lumber: Wood infused with chemical preservatives to resist decay and insect damage.
• Proof Load: The maximum tensile force a fastener can withstand before permanently deforming.
• Pull-Out Strength: Resistance against a fastener withdrawing from material.
• Pull-Through Strength: Resistance against a fastener head pulling through material.

R

• Reamer Tek: A winged drill point that widens the hole to reduce thread engagement in the top material. Wings break off at contact with metal.
• ReGrip: Thread design intended to increase holding power in loosened connections.
• Roofing Screws: Screws designed for metal roofing and siding applications.
• Rust: Iron oxide formed when steel is exposed to moisture and oxygen.

S

Salt Spray Test: A laboratory corrosion test that exposes fasteners to a salt fog environment.

Screw: A threaded fastener that transfers torque into clamping force to hold materials together.

Self-Centering: A symmetrical drive that helps align the fastener and driver.

Self-Starting: Fasteners with a drill bit tip that can be installed without a pilot hole.

Self-Tapping: Fasteners that cut mating threads during installation.

Shaft: The main, elongated body of a fastener between the head and point.

Shank: The body of a nail or screw that connects with material.

• Ring Shank: A nail shank with ringed grooves or ridges for increased holding power.
• Smooth Shank: A plain nail shank without textured pattern.

Shear Strength: A fastener's ability to resist lateral forces acting across the body.

Shoulder: An enlarged section between the head and thread of a fastener.

Silicone: A weather-resistant synthetic material used in sealants and coatings.

Sinker Nail: A framing nail with a thinner shank and smaller head than a common nail.

Spike Nail: A large-diameter nail used for heavy timber and landscaping.

Splitting: Material cracking during fastener installation.

Standing Seam: A metal roofing style that conceals fasteners under raised ridges.

Stitch Tek: A self-drilling screw designed to connect thin materials.

Steel: A metal alloy of iron and carbon.

• Alloy Steel: Steel containing additional alloying elements.
• Tempered Steel: Heat-treated steel designed for increased hardness and toughness.
• Stainless Steel: A corrosion-resistant steel containing chromium.

Stress: Forces on a material caused by external loads.

Stripping: Damage to threads or drives caused by excessive force.

Structural Screw: Large screws designed to bear heavy loads.

T

• Tensile Strength: The maximum pulling force a fastener can withstand before failure.
• Thread: The winding ridge on a fastener that creates clamping force.
• Coarse Thread: A thread pattern with fewer threads per inch and deeper thread depth.
• Fine Thread: A thread pattern with more thread per inch and shallower thread depth.
• Thread Crest: The highest point on a thread ridge.
• Thread Valley: The lowest point between threads.
• Thread Engagement: The amount of contact area between a fastener's threads and the material.
• Thread Form: The shape, angle, and dimensions of a fastener's threads.
• Threads Per Inch (TPI): The number of thread ridges within one inch.
• Tightening: Applying torque to create clamping force.
• Titanium: A lightweight, highly corrosion-resistant metal.
• Torque: Rotational force that drives a fastener.
• Applied Torque: Torque delivered by the driver.
• Resistive Torque: Torque from friction and material resistance that opposes applied torque.

U

• UV Radiation: Ultraviolet light from the sun that can degrade some materials over time.
• Undertightening: Applying insufficient torque to achieve proper clamping force.

W

• Walking: Unintentional fastener movement before penetration.
• Washer: A piece placed beneath a fastener head or nut to distribute load or create a seal.
• Wing: Projections on a screw shaft that ream a wider insertion hole.
• Wire: A long strand of metal used to manufacture fasteners.
• Wood: A natural material commonly fastened with screws and nails.
• Hardwood: Wood from deciduous tress that is typically denser and more rigid.
• Soft Wood: Wood from coniferous trees that is typically more flexible.
• Treated Wood: Wood treated with preservatives to resist decay and insects.
• Wood Screw: A multipurpose screw designed for use in wood connections.

Y

• Yield Strength: The maximum stress a fastener can withstand before permanent deformation.

Z

• Zinc: A corrosion-resistant metal commonly used as a protective coating on steel fasteners.