Installing Concrete Anchor Bolts
Concrete bolt anchors are an essential part of any project involving the fixation of materials to concrete. They often provide an inexpensive and very strong anchor point for shelves, walls, and many other items that must be firmly attached to a concrete wall or floor.
The concrete bolt anchor is a bolt inside a sleeve made of a malleable metal such as zinc, lead, or a combination of both. There are two ways of installing a concrete bolt anchor which depend on its design. A hole can be bored into existing concrete where the anchor is inserted; upon tightening the bolt, the conical end of the anchor is forced into the sleeve which causes it to expand and grip the concrete very tightly. Other anchors are designed to be cast into fresh concrete and are tightened after the concrete has set. Always consult any instructions provided with the anchors as many anchors differ in design and application.
Concrete anchors have demonstrated their strength in specialty applications such as hanging the concrete ceilings in “The Big Dig” project, anchoring guy cables for towers, or fastening items such as flagpoles to their footings. Although they are not as strong as a through-and-through bolted connection to a concrete slab, concrete bolt anchors offer the convenience of providing a bolted connection where access to the other side of the slab is inconvenient or impossible.
In a domestic setting, concrete bolt anchors mostly find use outdoors or in the basement. They are commonly used to affix basketball nets to concrete pads or to hold sheds to poured footings. In the basement, they provide anchor points for heavy shelves, workbenches, or partitioning walls which require a solid connection to the surrounding concrete. Concrete bolt anchors are usually inexpensive in the size required for most home applications.
This article on home improvement tips was a guest post by our friends at Concrete Anchor Bolts. Visit their site for more info on the subject.