Anchor
A fixing used to create a hold in a wall, ceiling or hollow surface.
Screws, Plugs & Anchors
Glossary
Short definitions for terms used in this part of the Materials & Know-How section.
Countersink
A shaped recess that lets a screw head sit flush or below the surface.
Pilot hole
A small drilled hole that guides a screw and reduces splitting.
Screw gauge
A size number that describes screw thickness in some screw systems.
Substrate
The base material you are fixing into, such as timber, plasterboard, brick or concrete.
Thread
The spiral ridge on a screw that bites into material or a matching insert.
Wall plug
An insert that helps a screw grip in a drilled wall hole.