When it comes to fixing wooden frames to brick, breeze block or concrete that are going to be load bearing then you really do need to ensure that you use the right fixing for the job.
Whilst traditional brown, red, or blue sized rawl plugs may be okay for hanging your shelves up at home on a brick wall, they will not be up to the job when it comes to fastening a door frame in place as an example. Indeed even putting two or three normal rawl plugs in place is not a good idea. When it comes to load bearing frames then you need the right fixings for the job, never try and make do with something that “Should just do the job,” as the chances are that it will not and your project will end in tears, if not on the floor!
You can purchase specialist frame fixings that are designed to go in to a wide variety of substrates from brick to concrete, and whilst they may look similar to rawl plugs, they are much larger and made out of much tougher nylon.
They come in several formats but the most commonly used ones for setting frames in place are the long expansion nylon frame fixings and the steel screw nylon frame fixings, which effectively work like traditional rawlplugs but on steroids. They are much larger and are made to carry much higher lateral and horizontal loadings. They are typically 5 to 6 inches long and are fitted very simply.
A suitable size hole is drilled in the wall. Always use the right diameter drill as specified for use with them – If you use one that is too small the nylon fixing will snap when tapped in. If you use one that is too large then the anti-turn lugs on the outside of the nylon will not bite in, and thus when you place your screw through the frame, the nylon fixing will not grip the substrate and just spin around in the hole when you try and tighten the screw.
The nylon plug is then tapped in to place, it should grip in to the substrate, this then allows the fixing screw to be placed through your frame and screwed in to the nylon fixing, which will expand in the wall as the screw tightens, firmly fixing your frame to the wall.
They are very easy to fit and use and thus are the best pound for pound frame fixing.
Fix8 offer a vast range of Stainless Steel Machine Screws for a number of use as well as Self Tapping Screws and Frame Fixings to suit any need.
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