The rapid development of construction technologies entails the development and creation of not only the latest materials, but also the introduction of various fastening systems. Among these fasteners, dowels are widely used. This is a special element used for mounting a wide variety of designs. The industry produces a lot of different types of dowels to solve a huge number of tasks. Consider what it is, as well as the main types of these products.
Characteristic
The expansion bolt shield is a fixing element which is intended for installation and connecting works. Now industry produces a huge number of types of these elements. Each type is suitable for a specific material. There are products for concrete, metal or wood, as well as plasterboard structures.
Such fasteners are used when access to the edge of the rod for connection is difficult or impossible. For example, you need to make a hole in the wall to install a cabinet in the kitchen or shelves in a room - this requires a dowel. Also, a dowel is an ideal choice when the wall is hollow or has voids in it. Any other fasteners and systems will simply be ineffective.
How dowels look, principle of operation
This fastener in appearance is a cylindrical rod. If we talk about materials, it is nylon, polypropylene, metal, polyethylene. The industry also produces metal anchor anchors.
The product consists of two parts. The first is a spacer. It will expand during installation, due to which the fasteners will turn out to be reliable. The second part is indisputable. Individual products have special cuffs. They prevent the dowel from falling into the hole made.
Types of dowels, photo
In construction stores a wide selection of various products is presented. But you need to understand that each of them is suitable for solving specific problems. There are several varieties of these elements:
- Polypropylene
- Spacers.
- For work with drywall.
- Nylon
- Adjustment.
- Type "butterfly" and "umbrella".
- Dowel nail.
- Frame, etc.
We will analyze the main types of dowels and their application.
Universal polypropylene
These are the simplest dowels, but they are suitable for a huge part of the fixing work. These elements can be selected when working with stone, concrete walls, brick. In the process of screwing a self-tapping screw, a plastic dowel will be wound on the metal, thereby strengthening the fastening.
Universal spacer
It is also a polypropylene product. However, its feature is the presence of struts.
Due to these details, the element holds well inside the hole made.
Dowels for working with plasterboard walls
These parts are designed and manufactured specifically for fastening in plasterboard or plasterboard walls. If it is necessary to install something in porous concrete, then this option is chosen. These fasteners are made of metal or plastic.
Metal products are called "molly". When working with them there is no need to pre-make a hole. The tip of the dowel is a
feather drill.Nylon Fasteners
These items are made of nylon. You can use them for almost any task. They are ideal for all surfaces.
Due to the presence of special "mustaches", this dowel is securely held in any wall. With such fasteners, self-tapping screws with a diameter of 0.02 to 0.16 cm are used.
Butterfly
These types of expansion bolt shields are intended for serious fixing works.
This element is able to withstand huge loads, even if it is fixed in a hollow wall. Such fasteners are mainly made of metal.
Adjustment dowel
This product is intended for fixing the lathing for sheathing.
The main feature of these parts is the ability to adjust the position of the elements with respect to the base to which the fasteners are made.
Umbrella
These are special types of dowels, and their use is also special. They are not used in most fixing works, but are intended only for the installation of heat-insulating materials made of mineral wool or polystyrene. In appearance, the part really resembles an umbrella - for example, there is a wide round hat. It is necessary to hold the insulation.
They are made of metal and plastic. However, there are other umbrellas. They are designed for drywall and suspended structures. A metal umbrella-molly dowel is a nail with shoulders that are securely fastened in a hollow wall. In this case, the load is distributed evenly. With this type of fastener, even the heaviest chandeliers can be suspended in suspended plasterboard ceilings.
Clamp
In appearance, this fastener is a loop. These products are made of plastic. These clamps are intended for installation work on electrical wiring. The use of these dowels is very simple. First, a hole of the required diameter is made in the base, then the wire is pressed by a clamp.
Its edges are inserted into the hole. In this way, corrugated pipes of small diameters can be fastened.
Frame dowels
These parts are made of metal - their use is quite specific. They are intended for installation of window as well as door frames. But there are other tasks that help to solve these types of dowels.
And their use (see photo in our article) is relevant for fixing the skin through plaster or heat-insulating materials.
Dowel nail
This is one of the types of ordinary dowels. The difference in the capabilities of quick installation is just to hammer it into the wall. These products are widely used in repairs. With them you can quickly and at the same time securely fix the skirting boards, lighting fixtures on the ceiling, any materials to any bases.
The use of dowel nails makes it possible to easily carry out fasteners to concrete, wood or a brick wall.
The skirting board fasteners are especially fast, exterior wall finishing works, and work with drywall systems. Dowel nails are often chosen for
thermal insulation works, for the installation of ebbs under balconies and windows.
The main components of the nail is a self-tapping screw with a thread, which is narrowed towards the sharp part. This feature makes it possible to work with these elements not only with a screwdriver or drill. It is allowed to use a hammer and plastic dowels.
The main difference between this type of fasteners and other types is that the main part works on the principle of a nail, not a self-tapping screw. But some elements that are produced by modern industry may have a slot for a Phillips screwdriver on their heads. But twist them with a screwdriver - quite a long time. The most effective is to use a hammer.
The plastic part expands during the driving process, thereby ensuring reliable and, most importantly, durable fastening. The dowel on one of the edges has a special cuff. It prevents the element from completely disappearing into the hole. The shape of the cuff may vary.
An important point is the technical specifications. The main parameters are the length and diameter of the nail. Take a standard nail dowel. Sizes and types - from 40 to 140 mm long, the pitch is 20 mm. Diameter - from 5 to 7 mm. To work with these fasteners, the diameter of the hole for them is from 6 to 10 mm. Conventionally, the model of fasteners is designated by two indicators. This is the diameter of the hole, as well as the length.
Screws
Dowel fasteners provide for the use of self-tapping screws. There are several types of these products according to the material into which they will be screwed. The industry produces self-tapping screws for wood, metal, products with a press washer, self-tapping screws with a drill, for concrete, brick and stone. A wood product has a rare thread pitch. So, here the distance between the turns is greater than that of metal products. This is because the wood is less dense and hard. These elements can be black, golden and white. The choice of color depends on what you need to work with. Most often with dowels, a black and golden element is used.
Types of screws and dowels are different in length. So, the length of the black screws - from 11 mm to 200 mm. As for the diameter, black starts from 3.5 to 4.2 mm. Diameters of yellow are 2.5-6 mm.
Features of choosing a dowel
When selecting a dowel, its shape is only one factor that is usually oriented to. Forget about others, but in vain. It is important to know which size to choose. For example, a 6 x 40 dowel is suitable for mounting various profile structures in cinder block walls. Another size will not fit - the product will simply fall out of the hole.
For walls in prefabricated houses, as well as for hollow walls, you need another dowel. Dimensions and types - 6 x 60 or 6 x 80. They will help to securely fasten any structure to the wall. Nothing will fall out or fail. They can even be used on the ceiling.
Choosing the length of the part, it is necessary to remember the loads that the fastener will experience. The shorter the dowel and the self-tapping screw, the less load it will withstand. In addition, diameter is very important. For ordinary homework, parts with a diameter of 8 to 10 millimeters are suitable. The difference in hole depth affects the maximum load.
The choice of a drill for a dowel
The basic rule when working with this type of fixture is that the diameter of the drill must match the number or size of the dowel. In an ideal situation, a plastic or metal element should hardly enter the hole. As for the material of the drills, experienced specialists recommend choosing a winning tool for concrete. It is enough to solve most construction tasks. Buying more expensive drills does not make much sense.