Chipboard screws are different to other kinds of screws used in wood work. They somehow look chunkier or fatter; have an extensively spaced spiral which also appears a lot deeper than an ordinary screw. The head is inevitably created for use with a power tool or a Phillips kind screwdriver, i.e. it has cross cut head and not a single slit meant for use with an ordinary screwdriver. These screws are most often either copper or brass covered. They're specialised screws that are applied with chipboard only.
To understand the need for this specialised screw, one needs to take into account the properties of chipboard. Chipboard is a composite material, meaning it's produced of wooden chips (mostly) which are glued together with resin and then pressed in forms under heat and pressure. This makes a rigid board accessible in varying sizes and it is pretty smooth, needing no planning. Boards are pressed into varying densities, i.e. normal, medium and high density for different applications. Though you will find exterior grade boards on offer this material is almost exclusively applied for indoor purposes. The reason for this is that chipboard that's exposed to water becomes swollen and starts disintegrating after a while. Even though the high density board is solid and tough it nonetheless remains a less than desirable material to use on outdoor applications. Chipboard boards are often laminated, making them ideal for furniture making. The use of chipboard is extremely extensive in Europe where it is utilized in the making of flat pack furniture. Denmark houses one of the largest furniture manufacturers and distributors in the world, offering mostly flat pack furniture, that's affordable and simple to assemble.
So, why use chipboard rather than solid wood? Chipboard is mostly applied in applications wherever cost is less important than appearance. The appearance of chipboard, on the other hand, could be enhanced by using wood veneering and paint techniques. Uncovered edges might be covered by applying veneer strips which may be either glued onto the board edge or applied by using heat. The high density grade is used to manufacture kitchen cupboard carcasses, which will withstand pressure due to its higher density and strength also offering greater resistance to chipboard screws. Chipboard was invented to replace conventional plywood as at the beginning of the 40's timber for the manufacture of plywood was getting progressively scarce. The very first commercially obtainable pieces weremade in Germany during the Second World War and all varieties of off cut timber and wood shavings were firstly used. It was however observed that uniformly sized chips provided a much better high quality board with enhanced strength. Modern day board use graded wood chips during the manufacturing process whereby small chips are employed closer to the outside of the board providing far better appearance and smoothness. Chipboard is sanded after the drying process and sold as either raw board or veneered board. Other treatments like wax, dyes and release agents may well also be applied to produce insect proof or fire boards, etc.
The reason then why particular chipboard screws are used with chipboard is that the design of the screw as said above, is suited to the density and structure of chipboard as a fastening agent.
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