Modern building materials are being actively improved in terms of their performance. Manufacturers endow new products with a wider range of protective properties, as well as increase basic technical indicators. Fasteners do not lag behind in this regard, in the development of which design execution is of no small importance. An example of a successful fixing device is a frame dowel, which combines both reliability and versatility of use. However, the special design of this hardware still limits the range of areas of its use.
General information about the frame dowel
Basically, this hardware has a rod, which, in principle, resembles an ordinary screw or self-tapping screw. Its task is to tighten and fix two or more structural components. But the main difference is the presence of an auxiliary element that holds the anchor. The frame dowel usually does not require the use of a special industrial tool for installation. Most often, even specialists are limited to a basic set of tools that allow them to form a hole that is suitable in size.
Dowel design
Dowel device suchtype complicated in different parts. This is the spacer part, which comes separately, and the head, and the screw area itself. As for the wedging section, the metal frame dowel interacts with it in such a way that the risk of scrolling is prevented during operation. In addition, this kind of nozzle also protects the wall niche from unnecessary mechanical damage, providing a delicate, but at the same time hard fit.
As for the head, there are different versions of its execution, among which two stand out - a flat "eternal" and an enlarged hat. The first modification, as the name implies, does not involve dismantling, so it can be masked with a layer of plaster. The flattened and smooth head practically does not protrude to the surface of the structure. Otherwise, a frame dowel is arranged, in which an enlarged head is implemented. These types of hardware are designed to be twisted without the risk of mechanical damage or head failure. The working part of the screw, in fact, resembles traditional hardware such as cutters, but in this case, considerable emphasis is placed on the formation of a protective coating - for example, due to galvanization.
Item dimensions
Dowels are supplied in different sizes, which allows you to fasten materials with an average thickness of 40 to 170 mm. The length of the screws can be from 70 to 220 mm, while it is the functional part of the hardware that is calculated 5-15 mm shorter. In terms of diameter, the range of sizes is much more modest and varies on average from 8 to 10 mm. From the pointIn terms of durability and strength qualities, it is important to take into account the technical parameters of the protective layer that covers the frame dowels. The dimensions of a galvanized coating in thickness, for example, can be from 5 to 10 microns. This value, almost imperceptible to the eye, nevertheless gives a tangible protective effect for the metal during operation.
Material of production
The main screw is most often made of steel. It is a reliable, rigid and at the same time durable material, optimally suited to the requirements of fastening operations. Its only weak point is its susceptibility to corrosion processes, but technologists, as already noted, provide for galvanized and other galvanized coatings that protect hardware from destruction. It is also worth paying attention to the material of the spacer tip, which is supplied with the frame dowel. A nylon element can be considered as the optimal solution, although there are also rather rigid plastic counterparts. Moreover, dowel bases are often made from synthetic plastic materials. Such hardware in their design is quite consistent with the group of frame models, with the exception of the material of manufacture. Such products are used for highly specialized purposes, for example, in the construction of heat-insulating panels that do not require rigid and high-strength fixation.
Varieties
First of all, it is worth pointing out the affinity of frame models of dowels with facade ones. They have a similar device, but there are differences in the characteristics that determine the scopeelement application. So, standard frame hardware is calculated for the maintenance of wooden, plastic and various composite materials, the load of which does not exceed 30 kg. In turn, the facade dowel is distinguished by the possibility of working with the external cladding. These are panels that perform the tasks of a heat insulator, decorative design and certain protective functions. Within their classes, both frame and facade products differ in the same ways - the parameters of the slot, the facetness of the caps, the principle of operation of the spacer bushings, etc.
Destination
Frame-type hardware is rather focused not on power loads, but on the implementation of the most advantageous structural fastener schemes. For this reason, they are often used in the installation of window and door openings, in the manufacture of furniture and the fastening of finishing materials. From the point of view of operation, the frame dowel is advantageous in that it causes minor mechanical damage to the base into which it is integrated. But this also leads to other kinds of restrictions. In particular, frame fasteners are not suitable for the tasks of rigid fixation of massive and heavy structures. Some manufacturers even set restrictions on the use of the dowel in certain materials - usually metal. On the other hand, to ensure rigid fastenings, you can replace the frame model with a facade model designed for heavy loads.
How to choose a frame dowel?
Unlike standard screws and standarddowels, this fastener involves a special calculation of the compliance of a specific standard size with installation tasks. Every setting matters. For example, in severe operating conditions, a thick protective coating must be provided on the outside. If you plan to install while maintaining a smooth surface, then you should choose a metal frame dowel with a flat head. And, of course, the selection of the element in terms of dimensional parameters is mandatory - the characteristics of the length and width are evaluated, suitable for the format of the target building material.
Installation recommendations
First of all, before attaching the dowel, the work surface is cleaned. Next, you need to choose the way in which the hole will be implemented. Usually, electric screwdrivers with suitable nozzles are used for such needs. In this part, it is not the diameter of a particular screw that should be evaluated, but the size of its spacer nozzle, which will hold the rod in the created niche. Also, depending on the operational requirements, it may be necessary to hide the hat. For this, a chamfer is additionally formed, expanding the outlet part of the hole for integrating the head. By the way, if a frame dowel is installed for hollow materials, then you can get by with a hand tool, which delicately and with greater accuracy will allow you to prepare a hole for the hardware. Next, the spacer is installed, followed by tightening the fastener.
Conclusion
BWorking with traditional dowels, installation tasks are easier to solve. As a rule, these are multifunctional fasteners, characterized by a simple design and high-strength rods. To handle them, powerful power equipment is sometimes required, but in the process of operation, the risk of destruction of the created structure is minimized. The facade dowel is close to these possibilities, the device of which is less focused on fixing heavy panel materials, but still it has no equal in terms of the quality of structural complex installation. This is followed by the frame fasteners of the dowel group, designed for more delicate and precise operations. With this fastener, you can realize a neat installation of a door frame or perform a smooth installation of thermal insulation panels. If the dowel itself is made of a high-quality steel alloy, has a stable galvanization and a reliable spacer, then you do not have to worry about the durability of the element.
