Lag Bolts, also known as lag screws, are heavy duty fasteners used when connecting materials that will be subject to intense load. They are more than just the kind of bolt that will hold your flat screen TV to the wall, but also a must when working with construction materials like wood or concrete.
Types
In the fastener industry, there are various terms that people use on a daily basis. Some of these are technical while others are more commonly used by professionals and DIYers. One of these is lag bolts or lag screws, which are large wood screws that are also considered to be bolts because they have pointed ends instead of the blunt end found on other types of bolts.
Lag bolts work by screwing directly into a stud or other wood material. They are available with a variety of head styles, including cone, semi-cone, and gimlet points. Gimlet points require a pilot hole to be drilled before installation, while semi-cone and cone heads can be screwed in without a pilot hole.
When it comes to securing lag bolts in concrete, the first step is determining the correct size for your project. The hardware store’s staff can help you with this. It’s important to choose a length that will allow the lag bolt to go all the way through the concrete and secure itself into a wood beam underneath it.
Materials
Lag bolts are made from a variety of materials to accommodate the wide range of applications in which they are used. Zinc-plated lag bolts are good for general construction, while stainless steel 18-8 lag bolts are suitable for outdoor and marine projects. They can support between 200-to 300 pounds, depending on the kind of wood they are used with and have coarse threads that hold tightly.
They can be used to lag together lumber framing and for other heavy carpentry applications. Unlike regular screws, lag bolts are usually much larger in diameter and have hex or squared heads. This makes it easier to use a socket wrench to tighten them.
When using lag screws, they must be predrilled before being fastened. This will ensure that the hex head is deep enough to properly bind with the application surface and prevent the screw from coming loose or breaking off inside the material. It is also recommended that you use washers with these screws to increase their surface area and reduce the likelihood of the hex head digging into the material, which can cause it to crack or break.
Installation
Lag Bolts are used to fasten heavy lumber and other substantial materials. They are often used to carry a significant amount of load in both residential and commercial construction projects.
Despite being known as “bolts,” these heavy screws are actually more like large wood screws with hex heads. To create these fasteners, the steel round bar is heated and upset to form the correct head markings, including a hex or square design. They also feature a semi-cone point, which allows them to be easily inserted into pilot holes.
When installing lag bolts, it is crucial to align and clamp the materials you want to secure. Then, use a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the lag screw’s diameter to pre-drill pilot holes into the marked area of the materials. The pilot holes should be deep enough to accommodate the lag bolt.
Once the holes are drilled, insert the lag bolt and tighten it using a socket wrench or ratchet. When tightening, remember to apply steady pressure and not to over-tighten, which can damage the materials.
Maintenance
Lag bolts, also known as lag screws, are stronger and larger than other fasteners such as screws or nails. They can be used for many different projects and are very useful in construction.
They are used to connect wood pieces together and can handle a great deal of stress because of their size and strength. The most important thing to remember when using lag bolts is to use the proper size for the project. If you choose a bolt that is too small, it will not hold and could even break under pressure.
To ensure that your lag bolts last a long time, make sure you take care not to over-tighten them. If you do, the head may pop off the bolt and you will need to repair it. If this happens, you can use a hot soldering iron to soften the epoxy and then re-screw the head on. This will make the repair much easier.