A guide to the screws we use
How to fit brass screws
At Jim Lawrence, all the screws we supply to our customers are made from premium quality brass or steel, but although brass adds a more decorative look to fittings, it is a softer metal than steel and may snap at the head if not installed properly. To prevent this from happening, please follow the guide below.
1. For all types of screws you need to drill a pilot hole first. It is particularly important if you are using hardwood.
2. Make sure the hole you are drilling is slightly smaller than the diameter of the brass screw.
3. Use a steel screw that's the same size as the brass screw and drive it into the hole you've made. Once it's fully seated back it out.
4. What you've done is effectively threaded the wood with the right size hole for putting in the brass screw.
5. The brass screw can then be screwed into the existing hole with little resistance preventing it from snapping or being damaged.
Types of Screws We Use - Wood Screws
The vast majority of Jim Lawrence lights are supplied with brass, slotted, wood screws for fitting to your walls or ceiling. These screws are ideal because they have a fairly wide thread that make their own threaded hole as they are screwed in. This makes for a stronger joint and is easier to screw in.
Brass is also more flexible than steel so it allows for a little movement within building materials and will bend before it snaps. However, brass is softer than steel, so we recommend drilling a pilot hole to help guide the screw and prevent it from being damaged during installation.
We use raised or dome headed screws on our back plates for their aesthetic appeal as they are more in keeping with our traditional look designs. Occasionally, we will supply countersunk or flat headed screws, but this is only where a raised head gets in the way of the design.
We supply machine screws with our door knockers, letter plates and switches and sockets. These are made from steel and like wood screws, have flat or raised heads. However machine screws have a much finer even thread which allows it to be used like a bolt with a nut. Generally, they are used for fitting component parts together and they will need to a drill hole to drive into as they will not create their own.
Door Knockers with Screw Fittings
Our Heart and Westley door knockers are fitted with wood screws instead of a bolt which means they may not be suitable for some composite doors.
As the knockers are heavy, and the screws will only attach to the outer case of the door, they may not be as secure as a bolt system and may pull away with use. We recommend our Lion's Head or Melton door knockers as these are fitted with a bolt that goes right through the door.