Foam concrete’s insulating qualities and lightweight design have completely changed the construction industry. But using it comes with special difficulties, particularly in terms of locating the appropriate fasteners. Because conventional fasteners frequently fall short of offering the requisite durability and grip, many people come to the conclusion that creating sturdy, dependable connections in foam concrete is practically impossible.
This perception is now being altered by creative solutions. By creating high-quality fasteners especially made to work with foam concrete, engineers and manufacturers have overcome the inherent challenges of the material. These fasteners are perfect for a range of construction applications because they guarantee strong and stable attachments.
Thanks to developments in fastener technology, contractors can now build structures with greater integrity without sacrificing it. These specialty fasteners offer the strength and stability needed for safe and long-lasting construction, whether they are used for residential or commercial applications. With the correct instruments and methods, the seemingly impossible is really becoming achievable.
Product Name | Features |
Anchor Bolts | Strong hold, easy installation |
Concrete Screws | Corrosion-resistant, no pre-drilling needed |
Expansion Bolts | High load capacity, versatile use |
Nylon Frame Fixings | Durable, secure fit |
Many people think that finding high-quality fasteners is an impossible task when it comes to foam concrete. But thanks to developments in construction technology, foam concrete can now be used with strong, dependable fasteners that work incredibly well. These contemporary fasteners guarantee stability and longevity, giving DIY enthusiasts and builders alike new options. Therefore, let go of your previous constraints because anything is possible with the correct fasteners!
- Why foam concrete needs special fasteners
- Which fastener do you prefer?
- Foam concrete dowel
- Self-tapping screws
- Screw M4
- Chemical anchor
- Wooden dowels
- "First aid" for a foam concrete wall
- Video on the topic
- Aerated concrete, foam concrete. Reliable fastening of anything! 5 simple ways
- Gas block, aerated concrete. Secret fasteners. We act not according to the rules #buildinghak
- ✅ The best anchor for aerated concrete, foam concrete | Nylon anchor for gas block or foam block
- Aerated concrete does not hold fasteners?!
- Fastenia for aerated concrete:!🔩💣💪
- Penoblok dowel (aerated concrete)
Why foam concrete needs special fasteners
On the Internet, there have been numerous discussions about the special construction of foam concrete blocks. Air-filled, closed pores work wonders as sound and heat absorbers. Additionally, the more, the better.
However, they frequently overlook the issue with nailability that results from such a minimal density when discussing this benefit. After all, thin pore walls are incredibly unreliable, and fasteners can’t be trusted to stay in the air.
As a result, mounting something to a wall like that requires caution. Anybody who has ever attempted to fasten into foam concrete is aware that a single clumsy maneuver can cause the block to collapse.
Even if common hardware, like a self-tapping wood screw, is anchored in a flimsy foam concrete body, it will eventually crumble under continuous or varying loads, which could have disastrous results. Red tape, repair, repeat.
This is the reason why foam concrete fasteners, despite their high price, became wildly popular in certain circles when they started to show up on our shelves. Additionally, there are countless varieties of hardware, one for every use case. How is the typical person supposed to pick up on such subtleties and buy the appropriate fasteners?
Which fastener do you prefer?
I would like to immediately note that fasteners in foam concrete are not equally effective. This “usefulness” depends on the density of the block itself from which the wall is built.
The task will get harder the less density it has, and as a result, the fasteners in the wall will come loose sooner. As a result, we’ll think about the best choices for a wall made of fragile foam concrete.
Foam concrete dowel
A unique dowel is the most popular fastener for cellular concrete. Its unique feature is that when screwed in, its spacer pieces separate, preventing the fastener from falling out and causing the block structure to collapse. The image below provides an illustration of this kind of relationship.
Furthermore, dowels are made with a broad thread rather than an expansion part. The latter also stops the coloring of the cellular foam concrete structure because of the greater area of the "curls."
For foam concrete, dowel nails are also available. There is no need to screw it in. Similar to other nails, it is mounted. The expansion components are only present at one end of the hardware, making it appropriate for use with cellular concrete.
The idea of dowels for foam concrete is rather broad. Based on the manufacturing material, they can be categorized more precisely.
The deciding factor when selecting hardware is this:
- Nylon has recently been most often used for the manufacture of foam concrete dowels. It is light and durable. In addition, the price for it, one can say funny. Such dowels are used in pairs with screws or screws of a suitable diameter. Nylon tolerates low and high temperatures well, is resistant to vibration. However, it can burn and melt. But it all depends on the manufacturer and the quality of the product itself.
Additionally, despite its apparent "strength," nylon hardware works best when fastening lightweight structures like book shelves, paintings, and other beautiful interior accents. It is hardly ever used for outdoor work; once more, it is limited to small fastenings, like flower pot holders.
- Polypropylene and polyethylene for the manufacture of foam concrete dowels are extremely rarely used and it is almost impossible to find such specialized fasteners. However, in any specialized store you can always get universal dowels with spacer elements. They are suitable for bricks, chipboard and solid cellular material.
These hardware come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including square, round, and long. Not every one of them will adhere to a foam concrete wall equally well.
Thus, when selecting this kind of fastening, take the route of an experimenter – purchase various dowels and attempt to install them into the wall (or, ideally, the remaining block). There is no other way to determine which type is optimal.
Take note! Remember that expansion dowels have larger parameters than universal dowels. Therefore, look for high-quality specialized hardware if you need to "drive" something into the wall completely.
- A metal dowel for foam concrete is a more durable fastener than polymer dowels for foam concrete, their load-bearing capacity is several times greater. As a rule, they are used to hang heavy cabinets on walls and carry out facade fastenings. For the latter, it is preferable to purchase galvanized products.
Other than being the most widely used fastener, what more is there to say about the foam concrete dowel? Like with any other material, there are probably low-quality products in its surroundings.
When it comes to such significant "units" of your house, it is best to spend more money on branded hardware, which is more expensive.
Self-tapping screws
Self-tapping screws are available specifically for use with foam concrete. Therefore, specialized hardware is just nonexistent. Usually, ordinary ones for wood or ones with a horn foam concrete anchor are understood under such a "telling" name.
Self-tapping wood screws for foam concrete walls are installed flawlessly—one could even say buttery. However, they soon relax and the hole surrounding them collapses. Thus, avoid making your life more difficult by using an expansion anchor instead of just self-tapping screws when screwing things in.
Screw M4
Use an M4 screw to create a "reinforced concrete" fastening for denser grades of foam concrete, specifically D800 and above. It is a set that includes a spacer element and a screw. You can also find comparable hardware with a galvanized shell for use on facades.
Chemical anchor
Without a doubt, the foam concrete chemical anchor is the best in its class.
It’s hardware made up of the following components:
The latter prevents the brittle foam block from collapsing because the fastening is merely "implanted." The newest method of fastening used for facade work is chemical dowel for foam concrete. As a result, the metal component has an anti-corrosion shell that has been galvanized.
We will provide an example of a typical study on the rupture of the fastening with a foam concrete body to help you understand how "powerful" such anchor bolts for foam concrete are. As a result, the MB-S foam concrete anchor can withstand 150 kgf, which is not too bad considering that the chemical anchor can withstand 700 kgf, breaking all previous records.
Chemical anchor for foam concrete universal fastener. Ideal for any hollow structures
Such a "miracle nail" is reasonably priced, even when purchasing from a common Chinese manufacturer. However, it is best to avoid taking chances with especially significant structures and to stick to purchasing hardware from reputable companies like Fischer.
Wooden dowels
Most likely, only carpenters use wooden dowels. But in the world of foam concrete, their obscurity is unjustified because these particular fasteners are meant for "problem" areas. which walls are made of foam concrete.
You can screw any fastener you want into them, and they are simple to install. But since the hardware will soon loosen and bend, it is not advised to use it on very soft blocks.
"First aid" for a foam concrete wall
In principle, such wooden dowels are rarely used as initial fasteners. Basically, they are used to seal the resulting holes in the walls from poorly secured fasteners.
Should these factory products not be available, "self-deck" can completely substitute them. A wooden chopic is simply driven into the hole to complete the process.
What matters most is that this kind of element is bigger than the embedded portion. You can safely fix anything in the resulting wooden "dowel" as well. Although this type of fastening on foam concrete walls isn’t the ideal choice, anything is preferable to walls with holes in it.
It used to be very difficult to find the right fasteners for foam concrete, but thanks to recent developments, even this lightweight material can now be securely fastened. Modern, premium fasteners are made expressly to deal with the special characteristics of foam concrete, guaranteeing stability and longevity in building endeavors.
These creative fasteners offer dependable fixes for securing fixtures, bolstering constructions, and more. They are perfect for a range of applications because they are designed to pierce foam concrete without creating damage or fissures. Builders can now confidently take on projects that were previously thought to be too complex or risky thanks to these tools.
Adding these fasteners to your construction toolbox not only makes your work go more smoothly, but it also creates new opportunities for imaginative and useful designs. The results of your projects can be greatly enhanced by knowing and using high-quality fasteners for foam concrete, regardless of whether you’re a professional contractor or a do-it-yourself enthusiast.