Nuts and bolts work together with washers to connect work pieces. You may hear the terms nuts and bolts used interchangeably, but a bolt has a very different function than a nut. We&#;ll discuss different types of each piece of hardware, when you&#;d use them and the basics of how each piece functions to join pieces together.
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Bolts have a head with a driving surface (typically hexagonal, to fit a wrench or socket/ratchet combination) and a cylindrical shaft that runs through the work pieces you&#;re assembling. The shaft is threaded but often has an unthreaded portion known as the shank or body near the head. The shank reduces the likelihood of the bolt shearing or snapping as the stronger, unthreaded portion carries most of the load. This unthreaded portion can also make it easier and faster to install longer bolts.
In most assemblies, you&#;ll need a washer &#; a thin, unthreaded piece that fits onto the bolt shaft. Its function is to spread the load of the connection over a greater area or to help prevent the fastener from loosening once installed.
A nut pulls the work pieces together along the bolt shaft. A nut is threaded like a bolt, but while a bolt has external threads along the shaft, a nut has internal threads. The nut threads fit the threads on the bolt, allowing the nut to spin along the bolt shaft. A nut designed to work with a bolt will have a driving surface like that of the bolt (a hexagonal nut works with a hex-head bolt).
One typical application for a bolt, washer and nut is to insert a bolt into matching holes on work pieces you&#;re fastening and then tighten the nut. As you tighten the nut, it cinches the pieces together, forcing the washer against one element and pulling the bolt head tightly against the other element. You&#;ll often need two wrenches so you can hold the bolt head in place while tightening the nut.
Keep in mind that to properly match a nut and washer to a bolt, you need to consider factors such as material, finish, size and thread type.
Fasteners come in many different forms. To make it easy for you, we&#;ve compiled the data below as a guide for figuring out what each fastener is called. Scroll down to learn about many different types of nuts, bolts and screws!*
Every application of nuts and bolts depends on several factors, primary among those is the types of material being fastened together. While some projects may be better suited to screws, heavy-duty applications such as load-bearing projects, thick wood construction, concrete and metal all could benefit from the right nuts and bolts. When selecting from varying nuts and bolts it is important to consider the load supported by the fasteners and the available space for the necessary tightening method. Typically, nuts and bolts are made from the same base alloy. Mixing materials may lead to diminished strength or performance depending on the application, materials, or environment. The addition of washers may also be required with the use of nuts and bolts and help to distribute the load across the face of the washer when the nut is threaded on and tightened to reduce the possibility of damage to the materials being fastened together.
*Note: Bolts are fasteners that require a nut or pre-tapped hole to be installed. Screws use their threads to provide their own holding power. The terms in the industry are commonly mixed so sometimes you will see something that is called a screw or a bolt that is actually the opposite. Example: Lag Bolts and Lag Screws are the same thing. We have broken them down according to their true definition.
Select a category below to view a picture and information on that type of fastener.
Also known as a &#;coach&#; bolt, has a domed or countersunk head. The square section under the head grips into the part being fastened preventing the bolt from turning when the nut is tightened.
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Hex tap bolts, hex cap screws, trim head hex cap screws, and hex serrated flange bolts fall under this category. They share a hexagonal head and are driven with a wrench. Referred to as both bolts and screws.
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A machine screw is a screw or bolt with a flat point. Available in a variety of drive types and heads, they fit a wide variety of applications. Often driven into tapped holes. Used with nuts and washers, also known as &#;stove bolts&#; or &#;stovers&#;.
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Shoulder bolts (also known as shoulder screws or stripper bolts) are machine screws with a shoulder between the thread of the screw and the head of the part. Once installed, the non-threaded portion extends out of the surface of the application site, allowing the bolts to act as dowels or shafts for moving parts. They can be installed by hand or with a socket (Allen) driver.
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Socket cap screws are available in button socket, button flange socket head, flat socket, and socket cap. Driven with a socket wrench or a hex Allen key. The term socket head cap screw typically refers to a type of threaded fastener whose head diameter is nominally 1.5 times or more than that of the screw shank diameter.
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Set screws are most often headless (aka blind), meaning that the screw is fully threaded and has no head. A blind set screw, known in UK as a grub screw, is almost always driven with an internal wrenching drive, such as a hex Allen key. Socket set screws are installed in threaded holes or inserts.
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Square Head Bolts are similar to hex cap screws but with a 4-sided head. This head style allows for a wrench to grip more easily onto the head of the bolt. The head also provides a larger gripping area as compared to a standard 6-sided hexagonal head.
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Our deck screws feature a type 17 point (notched point at the tip) to aid in chip removal during thread cutting which allows for an easy installation in wood and composite deck materials. A bugle head and square drive help to eliminate the stripping effect sometimes experienced with other types of drives.
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Lag screws, also called lag bolts, are large wood screws. The head is external hex and are driven with a wrench. Used for lag together lumber for framing, machinery to wood floors, and other heavy duty applications.
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Self-drilling screws have a sheet metal thread with a self-driller cutting (TEK) point to pierce through 20 to 14 gauge metals. The higher the TEK number, the larger the drill point to pierce heavier gauge metals.
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Sheet metal screws (SMS) have sharp cutting threads that cut into sheet metal, plastic or wood. They have a fully threaded shank and sometimes have a notched point at the tip to aid in chip removal during thread cutting.
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Wood screws are partially threaded with large cutting threads and a smooth shank. They are designed to slide through the top piece of wood and tightly pull all boards together.
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POP Rivets, also known as blind rivets, are used to connect two pieces of material in quick, efficient way. POP Rivets are tubular, comprised of a hat and mandrel; the length of the mandrel is snapped off when installed.
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Closed End Rivets differ from a standard blind pop rivet in that they feature a closed end which creates a watertight seal.
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Large flange, also called Oversize, pop rivets have a larger washer on the hat than standard POP Rivets. Also known as blind rivets, they are used to connect two pieces of material in quick, efficient way. Large flange POP Rivets are tubular, comprised of a hat and mandrel; the length of the mandrel is snapped off when installed.
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Countersunk, also call Flat, POP Rivets, are used to connect two pieces of material in quick, efficient way. The hat of the rivet is almost inverted, with a 120-degree countersink in the integrated washer. POP Rivets are tubular, comprised of a hat and mandrel; the length of the mandrel is snapped off when installed.
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Colored rivets are open end pop rivets. Colored rivets have a hat that has been painted wither brown, black or white. These colors are used either to hide rivets and create a finished look or to make them extra visual by using the opposing color from the installation material.
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Multi-grip rivets are often used to substitute conventional rivets where the thickness of installation materials can vary. The rivet simply expands to the size(within its range) and holds the two materials together.
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Structural rivets are used to create a stronger assembly than standard stainless-steel pop rivets. They generate an intense amount of force and require a different tool to apply than a regular rivet.
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Tri-Fold rivets, also called exploding rivets, have three cuts in the hat that cause the hat to fold outward when installed into three distinct wings. A tri-groove rivet has better strength and holding power than standard pop rivets.
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Dowel pins are manufactured on pneumatic dowel equipment and come in pre-cut lengths and diameters. They are cylindrical with slightly beveled ends. Used in many applications and industries such as aerospace, joint reinforcement, shelf support, furniture building, and hobbyists use them to build toys and models.
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Helicoil inserts are precision formed screw thread coils worked into a diamond shape and wound into a spiral coil which is installed into helicoil tapped holes. They provide permanent conventional 60-degree internal screw threads. Helicoil inserts are larger in diameter prior to installation, during installation the inserting tool applies torque to the tang reducing the diameter of the leading coil permitting it to enter the tapped thread. Helicoil inserts are measured in installed length.
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Unlike helicoil inserts which require a special drill, E-Z Lok threaded inserts for metal are installed using standard tools. Drill the appropriately sized hole with a standard drill, tap the hole with the matching size tap and turn the insert to install. Stainless Steel Threaded Inserts are used for metal applications, and Brass Threaded Inserts are used for wood and soft material applications.
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Keystock is a solid rectangular shaped solid barstock. It is often formed or machined into a machine key, Keystock usually serves as a wedge or locking device in shaft keyways once it has been formed into the proper shape.
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A threaded rod is threaded with no head, available in many grades and materials. Often referred to as redi-rod, fully threaded rod and ATR, threaded rod is used for fastening anything from an anchor bolt, to suspending electrical or plumbing equipment from a ceiling. Often used in drop ceiling application.
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Unthreaded rod, also called round rod, is used in framework, shafts, braces, supports and axles.
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External Bowed E radially assembled Rotor Clips or retaining rings are designed to be installed into a groove on a shaft. Once snapped into a groove, these clips exert a force or &#;preload on retained parts, in order to compensate for accumulated tolerances. Externally bowed are radially installed.
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External E Radially assembled Rotor Clips or retaining rings are the most popular and widely used style of radial retaining ring. They are called &#;e&#; rings because of the three prongs on the inside of the shaft which make contact with the bottom of a groove on a shaft to create a shoulder for effective assembly retention.
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Axially installed External Rotor Clips or retaining rings are designed to be installed into a groove or shaft. Once installed in a groove on a shaft, a portion of these retaining rings protrude from the groove in order to create a shoulder to keep an assembly.
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Axially installed Internal Rotor Clips or retaining rings are designed to be installed into a groove on a shaft. Once installed in a bore or housing, a portion of these retaining rings protrude from the groove in order to create a shoulder to keep an assembly.
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