Testimonials

sign in / register

Our proven range of screws, bolts and fasteners are popular with our contractors and installers, who know that the products are reliable and will ensure fast, simple installation to minimise cost.

Our standard fastener range includes:

  • Concrete screws and masonry bolts
  • Hex bolts, coach bolts and saddle bolts,
  • Coach screws and woodscrews,
  • Nuts (including nyloc type),
  • Washers (including steel, galvanised, nylon and spring types),
  • Wall plugs and fence clips among other items,

All of our bolts, screws and fixings are designed to make the installers life easier.

Bolts and Screws

Our range of self-tapping, high tensile boron steel Atlas Bolts and Screws are truly mult-purpose fasteners, which can be used for fixing into concrete, brick, masonry, marble, slate and wood, making them a versatile must-have fastener for any installer.

 

To install the bolt, simply drill a pilot hole in the material you need to fix to, and thanks to the special notched lead-in thread, these clever self tapping bolts smoothly and easily cut their own thread as you tighten them, providing a sound and secure two way fixing that can also be undone again should the need arise.

Because they are designed to cause minimal expansion force, these bolts can be used close to the edge of materials such as bricks, masonry and concrete where the use of a shield anchor or other type of expansion bolt, would simply cause the outer face to split away, requiring a costly repair or replacement.

Other bolts and screws in our range include; Hex Bolts and Set Screws, Coach Bolts, Saddle Bolts, Expansion Bolts (Anchor Bolts and Shield Anchors), Ashpalt Fixings, Coach Screws and Wood Screws, each product having been carefully selected for performance and value.

What`s the Difference between Bolts and Screws

While bolts and screws are often very similar in appearance they are in fact very different. Generally, bolts use untapped holes and suitable nuts, sometimes along with appropriate washers. Bolts are long enough to extend through the objects being attached to allow the nut to be tightened on the other side. Screws are used to assemble items with threads, unless the screw is of the self-tapping variety which cut their own thread as they are tightened. A key difference is that screws don`t need nuts. Screws are generally shorter than the thickness of the material they are screwed into to avoid protrusion. 

Hex Bolts and Set Screws

Technically, the difference between a Hex Bolt and a Set Screw relates to the proportion of the bolt shaft that is threaded. On a Hex Bolt, there is an unthreaded length of shaft (often called the shoulder or shank) between the underside of the bolt head and the start of the threaded section which runs from the tip of the bolt toward the bolt head.

A Set Screw on the other hand features a full length thread from the tip of the bolt right up to the underside of the bolt head. Unfortunately the term Hex Bolt seems to have become widely used as a generic term which covers either type, so care should be taken when making a purchase, especially if your application specifically requires either a shouldered bolt or a fully threaded bolt.

Hex bolts and Set Screws are manufactured from steel wire in various dimensions, which is used to cold-form the bolt via a series of processes that involve extreme pressure. Once the bolt is formed, complete with the hex head, the thread is rolled on as each unit passes between a pair of heavy duty rollers. Although at this stage the units are perfectly formed into the shape of the end product, they lack structural strength.  To convert them to surface protected, high tensile steel units for maximum strength and performance in use, they finally pass through multiple precision heating and cooling processes.

Standard Hex Bolts and Set Screws are designed to be two way fasteners, which means that they can be done up or undone using standard spanners or socket drivers. Any standard Hex Bolt or Set Screw, can however easily be turned into a security fastener, by replacing the conventional nut used to secure it with a security nut or enclosure (see Security Screws - Anti Tamper Fasteners on our website)

Concrete Screws and Masonry Bolts

While there are several different types of concrete screws and bolts on the market, we believe that the versatility and affordability of our high performance Atlas Bolts and Screws make them a superior and more practical buy, as they can be used for fixing into so may different types of building materials including; wood, concrete, brick and masonry as well as more fragile materials such as slate and marble.

Shield Anchors / Expansion Bolts

Expansion Bolts or Shield Anchors feature a high tensile steel bolt housed in a split outer sleeve and screwed into a captive conical shaped nut at the bottom of the unit. When properly installed into a high-quality concrete, the combination of strong substrate and high tensile steel bolt offers a very robust fixing.

In use, the anchor sleeve with its captive nut is dropped into a pre-drilled hole of the appropriate diameter and depth, in an existing base slab. The bolt with washer is then inserted through the structure to be bolted down and screwed into the anchor sleeve. As the head of the bolt is tightened, the captive conical nut at the base of the sleeve is drawn upward, forcing the split outer sleeve to expand outwards forming a multi-point force fit, toward the bottom of the drilled hole for maximum strength.

Obviously the hexagonal head of the bolt means that it can be undone after installation should it be necessary, however to protect the item it is securing against unauthorised removal, a security Armour Ring can be hammered over the bolt head which prevents the bolt being removed (see Security Screws - Anti Tamper Fasteners on our website).

Whilst the various types of expansion bolt can offer a very robust fixing, their very nature means that they can cause the substrate into which they are installed to fracture, especially when installed close to an edge. If this is a potential issue for you, you may wish to consider using a cheaper Atlas Bolt as an alternative fixing.

Coach Bolts

Coach Bolts feature a smooth dome head, with a small square section shank immediately below it, then a smooth shank and threaded portion to the tip. Popular for fixing wooden sections together in the building trade, as the nut is tightened onto the protruding bolt thread, the square section is pulled into the wood, providing enough grip to prevent the bolt turning as the nut is fully tightened.

Saddle Bolts

Saddle Bolts are designed specifically for use with perimeter fencing. The rectangular shaped head fits into the vertical shaped recess in the pales of Palisade and similar type fencing, which speeds up installation by preventing the bolt from turning as the securing nut is tightened. They are only available in one size, which is M8 x 40mm and can if required easily be converted to a security fixing by using a security nut with the Saddle Bolt.

Coach Screws

Coach screws are heavy duty fasteners specially designed for fastening metal pieces with timber and also to fasten heavy timbers. Also known as `lag bolts` or `lag screws`, in order to avoid the wood splitting as the screws are installed, it is necessary to drill a pilot hole for each Coach Screw prior to installation.

Woodscrews

As the name implies, these screws are designed specifically for screwing into wood. Our range all feature a double thread, which aids installation and forms a secure fixing once installed.

Nuts and Washers

Our Metric nuts come in the form of Standard Hex Nuts and Nyloc Nuts. The Nyloc Nuts feature an internal nylon sleeve section which the machine screw or bolt cuts a thread into as it is screwed into the nut. The benefit of the Nyloc Nut is that it is effectively an anti-vibration device that minimises the risk of nuts working loose where the unit they are installed on is subject to movement or vibration.

Wall Plugs

Wall Plugs are plastic plugs which work on a similar principle to an Expansion Bolt. A suitable size hole is drilled into the receiving surface (brick, masonry), and the plug is inserted. The item to be secured to the surface is then offered up and a screw is inserted through the fixing hole in the item and screwed into the Wall Plug. As the screw is tightened, it is pulled into the plug forcing the plug to expand outward at its base to form a secure fixing.

Fence Clips

These are specifically designed for use with various types of steel mesh fence panels such as 358 Anti-Climb Mesh, or general purpose perimeter mesh fence such as Euroguard, as typically installed around outdoor sports facilities such as tennis courts. They are used to quickly and easily bolt mesh panels to the upright fence support posts, or can be bolt fixed through the mesh itself to join sections of mesh panel together.

Security Screws and Fasteners

In addition to the standard fixings included in this section, we offer a comprehensive range of specialist Security Screws - Anti Tamper Fasteners which are available from stock for next day delivery.

Among the security fasteners stocked are a choice of metric security nut types which can be used with any type of standard metric bolt, to convert a standard bolt fixing into a security fixing. We also stock Armour Ring and NoGo products, which again convert a standard bolt fixing to a tamper proof fixing.

Read More...
Screws, Bolts and Fasteners

Select Product Range:

Back to top
About insight Security
WHY BUY FROM INSIGHT SECURITY?
  • It's easy to order from us and we're easy to contact...
    whether you need help or advice before or after you buy
  • Our proven, tried and tested products do what we say...
    which is why we can offer you a 'NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE'
  • Fast Reliable Service... your goods will normally be delivered within 1 to 3 working days - call us if you need them urgently!
  • All our products are very competitively priced... but more importantly, we believe they offer you the Very Best Value!

...these are just a few of the reasons that most of our customers buy from us regularly and recommend us to friends and peer groups. So buy now with confidence - and join the thousands of happy customers we have helped over the last 20 years... and remember, if you're not sure what you need, or which solution is best for you, our specialist advisors will be pleased to help. Just call us on 01273 475500.