Fasteners

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What can I use to anchor a drapery rod on drywall?

A plastic anchor will support a lighter rod. Rods supporting heavier weights will need a molly wall grip.
 

How do I install a molly wall grip?

Drill the proper size hole to insert the molly. Turn the screw head until you feel the molly expand and grip the drywall. Next, remove the screw for intended use. A drive-in type is available which eliminates the need for drilling a hole.
 

How do I install a toggle bolt?

Drill a proper size hole and insert the bolt. Don't forget that you have to insert the bolt through the item you are fastening to the wall. Collapse the toggle and push the bolt through the hole until the toggle springs open. Now, tighten the bolt to complete the anchoring.
 

I am paneling my basement walls. What nail can I use to anchor furring strips to a concrete block wall?

Masonry nails can do this job.
 

How can I anchor something to concrete?

A newer anchor has a drill bit built into the end of a screw so that it can be driven directly into the concrete.
 

Is a toggle bolt a good choice for anchoring something to my wall?

No, toggle bolts are designed for hanging things from a ceiling, where weight is distributed across the toggle. For a wall, it's best to use one of the newer kinds of plastic anchors. One has a self-drilling head that can be driven either with a screwdriver or a power tool.

What is the advantage of cement-coated nails?

Friction heat from driving the nail softens the cement coating and causes the nail to adhere to wood more firmly.
 

What is the difference between a common nail and a smooth box nail?

The common nail is thicker even though the nails have the same length.
 

Should I use a finishing nail?

These are mostly for interior work when you would countersink the head and cover the nail hole.
 

Should I use a galvanized nail?

Galvanized nails resist rust, and you should use them whenever you are building a project that will be exposed to the elements. Aluminum nails are rustproof but must be thicker to prevent them from bending.
 

What is the difference between a sheet metal screw and a wood screw?

The main difference is a sheet metal screw has threads along its entire length. A wood screw has threads along about two-thirds of its length and costs a little less.
 

Are there screws that will not rust?

Brass, aluminum and stainless steel screws should meet your needs.
 

Why would I use aluminum?

It is less expensive than stainless, but it is softer and not as strong. Aluminum nails are used for some specific applications. For example, they are good underwater. In general, stainless is the most popular.
 

Why would I use brass screws?

Brass is also softer than and not as strong as stainless, and its main use is when you want the decorative look of brass.
 

What do the marks on the head of a bolt mean?

They represent the hardness of the bolt. No marks indicates the least hard, three marks is medium hardness and bolts with six marks are the hardest.
 

What are the advantages of a carriage bolt?

The square shoulder, sunk into wood, prevents the bolt from turning, and the round head gives a smoother finish.
 

Even with a lock washer, I continue losing the nut off my mower.

Use a lock nut with a nylon insert. This arrangement will not vibrate loose as readily.
 

What is the meaning of USS and SAE as it pertains to bolts?

USS are coarse threads, while SAE are fine threads.
 

What is a lag bolt?

It is basically a large wood screw (with a pointed tip) and a hex head.
 

Is there a nail I can use that is less likely to split my wood?

Pointless nails protect against wood splitting because they cut through fibers rather than following the grain of the wood.
 

I have a bolt that is not threading in properly. Can I fix this?

Yes, a thread repair kit allows you to retap it, put in an insert and rebuild it.
 

I've broken the head off a bolt. Is there some way I can get it out?

You should use a bolt extractor kit. It has a tap and an insert with a left-hand thread so that it can be turned to remove the bolt.
 

Which is a bigger nail - No. 6 or No. 8?

No. 8 - the bigger the number the bigger the nail.
 

What do the numbers - such as 8-32 mean on a machine screw?

The first number is the diameter. The bigger the number the bigger the screw. The second number is the number of threads per inch.
 

My cabinets have handles that have holes that are 3-1/2" apart, but I am only finding new handles that fit holes 3" apart.

Now, most pulls are generally on 3" mounting centers. You will need to drill new holes and look for pulls that are designed to cover the previous holes. There are also decorative plates that will cover the previous holes. Mount these plates under the new pulls.
 

How long of a nail should I use?

If the board you are fastening to another is not going to bear weight, it should be a half inch longer than the board is thick. If it is going to bear weight, it should be 2-1/2 times the thickness of the material to be fastened.
 

What do I use to hang a plant?

For small to medium size hangings, there are kits that include a toggle and a decorative hook. These often have screws so that you do not have to use the toggle if you install it directly into a joist. For larger things, you may have to buy a large hook and toggle separately.
 

What does a lock washer do?

It helps to tighten the grip of the nut. If the screw needs to maintain lots of torque or if it's going to vibrate, you should consider using a lock washer.
 

What screw do I use to anchor a knob onto a drawer?

If you do not have the knob to identify the size, it's probably an 8-32 screw. It may not be the right one, but it's the best guess that may keep you from making another trip.
 

What fixture can I use that will enable me to hang a picture straight?

For lightweight pictures, a saw-toothed hanger on picture frames will permit you to adjust the picture on the nail.
 

I have looked for specific-size screws everywhere, but I can't find one that is the right size?

Look to see if it's a metric size.
 

I'm going to nail a small piece of wood to something. What should I use?

You can use small nails, called brads, but to help prevent the wood from splitting, you should pre-drill the holes.

Square Drive Screws

In recent years deck screws have demonstrated their importance with huge increases in use by builders, homeowners and craft-folks. They have become an invaluable fastener, first designed for decks but now filling hundreds of applications because of their ease of use, flexibility, and grabbing and holding power.
Like nails, deck screws now come in many different sizes, finishes, thread pitch, and even hardness, all to better meet your needs. Typically they have been driven with a #2 Philips (cross-slot) bit driven by an electric screw gun or drill. The downside has been the tendency for the bit to tear out the Philips socket before it's seated. Also in hard wood unless using pre-drilled holes the deck screw may break off.
Now the good news. For many years the furniture and recreational vehicle industries have used recessed square-drive screws requiring a square tipped or Robertson type screw driver. Then more recently in Canada the square drive deck screw became widely used because it solved the major problem of the Philips head: slot tear out (hiss). Here again a #2 tip is most common (square drive), And what a dream to drive, you are in control - that baby goes in every time and will come back out again just as easily.
So the square drive deck screw is a-coming south from Canada and Washington and we have just completed a new, expanded assortment of them. It's like the slotted wood screw being made obsolete by the Philips head - the standard Philips deck screw may also be on its way out.

 

Hinges

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I am building a storage box. What type of hinge should I use so that the top can be opened?
A piano hinge is a good choice.

I need a hinge for my child's toy box. What will keep the lid up safely when opened?
Use a lid support hinge.

Chain

I am building a swing. What type of chain do you recommend?

Passing link allows the links to pass each other easily, which helps prevent kinking and tangling.

How strong a chain should I buy?

Chains are all rated to their working loads. Welded chains have links that are welded to form a continuous loop and are the strongest. Weldless chains are formed by bending, twisting or knotting the metal to form individual loops. It's recommended for light work only.

Rope

How Strong is a Rope?

All cordage (rope) is rated as to expected strength. Tensile or breaking strength is the load that will break a brand new, never knotted cord or rope. All ropes age and are weakened somewhat by winding on a reel, running over pulleys or tying, thus only a small fraction of the breaking strength should be considered for safe loading use. Manufacturers suggest a range of working loads which may be only 10 to 15% of breaking strength. ("WLL" on our signs)
All ropes and cords eventually fail. They should be examined frequently and replaced at the first sign of abrasion, thinning, loose strands or other signs of wear.
Back to the original question - how strong is a rope? Of most common cordage of the same diameter, nylon is by far the strongest. It is also very durable, resistant to most chemicals and will not rot or mould when wet. However, nylon will stretch and while that makes for good shock load tolerance it can also snap backwards in a dangerous fashion.
Next strongest is polypropylene rope. It is quite inexpensive and is produced in various colors. Polypropylene is resistant to rot and mildew and doesn't need to be dry before storage.
Common manila is the most frequently used natural fiber in twisted rope. Though not as strong as the synthetics, it has excellent resistance to surface heat and heavy loading on pulleys will not fuse the strands together. Manila has a nice familiar feel - it's what you see when you visualize "rope".
 

Is nylon rope worth its extra cost?

Twisted nylon rope is the most versatile because of its strength. Additionally it has good shock resistance, which means sudden jerks are less likely to damage the rope or cause failure. Its resistance to abrasion makes it durable where rubbing is likely to occur. It is resistant to most chemicals and will not rot or mold when wet. When stretched, it tends to return to its original length, making it good for lifting and towing. However, it should not be attached to winches, bits, hooks or chains.

When should I use a polyester rope?

Polyester twisted rope has strength similar to nylon but at the expense of a poor shock load capacity. However, it has a good resistance to abrasion and sunshine. It's a good choice for general-purpose boating applications.