Guide to Concrete Screw Anchors
Choosing the correct fastener for your project will improve efficiency for the short and long-term. Having the right equipment is more cost-effective as it ensures you don’t need to plan for replacements or encounter damage because of poor materials or poorly planned infrastructure.
One of the issues many people face is knowing how to fix materials to concrete or brick. Concrete is a tough material that requires the correct drill and anchor to get a good bond.
In this guide, we’ll discuss what makes concrete screw anchors so effective and why you should choose them for your future projects.
Guide to Concrete Screw Anchors
What are Concrete Screw Anchors?
Concrete screw anchors are used for fastening materials to concrete. Because of their design, they provide a strong, secure hold for high loads and can be used without damaging the material, even on close edge work. Concrete screw anchors are available in different styles, materials and finishes.
They are fasteners that are specially designed to endure heavy applications and to be used quickly and efficiently, even in tough materials.
Concrete fasteners get their holding values from friction. The concrete screw taps or cuts threads into the base material as it is twisted into the hole.
When should you use Concrete Screw Anchors?
Concrete screw anchors are commonly used in heavy-duty applications where other fasteners risk bending overtime or not forming suitable adhesion with the concrete. Although concrete screws do a good job of bonding materials to concrete, they are limited to light to medium weights e.g. shelves or furring strips.
You should use concrete screw anchors if you want to get the best hold out of concrete. Concrete is measured in psi (pound-force per square inch) with the standard concrete ranging in strength from about 2,000 psi on the low end and up to 6,000 psi on the high end. The general rule is that the harder the concrete, the better the fastener strength.
Concrete screw anchors are ideal for piping and heating supports as well as timber framing. Due to their strength, they are also suited for heavy-duty doors and security shutters.
How to install Concrete Screw Anchors?
Drill a hole in the base material with a drill (we recommend a hammer drill) and a correctly sized concrete drill bit for the diameter of the concrete screw you want to use. The hole should be roughly 1/2” deeper than the screw embedment. This is primarily done to keep the screw intact as they can become damaged if they bottom out and also to allow space for any dust you may not be able to remove.
Clean out the hole of all debris. Debris left in the hole can hinder the grip the threads get on the hole and reduce fixing strength.
Insert the pointed end of the concrete screw through the fixture and into the hole in the base material.
Drive the screw slowly, to let the thread tap into the base material.
