Guides
Stainless, zinc-plated or galvanised: fasteners for outdoor and coastal sites
Choosing fasteners that will not rust: zinc-plated indoors, hot-dip galvanised outdoors, stainless A2 and A4 by the sea, and the mistakes that cause early corrosion.
Inch or metric? Reading bolt sizes like 1/2" x 1-1/2" and M12 x 40
How to read and order inch and metric bolts: diameter first, then length, UNC, UNF and BSW threads, and why an M12 nut will not fit a 1/2 inch bolt.
Fixing steel to concrete: wedge, sleeve or chemical anchor?
Which anchor holds steel on concrete: wedge anchors, sleeve (rawl) bolts or chemical anchors, with sizes, installation steps and when to use each.
Bolt grades 4.8, 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9 explained: what HT means
What the numbers on a bolt head mean, when an 8.8 HT bolt is enough and when to use 10.9, which nut to pair with each grade, and DIN 931 versus DIN 933.