Screw Eyes and Hooks

Screw hooks and eyes are threaded metal fittings used for hanging and attaching: screw hooks, eyelets, rings and swing hooks. They create a fixed anchor point in wood or other supports, at home, in the garden and in the workshop, to hold cables, tools, ropes or small objects.

Brass resists moisture well and looks more refined, so it suits indoor settings and places where appearance matters. Galvanised is suitable for outdoor fixings, because the zinc layer protects the steel from rust. The choice depends on where the fixing will go and how exposed it will be to water.

A wood thread screws directly into the wood, with a pitch designed to bite without a plug. A metric thread goes into an already threaded hole or a prepared seat. Check the support before buying: for solid wood a wood thread is best, while for a threaded structure you need the metric one, as with swing hooks.

Choose the length according to the thickness of the support and the load to be carried. The threaded part must go into the material deeply enough to grip, so measure the thickness before drilling. For heavy loads a sturdier eye is preferable, fixed at several anchor points.

The hook is hook-shaped for hanging an object, while the eye is a closed ring that lets you attach cables, carabiners or chains. Both are screwed in the same way. The eye is better when you need a point to pass an item through, the hook when you need to suspend something.

For swings and garden play equipment you need galvanised swing hooks with a metric thread, designed for outdoor fixings. Check that the thread suits the support and that the hook is sized for the intended load. A fixing in a thin or deteriorated support will not hold, so it must be checked before fitting a swing.

Before screwing in, drill a pilot hole with a diameter smaller than the core of the thread, so the wood does not split. Screw in with a steady movement, without forcing, and stop when the hook is tight. In hardwoods or near edges the risk of splitting increases, so the pilot hole becomes even more important.