Stainless Steel Tapcons
Stainless steel Tapcons are made from 410 stainless steel and are coated with a Climaseal® coating. These Tapcons are used in applications where rust resistance is important. They are more rust resistant than the standard blue Tapcon®. The stainless steel from which these screws are made is magnetic, unlike other stainless steel such as 303, 304 or 316, which are non-magnetic.
Tapcon® Brand Name
Tapcon® is a brand name of concrete screw and refers to a specific product. The word Tapcon® is used interchangeably to describe any type of screw that is used in concrete or a masonry base material. The generic screws that are on the market today are also blue in color, which confuses the issue even more. Buying the Tapcon® brand name insures that the screw is American made and offers the highest quality and superior coating for rust resistance.
Applications
Stainless steel Tapcons are designed for use in solid concrete, brick or block base material. They can be used in the solid part of the brick, the block or the mortar joint. The hold values of these Tapcons are dependent on the quality and the quantity of the mortar.
Tapcon® Diameter & Lengths
Stainless steel Tapcons are available in two diameters- 3/16” and 1/4”. Each diameter comes in different lengths depending on the thickness of the material that is being fastened to the concrete or masonry. Both diameters are available in lengths starting at 1-1/4” long and range up to 4” long.
Minimum Embedment
A stainless steel Tapcon® needs to be embedded into the base material a minimum of 1”. This minimum embedment is required for the screw to achieve minimum holding value. Embedding the Tapcon® at less than minimum embedment will directly affect the holding values and may even result in the stainless steel Tapcons having little to no holding values.
Maximum Embedment
Stainless steel Tapcons should not be embedded into the base material more than 1-3/4”. These screws are not designed to be inserted into the base material at depths deeper than 1-3/4”. The lead thread of the Tapcon® does all the cutting. Depending on the abrasiveness of the base material, this ability to cut threads may cease at any embedment deeper than 1-3/4”. Once the lead thread’s ability to cut into the base material no longer exists, the Tapcon® screw will not penetrate the hole any deeper and further torqueing may cause the head of the screw to shear off.
Length of Screw
Adding the thickness of the material being fastened plus the minimum embedment depth of 1” determines the minimum length of the screw that should be used. If the application involves fastening a 1-1/2" thick fixture to concrete, then the minimum length screw to use would be 1-1/2” + 1” = 2-1/2”. The maximum length to use is determined by adding the thickness of the material being fastened plus the maximum embedment of 1-3/4”. For example, a 2x4 maximum length screw would be 1-1/2” + 1-3/4” = 3-1/4”. Therefore, a Tapcon® screw ranging in length from 2-1/2" to 3-1/4" can be used in this specific application.
Measurement of Tapcon® Screw Length
The length of the hex washer head Tapcon® are measured from underneath the head. The flat head Tapcons' length is measured as an overall length. The reason for this difference is that the flat head is counter sunk and the screw including the head will be countersunk into the material being fastened.
Tapcon® Head Style
Stainless steel Tapcons are available in two head styles- hex washer slotted head or flat phillips countersunk head. The head style to be used is determined by the application. If the application calls for the fixture to be fastened using a countersunk headed fastener then the flat countersunk phillips headed concrete screw should be used. The 1/4” stainless steel Tapcon® does not come in a flat head countersunk phillips head and the 3/16” flat head phillips Tapcon is available in lengths from 1-1/4” to 3-1/4”
Stainless Steel Tapcons vs. Standard Tapcons
Both fasteners work equally well in a variety of different base materials. The only advantage is that the stainless steel Tapcons will have better resistance to rust. These stainless steel Tapcons also have a silver Climaseal® rather than the standard blue Climaseal®.
Hole Diameter
A hole must be drilled into the base material before the stainless steel Tapcon® can be inserted into it. Tapcons are self-tapping screws and are not a self-drilling and tapping type screw. The hole to be drilled is slightly smaller than the diameter of the stainless steel Tapcon® being used. A 3/16” Tapcon® needs a 5/32” hole and the 1/4” size needs a 3/16” hole. Hole tolerance is critical, and the hole must be drilled using a hammer drill and a ANSI standard carbide tipped bit.
1. Drill a hole in the base material with a hammer drill using the proper diameter ANSI standard carbide drill bit. Make sure that the hole is drilled to a depth of a minimum of 1/4” deeper than the stainless steel Tapcon® screw will penetrate.
2. Clean the hole of all dust and debris.
3. Align fixture hole over the hole in base material.
4. Insert the concrete screw through the hole in the fixture and into the base material.
5. Turn the stainless steel Tapcon® clockwise until the head of the screw is tight against the surface of the material being fastened.
Need even more information? Learn more about stainless steel Tapcons now!
As with any anchoring project, it is important to keep safety in mind and follow instructions carefully. Always remember to wear safety goggles, handle all tools with extra care and follow all technical specifications. This article is meant to serve only as a basic explanation of stainless steel Tapcons. Always refer to manufacturer's instructions or consult a contracting expert during any anchoring project.
Article Written By:
Bob Carlisle, President of Concrete Fasteners
Tawny L. Sikon, Operations Manager
Concrete Fasteners, Inc. has over 40 years of experience selling concrete fasteners. We can ship out one box or a whole pallet of concrete anchors. Our products are of the highest quality... "your satisfaction is guaranteed". We ship all orders the same day the order is received.