QA

Question: How To Use Concrete Wedge Anchors

How deep do you drill for wedge anchors?

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 does a wedge concrete anchor work?

Wedge anchors are designed to go into a concrete hole permanently. Once inserted into the hole in the concrete, the nut is turned clockwise. This action pulls the anchor body up, which slides the expansion clip down the cone-shaped working end of the wedge anchor.

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.

How long should a wedge anchor be?

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 far apart should wedge anchors be?

For best performance, minimum anchor spacing should be 10 hole diameters and minimum edge distance be 5 hole diameters.

Which is better wedge anchor or sleeve anchor?

Because of the surface area available in the design , the sleeve anchors hold better and may even work best where the material is not very stable or drilled well . On the other hand the wedge anchor will work very well in precision drills and will provide strong and reliable locks.

What is a wedge anchor used for?

Concrete Wedge Anchors are heavy-duty anchors used to secure materials and equipment to solid concrete masonry surfaces. They are extremely popular and are one of the strongest anchors for hold strength. Wedge anchors look and function like a sleeve anchor but have a much smaller sleeve near the anchor’s bottom.

How strong are concrete wedge anchors?

Wedge Anchor Holding Values The holding power of the wedge anchor, as with any anchor, is always dependent on the quality of the concrete. As a rule of thumb, a safety factor of 4:1 or 25%, is generally accepted as a safe working load.

How soon can I put anchors in new concrete?

It normally sets in 10 to 30 minutes. After an hour or so, QUIKRETEâ Anchoring Cement will have set sufficiently to screw most types of anchor bolts home. For extreme loads, wait 2 hours before applying load to the anchor. Within 24 hours, QUIKRETE® Anchoring Cement reaches pull-out strength of 12,500 psi.

Are wedge anchors strong?

Wedge Anchors are extremely popular and are one of the strongest anchors for hold strength. Wedge anchors look and function like a sleeve anchor but have a much smaller sleeve near the bottom of the anchor.

How much weight can a 5’8 wedge anchor hold?

Technical Specifications for Wedge Anchors Size Minimum Embedment Shear (lbs.) 5/8” 2-3/4” 6198 3/4” 3-1/4” 9378 7/8” 3-7/8” 13687 1” 4-1/2” 17712.

What grade are wedge anchors?

Wedge anchors are available in many types of finishes and material grades. The four most common types are: zinc plated low grade carbon steel, hot dipped galvanized, 304 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel.

Can you use wedge anchors in stone?

Wedge and Sleeve Anchors A bend in the shaft compresses against the sides of the hole as the anchor is driven in with a hammer. You can use these anchors in concrete, block, brick or stone. Many are intended for light loads.

How do you measure a wedge anchor?

Wedge Anchor diameter is measured from the outside of the threads. Wedge Anchor length is measured as the entire length of the bolt. Drill a hole in the concrete at least 1/2″ deeper than the desired embedment depth.

Are wedge anchors the same as expansion anchors?

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. These anchors provide the highest and most consistent holding values of any mechanical type expansion anchor.

What is the proper spacing between foundation anchor bolts?

Interior braced wall plates shall have anchor bolts spaced at not more than 6 feet (1829 mm) on center and located within 12 inches (305 mm) of the ends of each plate section where supported on a continuous foundation.

Are Tapcons better than wedge anchors?

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.

Do wedge anchors need epoxy?

The only way an epoxy anchor is going to be as strong than a wedge anchor is if the hole is conical so it literally can’t pull up through the hole, and then they still aren’t any stronger than a wedge anchor. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to use epoxy with a wedge anchor.

What is stronger wedge anchor or 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.

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. Remove the nut and washer and the round or flat head of the sleeve anchor.