What is wedge anchors?
5 min read
Asked by: Eric Nyhus
“Wedge anchor” is a generic term for a type of anchor used to fasten a variety of materials to concrete. Some companies have different brand names for their wedge anchors such as Kwik Bolt, Power Stud, and Thunderstud.
What are wedge anchors used for?
A wedge anchor is a mechanical type expansion anchor that consists of four parts: the threaded anchor body, the expansion clip, a nut, and a washer. It is designed for use in solid concrete only. These anchors provide the highest and most consistent holding values of any mechanical type expansion anchor.
What is the difference between a wedge anchor and a sleeve anchor?
The wedge anchor, drop-in anchor and concrete strike anchor can only be used in solid concrete and have the highest & most consistent holding values in concrete. Concrete sleeve anchors can be used in concrete, brick or block but their holding values are less in terms of shear and pullout values.
Can wedge anchors crack concrete?
Drop-in anchors and wedge-type anchors, for example, are now “unqualified” for cracked concrete. In addition, most adhesive anchors are not acceptable for use in cracked concrete. To address the changing landscape of requirements, manufacturers have developed products that meet the new requirements.
What is difference between wedge anchor and drop-in anchor?
Drop-in anchors are sometimes confused with wedge anchors. While they both work the same way — they expand and fill the inside of a hole in concrete — the wedge anchor features a conical-shaped hollow bottom. Wedge anchors are usually the better option for applications involving heavy bearing loads.
What is the strongest anchor for concrete?
Wedge anchors
Wedge anchors are typically the strongest anchors, but not every application requires a heavy-duty anchor. Some will do just fine with a plastic wall anchor or a nail-in version.
Are wedge anchors better than Tapcons?
Tapcon and wedge anchors are pre-installed mechanical anchors that attach structural objects to concrete structures. However, the wedge anchor suits heavier-duty applications, vs the Tapcon anchor that typically serve lighter deployments. Another difference between them is in their fastening method.
Are wedge anchors removable?
To be removed, wedge anchors can be sawed off with a hacksaw or cutoff wheel at the surface of the base material. Tapcon® Concrete Screws: Tapcons are removable because they are threaded screws that tap threads into the concrete, brick or block.
How much weight can a wedge anchor hold?
Technical Specifications for Wedge Anchors
| Size | Minimum Embedment | Pull-Out (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|
| 5/8” | 2-3/4” | 3749 |
| 3/4” | 3-1/4” | 4978 |
| 7/8” | 3-7/8” | 6294 |
| 1” | 4-1/2” | 7329 |
How do I install wedge anchors?
Beginner’s Guide To Wedge Anchors: What you need to Know … ·
What is a sleeve anchor used for?
Sleeve anchors are by far the most versatile fastener and can be employed in a plethora of projects, including those that include concrete as the base material. In fact, they are commonly utilized in securing heavy weighted items of up to 200 pounds to a concrete surface.
How much weight can a sleeve anchor support?
200 pounds
Generally speaking, sleeve anchors fall into the medium-duty territory or up to 200 pounds of weight that can be secured safely.
How much weight can a wedge anchor hold?
Technical Specifications for Wedge Anchors
| Size | Minimum Embedment | Pull-Out (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|
| 5/8” | 2-3/4” | 3749 |
| 3/4” | 3-1/4” | 4978 |
| 7/8” | 3-7/8” | 6294 |
| 1” | 4-1/2” | 7329 |
Can you remove sleeve anchors?
Concrete screws are the easiest to remove because they are fastened into a sleeve. All you have to do is remove the screw and then the sleeve. Hammer drive anchors have a tamper resistant head that must be removed before you can remove the anchor.
Are wedge anchors removable?
To be removed, wedge anchors can be sawed off with a hacksaw or cutoff wheel at the surface of the base material. Tapcon® Concrete Screws: Tapcons are removable because they are threaded screws that tap threads into the concrete, brick or block.
How deep should concrete anchors go?
The hole needs to be drilled 1/4″ deeper than the anchor will penetrate. The hole can’t be drilled while the fixture is in place due to the fact that the hole is larger than the diameter of the bolt being inserted into it.
What are the different types of concrete anchors?
Types of Concrete Anchors
- Wedge Concrete Anchors.
- Concrete Sleeve Anchors.
- Split Drive Concrete Anchors.
- Stud Concrete Anchors.
- Lag Shield Concrete Anchors.
- Self Drilling Concrete Anchors.
- Drop-In Concrete Anchor.
- Machine Screw Anchors.
How do you install a wedge anchor in concrete?
Take the wedge anchor. And place the nut on the threaded end so as to protect the threads when hammering it into the hole. Next place the anchor through the fixture. And into the hole tapping.
What is the difference between wedge anchor and expansion anchor?
The wedge anchor can only be used in solid concrete.
Wedge anchors are designed not to be used in other masonry materials such as brick or hollow block. The expansion clip on the wedge anchor is placed on the anchor body in a manner and location that makes the expansion tolerance location critical.
What size wedge anchor do I need?
As a rule of thumb, the space for the nut and washer is equal to the diameter of the wedge anchor being used. For example, if a 2×4 is being fastened to concrete with a 1/2” wedge anchor then the minimum length of wedge anchor would be 1-1/2”(2×4) + 2-1/4”(minimum embedment) + 1/2”(space for nut and washer) = 4-1/4”.
How deep should wedge anchor be in concrete?
A 5/8” concrete wedge anchor requires a 5/8” hole to be drilled into the concrete. The hole in the concrete needs to be drilled a minimum of 1/2” deeper than the concrete wedge anchor will penetrate into the concrete.
How strong is a 1/2 wedge anchor?
Tech Specs
| Diameter | 1/2 in |
|---|---|
| Overall Length | 5-1/2 in |
| Series | Wedge-All® |
| Shear Strength | 850 lb |
| Tensile Strength | 871 lb |
