The Comparison Between Spoon Point and #3 Point of Self Drilling Screw in Use

Screw Points Aren't Complicated—Until You Pick the Wrong One

Let’s be honest: most people don’t think about screw points until something goes wrong. You grab a box, load your driver, and assume it’s going to work. Then the screw starts dancing across the surface. Or it jams halfway in. Or it snaps clean off. Suddenly you care a whole lot about what that little tip actually looks like.

The spoon point and the #3 point are the two heavy hitters in self-drilling screws. They look similar if you’re not paying attention. But they behave completely differently once the trigger pulls.

The spoon point is rounder, blunter, almost polite. It touches the metal and grabs hold without arguing. No skating. No cussing. It was made for thin steel—think roofing panels, siding, anything 20 gauge or lighter. You barely have to push. It just goes.

The #3 point is sharper, more aggressive. It’s built to chew through thick steel, not glide over it. Sixteen gauge and up? This is your screw. It needs pressure. It needs respect. But give it what it wants, and it’ll drill clean and hold hard.

One is not better than the other. They’re just built for different jobs. Use the wrong one, and the screw will let you know.

Match the Screw to the Metal. That’s the Whole Game.

Here’s the short version: thin metal needs a spoon point. Thick metal needs a #3 point. That’s not a suggestion. That’s how the geometry works.

If you’re fastening 24 to 20 gauge steel, the spoon point is your friend. The rounded tip seats fast and stays put. You won’t fight it. You won’t leave a trail of scratched-up metal behind every third screw. It just starts clean and finishes clean.

If you’re working with 16 gauge or thicker, do not reach for the spoon point. It will struggle. It might bind. It might snap. The #3 point has the cutting power you need. The tip is angled sharper, the flute is longer, and it actually clears chips instead of packing them into the hole. It takes more effort to start, but it finishes the job.

Eighteen gauge sits right in the middle. Sometimes a spoon point works. Sometimes it doesn’t. If you’re on the fence, test a few before you commit. Your impact driver will tell you the truth faster than any spec sheet.

You Feel the Difference the Second You Pull the Trigger

If you’ve spent any time on a jobsite, you already know this. Some screws feel right immediately. Others feel like they’re fighting you from the first thread.

A spoon point grabs fast. One rotation, maybe two, and it’s locked in. You don’t need to lean into it. You don’t need to baby it. It just works. That’s why crews love it for roofing and siding. When you’re working overhead or off a ladder, every second counts. Screws that start easy keep the day moving.

The #3 point asks more from you. You have to commit. Steady pressure. Straight alignment. If you hesitate, it’ll wander. But once it bites, it cuts through thick steel like butter. The chips curl out of the flute clean. The threads engage full and deep. It’s not as fast, but it’s built for the jobs that can’t afford to fail.

Different Jobs, Different Screws—No Way Around It

You wouldn’t use a finish hammer to set a fence post. Same logic applies here.

On metal roofing and light-gauge siding, the spoon point is the industry standard. Panels are thin. Speed matters. Walking is your enemy. Spoon points eliminate that headache. They start fast, they seal right, and they don’t dimple the metal.

On structural steel and heavy equipment enclosures, you need a #3 point. These aren’t cosmetic applications. This is load-bearing stuff. A screw that doesn’t drill all the way through isn’t just annoying—it’s a liability. Wind uplift, vibration cycles, inspection failures. Use the wrong point and you’re not saving time. You’re creating rework.

Mixed-material jobs get tricky. If you’re going through thin flashing into a thick beam underneath, neither point is a perfect fit. Sometimes you pre-drill. Sometimes you step up to a different fastener entirely. Know when to admit the screw can’t do it all.

Not All Screws Are Created Equal—Even With the Same Point Style

Here’s something that doesn’t get said enough: two spoon points from two different brands are not the same screw.

Case hardness matters. If the hardening is too shallow, the tip goes dull fast. Then you’re just pushing a hot dog through a keyhole.

Flute geometry matters. If the flute isn’t symmetrical, the screw wanders. You end up with oblong holes and ugly finishes.

Coating matters. If the coating is damaged at the point, corrosion starts early. That little rust streak running down your panel? That’s the screw telling you it was compromised before it even went in.

Don’t buy on price alone. Ask for test data. Ask how it performs in the exact gauge you’re running. If a manufacturer can’t show you proof, assume the screw is guessing. You shouldn’t have to guess.

Here’s How You Decide. Every Time.

One Screw. One Job. Done Right.

This isn’t about brand loyalty. It isn’t about what’s on sale this week. It’s about matching the tool to the task.

Spoon point for thin steel. #3 point for thick steel. Test the gray areas. Trust the results.

The screw doesn’t care how much you paid for it. It either drills, drives, and holds—or it doesn’t. Your job is to put the right one in your hand before the bit ever touches metal.