Can't get the mounting screw into the steel stud

[frihopper]

Hello!

I'm building an internal wall with metal studs. Now I need to attach the metal stud to the floor track and it's completely impossible - I simply can't get the screw to hold. I'm using a Bosch PSR 18 Li-2 screwdriver.

Metal studs and ceiling/floor tracks from Byggmax:

https://www.byggmax.se/virke/stalreglar/stalregel-p20841

https://www.byggmax.se/virke/stalreglar/stalskena-p20814

Assembling with mounting screws from Heco:

https://www.byggmax.se/spik-och-skruv/ovriga-skruvar/montageskruv-p24381

I have tried pre-drilling (probably with bad drills though) but it's also difficult to get through. After 30 seconds of drilling with the screwdriver, there's just a small indentation on the track from the mounting screw.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[Isakare]

Pressing too lightly or turning the wrong way, it only takes a few seconds to drive in one of those screws. It's also important to have the right feel and stop when the screw is in.

 

[martinradbo]

If you absolutely want to screw, try another mounting screw that might have a better tip for metal studs.

However, I can recommend clamping the sheets together with a tool like this instead (of course there are more expensive and better ones if you want):
http://www.jula.se/catalog/verktyg-...metallverktyg/bockverktyg/stuknittang-123009/

You avoid slipping with the screw, it's easier to hold the studs in place when you start clamping, there's no protrusion of the screw head that then gets in the way for drywall, etc.

Everything becomes much stronger when you attach the panels. What you do before with a sheet metal screw or the aforementioned tool is really just to keep the studs in place until you get the panels up.

Good luck!

 

[frihopper]

Thanks for the great response!

I simply didn't press hard enough. Went like a charm afterwards.

1. Stuknittången - does it make sense to use one to secure the metal studs at the back, the side facing the exterior wall in this case? As it is now, the metal stud is only attached to the tracks on the side facing the room. The metal stud wall is therefore built along the exterior walls with a 2 cm air gap.

2. The mounting screws I'm using do add a little height, a few millimeters. Will this cause the OSB boards (planning to use OSB + drywall) to bulge out slightly from the screws on the tracks?

 

[Isakare]

The best thing is to use the pliers on both sides, then you also avoid the problem with the screw head, in plaster the head sinks in, it doesn't in OSB/Plyfa.

 

[frihopper]

Thank you! What does the tång really do? Bends the metal sheet? Is it easy to lift up? Does it hold as well as with screws?

 

[martinradbo]

Thank you! What does the pliers actually do? Bends the sheet metal? Is it easy to lift? Does it hold as well as with screws?

The pliers are essentially just a square point that is pressed through both sheets with a support on the backside. What is achieved is that the tabs from the side of the hole in one sheet are folded into the hole of the other sheet.
It doesn't become super strong but is more than sufficient. Then everything is screwed together with plenty of drywall screws anyway when the boards are put in place.

In rare cases, I supplement with a few screws if I think it's necessary, but it's actually not very often.