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Why We Love Atlas Bolts

There’s a huge and often bewildering variety of fixings, fastenings, bolts and screws available today. Unfortunately there are also an increasing number of poor quality, sub-standard products which should be avoided. Atlas bolts, produced by Atlas Building Products, based in Ohio, U.S.A., are our favourite, high quality self-tapping masonry fixings for the reasons described in this post.

Perils of Low Quality Fixings

Before looking closely at Atlas concrete screws and bolts it’s worthwhile considering the issues associated with poor quality fixings.

When it comes to fixings and fastenings the first priority should always be quality. Unfortunately, many purchasers focus on the price and often opt for the lowest cost option. This approach is generally a false economy as the price difference between high quality and low quality fastenings is often not very significant, whereas the quality difference can be enormous.

Here are some of the most common issues encountered with low quality bolts and screws.

Inadequate Corrosion Protection

Bolts and screws with inadequate corrosion protection are not durable. Poor quality plating and surface protection can mean that the steel is susceptible to corrosion. Rust and corrosion will weaken the fastening and potentially require early replacement.

Well manufactured, high quality fastenings, designed to withstand the rigours of outdoor environments, will provide many years of reliable service without causing any worry about the effects of corrosion.

Low Strength

The strength of fasteners, especially those used to secure heavy items such as window frames, must be reliably high. Using cheap, low strength fastenings can result in significant safety issues if the fastenings break or become detached.

The quality of the steel, used in the manufacture of fastenings, is the primary factor affecting their strength. Cheap, low quality bolts and screws are often made from poor quality steel which doesn’t reliably provide the strength needed. High quality bolts and screws are manufactured from high quality materials providing optimum strength.

Shorter Lifetime

Low quality fastenings manufactured from inferior quality steel with poor quality plating and protection simply cannot stand the test of time. The impact of environmental conditions alongside wear and tear will potentially require early replacement, if weakness is identified. But in many circumstances fixings might be hidden from view and the first sign of problems only becomes apparent when a poor quality bolt or screw fails.

High quality bolts and screws, from reputable manufacturers, provide long-term reliability while reducing the risk of potentially dangerous and costly failure.

Cheap Bolts and Screws Cost More

Cheap, low quality fastenings, bolts and screws are simply a false economy. While the initial cost may be fractionally lower than high quality fixings, issues related to reliability, longevity, safety and security will not be worth the minimal savings. Cheap bolts and screws are a poor investment that will probably cost more in the medium and long term.

High Quality Atlas Bolts

Atlas Fasteners have been manufacturing high quality bolts, screws, rivets and other products for over a century. These excellent products are widely used in the construction industry where they are appreciated for their quality and reliability.

A key benefit provided by Atlas bolts is that, to use them, all you need to do is drill a pilot hole of the right size and the cleverly designed Atlas self tapping bolt will self-align and cut it’s own thread into the host material.

Atlas bolts are made from top quality high tensile, hardened steel with boron and specially designed for fast and easy installation. A key design feature of these self tapping masonry screws is the 10 x sharp, thread-forming teeth on the leading threads which support the self-tapping action. They also feature dual threads which ensure correct alignment and significantly reduces installation time.

Atlas bolts can be reliably used in a variety of materials including:

• Concrete
• Brick
• Marble
• Natural stone
• Slate
• Timber

Importantly, Atlas bolts are incredibly strong with high tensile load performance capabilities making them reliably suitable for huge range of applications. Atlas bolts, with their sharp thread-cutting teeth, key into the host material for the entire length of the bolt which reduces forces within the substrate, enabling the bolts to be used close the edge without risk of damage. This is the unique capability that enables Atlas bolts to be used in delicate materials such as slate, marble and stone.

How to Install Atlas Bolts

Installing Atlas bolts is quick and easy.

1. Start by drilling a pilot hole of the correct diameter. For example our M6 self-tapping Atlas bolts require a 6mm diameter hole.
2. The hole should be drilled to a depth of the fixing plus at least one diameter of the fixing. So for our 50mm M6 Atlas bolts the hole depth would need to be 56mm.
3. Clean the dust and debris from the freshly drilled hole.
4. Using either an appropriately sized socket or a Torx driver (depending on the head type) apply pressure while rotating the fixing. This will enable the sharp, thread-forming teeth to bite into the host material and cut the first thread.
5. Continue to tighten until firmly fixed.

Who Uses Atlas Bolts?

The obvious versatility of Atlas bolts makes them ideal for a wide variety of fastening tasks including fencing, roofing, window and door frame installation and much more. Here are just a selection of the areas and trades routinely using Atlas self tapping bolts.

• Roofing contractors
• Fencing installers
• Agricultural constructors
• Builders
• Property maintainers
• Shop fitters
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Carpenters
• Kitchen installers
• Property restorers
• Garage environments
• Factories and manufacturing plants
• DIYers

Another important feature of Atlas bolts that we’ve not already mentioned is that they are removable. This makes them eminently suitable for temporary or semi-permanent installations and structures which will eventually need to be dismantled.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about Atlas bolts remember that we are here to help. Give us a call on 01273 475500 and we’ll provide you with free, expert advice and guidance.

This message was added on Friday 3rd July 2020