Nuts and bolts work together with washers to connect work pieces. You may hear the terms nuts and bolts used interchangeably, but a bolt has a very different function than a nut. We&#;ll discuss different types of each piece of hardware, when you&#;d use them and the basics of how each piece functions to join pieces together.
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Bolts have a head with a driving surface (typically hexagonal, to fit a wrench or socket/ratchet combination) and a cylindrical shaft that runs through the work pieces you&#;re assembling. The shaft is threaded but often has an unthreaded portion known as the shank or body near the head. The shank reduces the likelihood of the bolt shearing or snapping as the stronger, unthreaded portion carries most of the load. This unthreaded portion can also make it easier and faster to install longer bolts.
In most assemblies, you&#;ll need a washer &#; a thin, unthreaded piece that fits onto the bolt shaft. Its function is to spread the load of the connection over a greater area or to help prevent the fastener from loosening once installed.
A nut pulls the work pieces together along the bolt shaft. A nut is threaded like a bolt, but while a bolt has external threads along the shaft, a nut has internal threads. The nut threads fit the threads on the bolt, allowing the nut to spin along the bolt shaft. A nut designed to work with a bolt will have a driving surface like that of the bolt (a hexagonal nut works with a hex-head bolt).
One typical application for a bolt, washer and nut is to insert a bolt into matching holes on work pieces you&#;re fastening and then tighten the nut. As you tighten the nut, it cinches the pieces together, forcing the washer against one element and pulling the bolt head tightly against the other element. You&#;ll often need two wrenches so you can hold the bolt head in place while tightening the nut.
Keep in mind that to properly match a nut and washer to a bolt, you need to consider factors such as material, finish, size and thread type.
Bolts are just one type of fastener. See our Screws Buying Guide and How to Choose the Right Nails for Your Project to find out about other fastening options.
Nuts work with several types of bolts to secure the fasteners tightly. Nuts are made from the same materials as bolts for consistency. It is important to match materials when fastening nuts. For example, stainless steel bolts need stainless steel nuts. Also, the threads need to match to ensure a secure fit, meaning coarse-threaded bolts with coarse-threaded nuts. Most nuts are designed to be driven with a wrench or socket driver, but some can be tightened by hand. Here are some of the most widely used hardware nuts for use with bolts.
TipWhen matching nuts to bolts, make sure the internal diameter of the nut matches the diameter of the bolt.
Hex nuts have a six-sided drive surface to match hex bolts. They're a common type of nut used with bolts of matching size and thread type to secure wood and metal components.
Nylon lock nuts have a hexagonal head with a built-in nylon ring. As you install a lock nut onto a bolt, the bolt threading displaces or deforms the ring, increasing friction and helping prevent loosening caused by slipping or vibration.
A castle nut is a type of lock nut that works with a pin or clip inserted through a hole in the bolt. Notches cut into the nut prevent rotation when they stop against the pin.
Wing nuts are designed to allow fastening without the use of tools; the wings allow you to tighten or loosen them with a thumb and finger. These nuts are used to allow quick and easy modifications and removals. You might see them on drum kits, light stands and other items that need frequent adjustments.
For more information, please visit Friction Bolt.
Cap nuts or acorn nuts have a domed shape and hexagonal driving surface. You can often install them by hand. They screw onto the exposed threads on a bolt or threaded rod to protect against injury, damage and to add a decorative look. You'll see cap nuts on projects such as outdoor playsets and fences.
Square nuts have four relatively large driving surfaces, making them easy to grip and turn. The design of the nut allows more surface area to contact the piece that its fastening, providing more resistance to loosening and tightening. Use flat washers with square nuts to prevent the edges of the nuts from damaging the work piece.
Washers serve several functions that vary by washer type. The most common function is to distribute fastener load evenly across a wider area, helping prevent the fastener from tearing through the work pieces or pieces from cracking due to the focused pressure of the fastener head or nut. Some washers help keep nuts and bolts securely fastened, while others function as spacers. Below are some common types of washers for use with nuts and bolts.
Good to KnowAs with a nut, the inner diameter of a washer should match the outer diameter of the bolt.
Flat washers, sometimes called plain washers or standard washers, is the most common washer and is used in general repairs and assembly applications. A flat washer can minimize friction on the work piece caused by installing a bolt or nut. In addition to spreading the force of a nut or a bolt over a larger area, you might also use a flat washer to prevent a nut from digging into the material and weakening the connection. In some applications, flat washers can function simply as a spacer.
Fender washers are shaped similar to flat washers but are thinner with a comparatively large outside diameter relative to the center hole. This design gives a fender washer more surface area to distribute the load from the fastener across a wider area, making them especially effective when working with softer materials. Fender washers get their name from use in automotive work, but they&#;re also used in electrical and plumbing applications along with sheet metal work.
Rather than distributing pressure on a work piece, lock washers increase friction to help prevent a nut and bolt fastener from vibrating or rotating loose. There are several types.
Split lock washers or spring washers look like a broken ring. They can help keep a fastener from loosening due to vibration. The ends of a split lock washer are bent in opposite directions to create spring pressure between the work piece and the nut or, if a nut isn&#;t required, between the work piece and bolt head. The pressure helps hold the fastener in place, preventing it from backing out. The ends on the washer can also bite into the work piece and the bolt or nut, further preventing the fastener from reversing out of the work piece. Note that if it&#;s tightened too much, a split lock washer will lose the spring action and not lock as well.
Wave lock washers look similar to a standard washer except, as the name implies, they&#;re not flat. They have a wave shape that creates a spring action when compressed, similar to that of the split lock washer.
Toothed lock washers can have external or internal teeth that create friction against a fastener and, once secured, can bite into the nut or bolt to create resistance against turning. You&#;ll usually see external-tooth lock washers on larger bolt assemblies. An internal-tooth lock washer creates a cleaner appearance. They&#;re often used with smaller fasteners. Both types work best in materials such as plastic and softer metals.
Finishing washers, also known as countersunk washers, are a type of washer for use with screws. They have a concave surface that allows a flathead screw to countersink against the washer, providing a neater appearance. Some finishing washers are designed for specific types of screw heads.
TipThough not always required, using washers for screws can offer the same benefits as using them for bolts. For example, a flat washer can keep you from driving a screw head into soft wood.
When thinking about nut and bolt storage, one may harken back to an old workshop or dusty garage with glass jars full of mismatched fasteners. Today, Lowe&#;s has a broad selection of small parts organizers to keep all of your fasteners arranged and in one place. You can choose from a multi-bin compartment system or a briefcase style with adjustable compartments.
Are you interested in learning more about Mesh Bolt? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Jon O'Brien wrote:i don't think there's anything wrong with trying to do it as cheaply as possible. entitled d-bags will always find an issue with anything done by anyone other than themselves. the better question is if you still want to bolt after putting up w/ thank-less d-bags that don't appreciate your efforts OR your wallet. i think climbing has more independently wealthy, trust-fund types with too much time, too much money, and not enough meaning in their lives outside of rock climbing than any other recreational pursuit i've found (including skiing/ snowboarding). check out fixe's website and get on their mailing list, they often have great, really cheap sales. beware mountain project bro, lots of absolute trolls. jonI doubt many, if any of us, are even close to wealthy. I know it is a struggle for me to afford putting up my routes, but I refuse to do a half assed job. I think anyone installing fixed gear on public cliffs has that obligation. If I can't afford the bolts at the moment, I get the route all cleaned and as ready to go as I can and bolt it later. If people know you do a good job, it is likely there will be some who will help you out funding the bolts.
Joseph DeGaetano wrote:New River Gorge. It's bullet sandstone and really anything will work, but I'd like to get stainless steel. The plated steel looks fine also. Does anyone know the difference between the two and how well the plated lasts over the long haul? I will not be bolting in the National Park, which is a royal pain in the ass and mostly tapped out as far as true, quality sport climbs go. Instead, I'll be bolting in one of the nearby sectors. 3/8 inch bolt length will be perfect. Fixe has a deal on 3/8 bolt with SS hanger for $6 a peice. A bit pricy. I was hoping to find some sort of wholesale, or pro/bro deal.Judging by the types of questions you are asking and your lackadaisical attitude towards choosing the right material, I think you should reconsider bolting anything until you obtain a little more experience. My suggestion would be to get with someone in your area to learn how to bolt routes and how to select the type and grade of bolt suitable for your application. If you install improper material, or do a poor job bolting a route, there is a chance your routes will just get chopped, or worse yet, someone could get injured. Enlight of the bolting thread in the gear section and my personal experience with climbing in the NRG, it appears there is already a large amount of improperly installed bolts there - certainly more than most places.
mattm wrote: My issue with the Powers PowerStud is they don't spec out well in the 3/8in size. MAX shear strength is 16.9 kN. That's pretty crappy compared to Hilti KB3s at 26.5kN and Fixe at 22kN. According to John O'b above though, I'm being an elitist, rich prick with no meaning in my life by asking for long life bolts that at least get close to UIAA or EN fixed anchor specs. How dare I ask for safe gear that doesn't rust out in under a decade.Power's engineering data is a bit cryptic. For example, they say the 3/8" carbon steel PS bolt holds 16.9 kN in 1 5/8", 2", and 3" versions, but it holds 23 kN in 4 1/4" versions. If the breaking strength of the 1 - 3" versions are all the exact same, that means the concrete is strong enough to allow for the physical failure of the bolt, in which going with a longer bolt should not affect the failure strength. Also, their stainless steel bolts seem to have precisely the same breaking strength as their carbon steel version in every category ranging from 1/4" to 3/4". I find that pretty questionable unless the concrete is breaking, which it is not. Stainless steel generally is really close to grade five carbon steel specs, but it is not often precisely the same. I called Powers and one of their engineers is going to call me back.