Differences between various head types, fasteners you should know

Judging from the screws used in daily life, we seem to have many styles of head screws, but what are they and how are they classified?

Usually we can tell them from their apperance.

Countersunk or Flat Screw Heads

According to the name countersunk or flat, there should be a flat top of a countersunk head that tapers towards the shank.


A countersunk head sits flush with the material’s surface rather than protruding like other types of screw above it.


As a result, in fixtures where the screw must be partially or fully concealed, countersunk heads are commonly used, and often used in soft and hard woodworking applications.

Raised or Oval Screw Heads

A raised head is a cross between a round head and a countersunk. It has a round top but towards the shank it tapers,

They are widely used when a more decorative finish is needed, for instance in light switch fixtures.

Domed or Round Screw Heads

A domed head has a round top with a flat underside.

Unlike a countersunk screw, when a more decorative finish is required, a domed head screw would be prefered to be sit above the surface, such as fixtures like mirrors.

Pan Screw Heads

A pan head looks like an upside-down frying pan and has a flat top with short rounded sides.

Pan head screws are initially designed for metal work because when they are inserted correctly, their large diameter head holds the material firmly.

Truss Screw Heads

The truss head has a very large rounded top.

They have practically no edge on their head, so that it would be relatively difficult to tamper with or remove them, therefore they are typically used for gutters and metalwork.

Hexagonal or Socket Screw Heads

A hexagonal or socket head with a flat underside is hexagonally-shaped.

Due to their unique head sharp, comparing with pan and flat head, this type of head sits above the surface of the material and is usually found on larger screws as it allows more torque to be applied when tightening.

Usually hexagon is used for heavy duty, such as construction and heavy machine, and socket would be widely used for machinery which is small but be required with high tensile strength.

A hexagonal or socket screw can be turned using the correct screwdriver bit.

For further fastener analysis, feel free to contact our experts for the latest industry solutions.

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