Using Construction Fasteners and Hardware

Fasteners Fasteners Hardware used to hold the parts of a project together nails, screws, bolts, and glue Hardware metal items used for ornamental as well as functional purposes. hinges, drawer pulls, knobs, handles, and locks.

Selecting and Using Nails

Nails Most commonly used wood fasteners. Penny: Nail size unit, abbreviated with the lower case letter “d”. Sold by weight Choosing the right nail can prevent: Split wood, Weak fasten Expense

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Common Nails Largest in diameter and have thick heads. Designed for rough carpentry (like building framing) and are easy to drive without bending.

Box Nails Used wherever common nails might split the wood. Bend more easily because of the smaller wire used to form them. Head is thinner and larger in diameter than the common nail. Sinkers: Box nails which are cement coated Nail holding power may also be improved by: Galvanizing, ringing, or threading

Casing nails Same weight as box nails, but have a small, conical head. Used to attach door and window casings and other wood trim.

Finish Nails The thinnest cross section and the smallest head. Head is only slightly larger in diameter than the body of the nail. Slight depression on the top of the head helps keep the nail set from slipping

Specialized nails

Driving Nail Tips drive the nail with full swings of hammer using both the wrist and forearm. Use a swinging motion rather than short jabs. Use a hammer size to match the size of the nail to be driven.

To Avoid Splitting: Never use a nail larger than needed. Blunt the point of the nails (turn the nail upside down and hit the point with a hammer) Do not drive a series of nails in a straight line parallel to the grain. Never toenail when you can nail straight into the wood. Toenailing: driving a nail at an angle into the side of a board

Wood Screws

Wood Screws Advantages over nails: Disadvantages : Screws hold wood more securely Are easily tightened or removed. Leave a neat appearance. Disadvantages : more expensive Require more labor

Basic Wood Screws Have several screw head slot types straight, cross (Phillips), square, star Three commonly shaped screw heads are flat, oval, and round.

Screw Heads Flat heads may be countersunk (meaning that the top of the head is flush with the surface of the wood). Oval headed screws are used mainly to fasten hinges or other finish hardware. Round headed screws are utility screws and are used where the fastened piece is too thin to permit countersinking.

Special Wood Screws Drive Screw: Special screw made to be driven with a hammer One-way screw: To be tightened with a standard screwdriver but cannot be turned out with the screwdriver Designed to prevent burglary and theft.

Lag Screws Lag screws, sometimes called lag bolts, are special heavy duty screws made with a square or hex bolt head.

Screw Gauges Screws are sized by length in inches and by diameter. Gauge Number: Diameter of the screw. To calculate the gauge number subtract 1/16 inch from the diameter and multiply the result by 80.

Actual Size of Common Wood Screws

Pilot Hole Pilot hole: Hole drilled smaller than screw Allows easy tightening without danger of splitting the wood.

Bolts

Bolts Made of steel with either round, square, or hexagonal heads and threaded shanks. Stronger than nails or screws, but are more expensive.

Stove bolts Have either flat or round heads that look like wood screws but a threaded shank with a nut like other bolts. Commonly used with the installation of hinges.

Carriage bolts Have a round head with a square shank which pulls into the wood to hold the top of the bolt while a wrench is used to tighten the nut.

Machine bolts Have either a square or hexagonal head with a nut shape that matches the head shape. Machine bolts are used with metal and wood.

Glue

Glue Can be applied with a Squeeze bottle, Brush, or Paint roller. Pressure is applied to the glue joint with: Clamps, nails, screws, or other fasteners. When the pressure is applied, the glue should ooze out from around the joint.

Older Glues Protein glues. Glues made from animal or plant parts or products. Casein glue: Made from milk protein and is a powder that is mixed with water. Interior water resistant glue.

Newer Glues Newer glues are synthetic glues. Synthetic glues: Glues made from man-made products. Examples: Resorcinol resin glue Urea-formaldehyde glue White polyvinyl glue Aliphatic yellow wood glue Mastics

Resorcinol resin glue: Waterproof two part liquid and powder mix. waterproof characteristics for projects exposed to soaking such as boats and outdoor furniture. Its “pot life” is only three or four hours. Pot life: Time in which an adhesive can be used after mixing. The higher the temperature, the shorter the “pot life” and “setting time”. Setting time: Length of time necessary for the glue to harden or cure

Urea-formaldehyde glue Plastic resin one part powder that you mix with water, as per instruction, just before use. High water resistance with a pot life of three to five hours. Popular, easy-to-use glue that hardens quickly when water is added. Close fit with the need for tight clamping and a nine to thirteen hour setting time are disadvantages.

Aliphatic yellow wood glue White polyvinyl glue Elmer’s Glue Aliphatic yellow wood glue Basic Wood Glue

Mastics Heavy, pasty type glues or adhesives used for fastening drywall, paneling, and flooring. Generally applied with a notched trowel or a caulking gun.

Hardware

Metal Fasteners and Hardware Should not be installed until the project has been painted. Come in many different types, styles, and sizes.

Hinges Sold in pairs and serve as a moveable joint between two pieces of wood.

Butt Hinges Strap hinges Have two rectangular leaves usually ranging from one to four inches in length and a connecting pin. Strap hinges Have two triangular shaped leaves that vary in size from one to twelve inches in length.

T Hinges Has one butt leaf and one strap leaf. Continuous Hinge Also called a piano hinge. Really a long butt hinge. It is often used on desk and piano lids.

Knobs, Pulls, and Handles Used to keep doors closed: Friction catches, Magnetic catches, and Hasp/lock combinations

Door Locks May be mortise, cylinder, or rim. Mortise locks: require a deep mortise or pocket cut in edge of the door for the locking mechanism. Used primarily with interior doors.

Cylinder locks Involves a 1 1\2 in or 2in hole Rim Locks Surface mounted on the inside of a door and are used primarily as night latches or safety locks

Miscellaneous Hardware Include such things as Doorsteps, Latches, Door closures, and Window sash locks.