How To Choose the Right Fastener For The Job: part 4

Posted by Dave the How To guy | do it yourself | Posted on March 27th, 2010

So now if you have been following the series we’ve talked about fasteners in general and fasteners for metal and for wood. This time I want to talk about fasteners that you might use in concrete.

In many construction applications concrete anchors or fasteners must be used to hold a fixture or item of some kind to a concrete wall or floor. Anchoring objects into concrete or masonry can seem a daunting task, but is within the capability of the average do it yourselfer. The biggest issue is to know what type of fastener and tools to use for the job. Much of this depends of course on the applications, such as the size and weight of the object to be fastened.

There are three basic types of masonry anchors: 1) mechanical, 2) powder-actuated and 3) chemical. Chemical anchors are rarely used unless you’re building a bridge, and in many states certification is required to use powder-actuated fasteners. This article describes how to use mechanical anchors.

When installing concrete anchors, special care must be taken to ensure safe and proper fastening. When you set about to attach your project to concrete or masonry walls or floors, you will need some specialized equipment, and, as with any project of this nature, protective gear. You will need a hammer drill for drilling the concrete. The right size carbide bit for your particular anchor and also for drilling into the concrete, plus safety goggles or glasses, and a pair of gloves. Drilling into concrete or masonry is dirty work – dust and fine bits of masonry are created by the drilling process, and there’s the chance of a drill bit breaking and becoming a projectile.

The choice of concrete fastener to use is dependent on the specific application and personal preference.

So here are a few of the types of anchors:

Tapcons are a popular type used. Tapcon® concrete screws are ideal for use in concrete, brick or block base material. The threads of the Tapcons actually cut threads into the base material providing excellent holding values. Each Tapcon® is coated with a Blue coating and this coating provides excellent rust resistance. All you need to do is drill a hole and turn in the screw, no anchor is needed. These are especially good if you want to be able to remove the object later. They will hold light to medium heavy objects.

Ucans are a similar product only it is a nail. You drill the proper sized hole and pound in the galvanized nail. This is a permanent fastener. They also will hold light to medium heavy objects.

Sleeve anchors are another effective choice. This anchor is essentially a bolt with a sleeve over it. After you have drilled a hole through both what you want to hold and into the concrete the right depth. The sleeve anchor is inserted, then when you tighten up the nut on the bolt a wedge on the end of the bolt expands the sleeve and the bolt wedges tight into the concrete. These are very effective for fastening heavy items and I often use them to fasten the rim joist of a deck to a house.

Plastic and lead anchors are still used a lot today. With them you drill a hole in the concrete the right size for the anchor you’re using. Then you insert the anchor. Now you fasten the object you want to hold in place with a screw or carriage bolt depending on the size of the object and the anchor you are using. This allows the object to be removed in the future but this two part system is harder to line up and has been replaced a lot by the tapcons.

There are many more types of concrete anchors but these are the basic kinds that the average householder would use. Anytime something needs to be attached to concrete material around your home, it will require the use of one of these types of fasteners designed for use in concrete.

How To Choose the Right Fastener For The Job: part 3

Posted by Dave the How To guy | do it yourself | Posted on March 20th, 2010

So we have talked about Fasteners (nails, nuts, bolts, screws, washers, etc.), in general and last time about metal fasteners. This time I want to talk about wood fasteners.

There are many different types of nails and screws for use in wood, in the market place and it can be very confusing knowing what to use. Though I said I was not going to talk about nails, they are a major fastener when talking about fasteners for wood so they are getting mentioned. The other thing is that the rules for screws also pertain to nails.

Wood screws are those with the winding corkscrew threads. The threads on wood screws begin at the very tip. That way, the fasteners will “bore” into the wood and hold the objects together better. Any fasteners that you see with the winding corkscrew threads are meant to be used with wood.

Screws are made for many different applications. They can be coated and rated for outdoor use and many other special applications or just plated steel. They are a much better solution than nails in many applications, as they will not pull out or work their way loose. The great thing about using screws instead of nails is that you can remove and re-use the screws and the material they were screwed into. When you try this with a nail there’s always the possibility that the nail will bend or tear the material as it is being removed.

As you know screws come in many different sizes, so you need to be sure to purchase and use the correct size for the job you’re undertaking. A good rule to remember is the thicker the material the larger the nail or screw. The basic rule of thumb (though not always possible to follow) is that two-thirds of the fasteners length should penetrate the second piece of material. Another thing to remember is if you’re nailing or screwing into hardwoods or close to the end of the material then make sure to pre-drill the nail and screw holes first.

Other types of fasteners for wood:

Self-clinching fasteners provide strong, quality threads in particle board or P.C. boards. Broadly defined, a self-clinching fastener is any device, usually threaded, that, when pressed into the host material clinches itself into the mounting hole. The way it is designed prevents the fastener from rotating in the host material once it has been properly inserted. Thus, self-clinching fasteners become a permanent part of the panel. They are used a lot for cabinets sold in a box for assembly by the home owner.

Nuts and Bolts are also used in wood construction when connecting structural members. Bolted connections are used when it is necessary to fasten two elements tightly together, especially to resist shear and bending, as in column and beam connections.

A big clue as to the use and function of fasteners can be found in their threads. Still, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different fasteners out there on the market to choose from. By knowing the differences between the threads, however, you should be able to choose a fastener for your job at hand that will work fine for you needs.