Dowels are used to fasten a variety of objects to surfaces made of various materials. They are necessary fasteners, without which no repair can be completed.

The variety of types of dowels is quite large, and specific dowels are used for each specific job. All dowels can be divided into two main categories: expansion and universal. Expansion type dowels work on the principle of expanding the material of the sleeve located in the hole. The dowel sleeve is usually made of durable plastic, and the core can be metal or plastic. Used for hard solid surfaces.

What types of dowels are there for hollow materials? These are universal dowels that roll into a tight nylon knot when the core is screwed in, filling all the existing voids. There are also dowels for fastening insulation with wide heads.

The length of the dowels is in the range of 2-12 centimeters, and their diameter is 0.4-2 cm.

The sleeve in such dowels is made of polypropylene, nylon or other similar materials. It has a relief surface, various antennae and protrusions that hold the dowel in the wall. The plastic expansion dowel has a core whose length exceeds the length of the sleeve. The core has threads or cone-shaped projections that hold it screwed into the sleeve material.

How much weight can a dowel support?

When choosing the type of dowel, you need to focus on such an indicator as the maximum possible operating load. With this load, the dowel will not collapse during operation in static mode. The recommended load indicator is also important. All this data must be provided by the dowel manufacturer. Depending on how much weight the dowel can support, its length and diameter are selected. Of course, the longer and thicker the dowel, the greater the load it can withstand. Much also depends on the surface material. For example, on foam concrete no dowel can withstand significant weight. It will simply come out of its hole.

The most popular in construction is the dowel-nail, which is used for any materials. High-quality fastening with its help can be ensured only if certain conditions are met. How to drive a dowel nail into a hard surface correctly? To ensure the integrity of the material, you need to ensure that the distance between the dowel and the edge of the surface is at least the length of the dowel.

A hole is punched in the material using a puncher. The diameter of the drill or drill must be equal to the diameter of the dowel. But the depth of the hole should exceed the length of the dowel by a value equal to the diameter of the dowel. The hole is cleared of dust with some long and thin object, or blown out with air. After this, a plastic dowel is inserted into the hole and sunk into it flush with the surface. A fastening element in the form of a self-tapping screw or a nail with conical notches is screwed into the plastic sleeve with a screwdriver or screwdriver until it stops. The core pushes the sleeve tightly into the hole, preventing the dowel from extending or turning. This is also facilitated by the antennae and protrusions on the sleeve itself.

It is not recommended to hammer the core, as this may cause the sleeve to rupture and require re-installation of the dowel. A dowel-nail properly fixed in a solid material is almost impossible to pull out of its place.

You can attach a small photo frame or plywood shelf to a plasterboard sheet using a regular screw or self-tapping screw. However, fastening heavier structures requires the mandatory use of one of the existing types of plasterboard dowels.

How to choose dowels for drywall sheets, so that you can find the same compromise in both price and quality?

There are many types of fasteners used when installing drywall products. But it is important to choose the most appropriate products for a particular case. In addition, you should know the rules for installing the described fastening elements, which will ensure the reliability and durability of the structure being formed.

The dowel used for fastening gypsum plasterboard products must meet a number of requirements:

have an anti-corrosion coating;
be made of high-quality and high-strength metal;
The spacer elements of the part must ensure high-quality fixation of the plasterboard base to the base surface of the building.

All drywall dowels are distinguished by the fact that they are made according to the harpoon expansion principle, which ensures strong and reliable fastening.

There are two main groups of drywall dowels:

checkpoints;
unclenching.

Walk-throughs are very convenient for mounting on the ceiling. They are most often used for installing massive chandeliers, interior spotlights and sports equipment. The spring pass-through dowel consists of a threaded metal rod, folding locking wings and a spring mechanism. In the void on the inside of the plasterboard structure, a spring mechanism opens the locking hook-wings, thereby creating a reliable fastening.

The end of a spring drywall anchor can be made in the form of a ring, half ring, screw or rod. The required type of tip is selected based on the type of object that needs to be attached (for example, a tip in the shape of a ring is usually used when attaching electrical wires, and a tip in the shape of a half ring of a hook is used for hanging various lighting equipment). The spring dowel is ideal for installing elements to plasterboard walls lined with tiles. To decide which type of fasteners of the described type is suitable for your design, it is worth taking a closer look at the advantages and features of the use of each type of dowel.

Dowel molly

The molly dowel definitely cannot be classified as a cheap fastener; the price for it is really high, but there is no doubt about the quality.

How the molly dowel works:

Under this dowel, a hole with an eight-millimeter diameter is made with a drill;
After this, the molly is inserted into the gypsum board, the two-pronged side is pressed tightly against the sheet, which helps prevent the anchor from twisting during the fixation stage;
Then, using a screwdriver that comes with the molly dowel, the structure is pressed against the sheet along the internal thread.

It should be noted that the central part of the sleeve is twisted, which ensures reliable fixation of the molly in the drywall. The rivet will be in place.

Advantages of molly:

Ability to withstand fairly high loads;
There is an option for dismantling if necessary;

Molly screws come in one set with dowels.

Driva

Driva is one of the most popular types of fasteners. Driva is available in two types - plastic and metal.

Driva plastic dowels are purchased more often, and there are more of them on sale.

How to attach a doweldriva:

Drill a 6mm hole;
Insert the dowel;
Using a cross bit, cut it into the gypsum board like a standard self-tapping screw;
After this, screw a screw or self-tapping screw with a diameter of 3.5 or 4.5 mm into the internal cross-shaped slot of the driva dowel.

That's all. The only difficulty that can arise is in selecting the right screw. When choosing a self-tapping screw, keep in mind that driva has a length of 23 mm (plastic) and 33-44 mm (metal).

For the price, such dowels for any drywall look very attractive, and what else distinguishes the dowel is that it does not require free space within the sheet.

It remains to mention one more well-known brand of fasteners - fischer.

Fischer p.d.

Otherwise, fischer pd is called a butterfly dowel. This is a little erroneous, since butterfly dowels for plasterboard are also produced by other manufacturers, but it is fischer pd that is more associated with this type of dowel for plasterboard sheets.

The fischer pd consists of a plastic base, that is, a butterfly into which a screw is screwed. During installation, the butterfly is pressed against the joint and tightly adheres to the screw. Thus, the element is protected from falling out.

Fischer pd is not difficult to install, and the price is quite attractive. Fischer is one of the most popular fastening brands.

Dowel nail

The most popular and widely known expansion dowel-nail is used to fasten the product to a concrete base. The spacer part of this dowel is nylon and consists of three sections. In the tail part there is a passage hole, which facilitates screwing and ensures sufficient axial travel of the screw. The dowel is held securely due to the expansion of its walls in three directions at once.

The product is used for through installation:

cornices;
window frames;
door frames;
slats;
skirting boards and other products.

Steel dowels for shooting are used when installing heavy structures, carried out with a special dowel mounting gun.

This type of fastener described, along with dowel-screw, dowel-mungo, dowel-bolt, anchor-dowel and other fasteners, is used quite rarely for installing plasterboard sheathing. Experts justify this by the fact that the spacer element does not provide a sufficient level of fixation of the base of the wall to the gypsum board.

Self-tapping screw

The self-tapping dowel used for installing gypsum boards can be:

nylon (TT22 grade);
metal (DRIVA).

Such dowels are used for attaching necessary items to multi-layer or single-layer plasterboard sheets that have an insulating or decorative coating on the inside. They vary in size. When selecting the desired parameter, pay attention to the fact that the fastening element is not too long - it should not stick out from the other side of the hull layer.

Such parts are especially suitable for working with durable gypsum fiber material. Self-tapping screws are also indispensable for screwing any heavy object to a plasterboard wall. In order to do this, you simply need to tighten the self-tapping screw in a pre-marked place using a screwdriver or screwdriver. Typically, the fastening element can be screwed into gypsum boards of any thickness without any problems.

If the sheet thickness is greater than 15 mm, a hole must be drilled before screwing in the self-tapping screw.

"Butterfly"

The dowel, called the “butterfly”, has a universal purpose. This is a part that, when screwed into the back side of the sheet, forms a kind of drop-down stop that can withstand a significant load while providing maximum expansion. To prevent the dowel from turning, it is equipped with a special cuff. Before installing the butterfly dowel, you will need to pre-drill the mounting hole.

When planning to use a butterfly dowel, keep in mind that the thickness of the product being fastened should not exceed 5 mm.

"Umbrella"

As the name of this dowel suggests, it works on the principle of a real umbrella, that is, it opens in the space behind the stove, thereby providing a reliable support. The umbrella dowel will also require pre-drilling a hole before installation. It is great for GC ceilings. For example, when installing a heavy chandelier, the stops opened in the space behind the sheet will evenly distribute the load over a large area.

To make it more convenient to work with dowels of this type, it is necessary to use auxiliary tools, for example, special pliers.

Dowel with drill for drywall

You can also find a dowel for any drywall with a drill at the end. This is a self-tapping screw that is designed to be screwed into the material.

It is better to attach this type of plasterboard dowels to single-layer and multi-layer slabs of material, if there is an insulating or decorative coating on the inside of the partition. The length of such dowels for drywall should not extend beyond the other side of the partition.

For double drywall

The above dowel is suitable just for double drywall. Double plasterboard is used in structures of particular strength or structures that must be well soundproofed.

Dowels for such drywall must be strong, reliable, and rigidly fixed in the material.

Screw

Dowel-nails, as they are commonly called, consist of an expansion dowel and a nail with a screw thread. They are often used for ceiling hollow structures.

Dowel nails for drywall should be screwed in well, but not twisted, so compare the size and complexity of the work.

Metal

The metal dowel is usually made of zinc alloy. In terms of price, it is almost always more expensive than its plastic counterpart, but this is understandable - metal screws are stronger, less likely to deform during fixation, and last longer.

In bulky structures, it makes more sense to use metal fasteners, while small or lightweight structures can easily be assembled using plastic parts.

How to attach a spring dowel

A dowel with wings folded together is inserted into the drilled hole. The built-in spring should spread the wings of the dowel as soon as they reach the void.

The wings perfectly fix the structure, and the screw can be secured with a screwdriver or screwdriver. This dowel is often used to hang a chandelier.

Chemical anchors

Such drywall anchors are not subject to stress when fixed into the material.

A chemical anchor is a capsule or cartridge with an adhesive mixture. When you begin to attach the anchor, the capsule is crushed and its composition is mixed. A chemical reaction occurs and a monolithic fastening is formed. This anchor is complemented by a mesh sleeve, which makes the fastening super-strong.

Installation Features

Even a novice master can screw a dowel into a gypsum board. To do this, it is enough to know a number of simple rules:

The hole in the drywall drilled for the umbrella dowel and any other type of dowel fastener must be larger than the diameter of the part itself, otherwise the sheet may be damaged during the installation process.
If you use an electric screwdriver when installing a dowel, try to prevent the fastener from turning in place at the end point - this may negatively affect its tightness. To do this, you need to tighten the part not completely. It is better to do the final turns manually or with a cordless screwdriver with the necessary settings.
After the umbrella dowel is inserted and the required item is attached, the hole around the fastener can be covered with acrylic (if the distance is large, then also with putty). Acrylic has a rubber base - this will help reduce the fastening pressure on the gypsum board.

In order for the butterfly dowel to be securely fastened, you must first drill a hole of the required diameter, then firmly press the folding wings of the part with your hand and carefully insert it inside the hole. The spring dowel can be screwed to the desired position using a regular screwdriver or screwdriver.

Fasteners are presented today in a wide range, and the price variety is also attractive. The choice of dowels depends on the complexity of the design, its functionality and ease of installation.

May 04

How to hammer a dowel nail firmly

Not long ago at work there was a rumor that the top tier of a kitchen unit had collapsed in one of the apartments. The damage caused to the owners amounted to a decent amount. Since, in addition to the set itself, the kitchen floor, lined with ceramic tiles, was damaged.

What is the reason for such an unfortunate development of events? The fact is that the walls of the apartment were made of a fairly soft material - foam block. And ordinary medium-sized dowel-nails were used as fasteners. As a result, they could not withstand the load placed on them and immediately fell out of the loose base. Essentially, the kitchen set was supported by gypsum plaster.

It is very important to be able to drive a dowel-nail firmly. Not only the integrity of the structure being secured depends on this, but also your safety!

Reliable fastening of dowels consists of two components. Firstly, this is the correct installation technology. Secondly, the correct choice of fasteners, depending on the material in which it is installed.

How to drive a dowel nail correctly

There are several nuances that you should never forget about during the work process.

When selecting a drill or drill for attaching a dowel, make sure that its diameter matches the required hole. The plastic part of the dowel must adhere firmly to the building material of which the wall is made.

In some cases, the drill is selected so that it has a slightly smaller diameter than required. When wedged with a metal part, it will hold firmly to the base.

Do not drill too deep a hole for fasteners. The optimal depth is the length of the dowel. Plus 1-2 mm, just in case, to reliably recess the plastic part of the fastener into the thickness of the wall. A hole that is too deep will create an unnecessary void, which can cause the dowel-nail to become loose in its socket.

While drilling a hole, hold the drill or hammer drill at a 90-degree angle to the wall surface. Stabilize the tool firmly while working and try not to tilt it in different directions. This will lead to a significant expansion of the hole and the dowel-nail will not hold firmly in it.

Once the hole is ready, do not rush to immediately hammer a dowel-nail into it. Be sure to remove any accumulated dust! It is most convenient to perform this operation using an ordinary vacuum cleaner. Do not attempt to blow out the hole yourself. This is quite inefficient. In addition, stone chips may accidentally get into your eyes.

How to hammer a dowel-nail into different bases

If the walls of your apartment are made of soft building material (foam block, cellular concrete), you need to use special fasteners. When screwed in, ordinary dowel-nails push the base in different directions. As a result, she cannot fully hold them in their nests.

One way to secure standard fasteners in such a wall is to use gypsum mortar to fill the voids between it and the base. The mixture is filled into the hole before the dowel-nail is driven into the wall.

However, we note that this is not the most correct installation method. It is resorted to only as a last resort. When you don’t have dowel nails at hand, specially designed for soft surfaces.

In soft walls or with voids, it is most convenient to fix products that form a full twist of the plastic part. They hold on very firmly and do not allow the fasteners to “walk” in the thickness of the wall.

How to hammer such a dowel-nail? Same as normal. First, insert the plastic part, and then tighten the metal part. This will automatically fold the dowel into a knot. Simple and convenient!

In contact with

What is a suspended ceiling? This is a structure consisting of a frame lined with a finishing coating. For example, plastic or wooden lining, plasterboard, metal panels.

By choosing the profession of a finisher, you have embarked on a slow but sure path to fabulous enrichment)). The income of construction workers often exceeds the wages of people in jackets and ties.

Often the owners of a one-room apartment have the idea of remodeling it into a two-room apartment. The reasons that prompt them to take such a step can be very different: a growing family, the need to improve their living conditions.

There is a wide variety of dowels, differing in their purpose and, accordingly, in the method of fastening. Conventionally, they are divided into two main groups: universal and spacer. The first type is most often used, which is suitable for installation in any hollow materials. Due to its fastening method, the expansion dowel-nail is used when reinforcement of installation is required.

The secret of the “work” of the dowel-nail is very simple. This dowel consists of two parts - metal and plastic. A softer bushing has a textured surface and can be supplemented with antennae or protrusions that hold the fastener in the voids of the material. When hammering a metal part, the plastic contracts, filling all the cracks and recesses in the wall and creating an almost irremovable fastener. In spacer dowels, the plastic part has an additional core, which is screwed into the sleeve, while compressing it, expanding it, creating reinforced fastening in large voids.

Important! Before hammering a dowel-nail into the wall, you need to select a fastener that can withstand the appropriate weight, which determines their length and diameter: the larger they are, the greater the weight the dowel will support.

The dowel provides the most stable fastening if the drilled void for it is no less and no more than the length of the sleeve;
the hammer drill is selected corresponding to the diameter of the dowel;
If you don’t have a screwdriver or screwdriver at hand and the problem arises of how to properly hammer in a dowel-nail, then experts recommend selecting fasteners with a thicker sleeve and hammering in the metal part carefully so as not to break the plastic part.

How to hammer into brick, concrete

Brick wall:

Before using a dowel for fastening, select a place closer to the center of the brick and drill a hole.
Dust and debris are blown out of the drilled groove, where a sleeve is then inserted and the metal part is hammered or screwed in.

Concrete wall:

To install a dowel-nail, a center punch is first marked and then a hole is drilled with a hammer drill.
Process debris is removed from the fastening groove, after which the fastener is installed.

How to hammer into drywall, tiles

In order to find out how to properly attach a dowel-nail to more fragile walls, it is necessary to determine the mass of the load being held, which must correspond to the stability of the base.
A hole is immediately created for the dowel, into which the sleeve is driven.
It is not recommended to use a hammer to insert a metal rod; it is better to use a screwdriver or screwdriver.

How to hammer a nail?

It would seem that every self-respecting man should know the answer to this question.

But is everything really that simple if every now and then you hear about split boards, falling off plaster, bent nails and injured fingers? Maybe there are still some rules, nuances and secrets for carrying out this “manipulation”? Let's try to figure it out.

Every nail has its own hammer

The most common carpenter's hammers come in four sizes:

MST-1 (handle - 25-28 centimeters, working part - 9 centimeters, weight - 250 grams) is intended for driving parcel and wallpaper nails (up to 40 millimeters long);
MST-2 (handle - 30-32 centimeters, working part - 11 centimeters, weight - 500 grams) is intended for driving larger fasteners. The most versatile tool;
MST-3 (handle - 30-32 centimeters, working part - 12 centimeters, weight - 800 grams) will cope with the same tasks as MST-2, it’s just heavier;
MST-4 (handle - 35-37 centimeters, working part - no more than 13 centimeters, weight - 1000 grams) is intended for driving large (over 80 millimeters long) nails, as well as dowel nails.

Of course, a wallpaper nail will fit nicely “into place” with the help of a fourth hammer, but it’s much more comfortable to work with a striking tool of adequate size for your purposes.

Basic secrets of hammering nails

Start driving with gentle movements; proceed to sharp blows only after you are sure that the nail enters correctly. Hold the hammer by the end of the handle, while making blows, try to concentrate your gaze on the head of the product. Remember, the fewer blows a nail gets, the better and more reliable it will hold. Three or four wrist and two or three solid elbows should be enough.
If you are working with wood, make sure that the diameter of the nail does not exceed a quarter of the thickness of the board. For a thin board, it would not be a bad idea to blunt the product - bite off the edge with pliers. The fibers will wrinkle and tear, but the wood will not subsequently split.
To firmly connect two boards, you need to select nails in such a way that they can completely “penetrate” the first and enter at least a third into the second. If you drive fasteners at an angle to each other, the strength of the structure will increase even more.
If necessary, lubricate the tip of the nail with wax or soap - the work will go like clockwork.
It is not recommended to hit a large number of nails on the same line in close proximity to each other - the board will crack.
For hanging joints, you can use a massive hammer as a support.
To prevent a long nail being driven into hardwood from bending, it should be held with pliers close to the head.
If there is a need to install fasteners close to the edge of the board, be sure to compact this place using a punch and a hammer.
A punch can help to thoroughly deepen a nail into almost any surface for plastering - just place it on the head of the product and hit it with a hammer. If you use only a hammer for these purposes, you will not be able to avoid dents in the area.
Before hammering a nail into a wallpapered wall, use a blade to make an X-shaped cut into the wallpaper. Carefully move the corners apart, install the fastener, and glue the corners.
Before nailing telephone wiring, you must first pierce it with nails - in the middle, carefully, so that they do not touch the cores.
Many craftsmen are often interested in how to hammer a nail by hand. It is impossible to drive a fastener into wood or concrete manually - this is obvious to any sane person. But in sand, earth or clay - very much so. The main thing is to be careful and perform manipulations confidently.
An ordinary clothespin can help a “newbie” to protect his fingers from being hit by a hammer.

Most often, the question of how to properly hammer a nail arises when working with hard-to-reach surface areas. For example, when you need to install fasteners in a recess. But you just need to arm yourself with a steel core and a metal tube and the problem will disappear. Take a look at the picture and see for yourself.

You can install a fastener in some treacherous nook using a nut and bolt:

Screw the nut onto the bolt a little;
place this “device” on the nail head;
hammer the nail into the head of the bolt.

When making crafts or repairing wooden furniture, you often have to turn to dowels - large wooden nails. Hammering them as “simple” as steel ones is, of course, unacceptable. First, drill a hole, drip glue into it, and only then drive the dowel.

How to hammer a dowel into a nail correctly?

In concrete:

mark the location for the hole with a hammer and center punch;
using a hammer drill, punch a hole of the required depth with a drill. Please note: on the surface of the drill there is a marking indicating the diameter - it must necessarily coincide with the marking of the dowel. The depth of the hole should exceed the length of the dowel by about 5 millimeters;

An impact drill for working with concrete can only be used if it is not possible to “get” a hammer drill.

remove any remaining dust with a vacuum cleaner;
using a hammer, deepen the dowel cartridge;
Drive the nail from the “kit” to the required depth, leaving a few millimeters from the head for hanging.

In brick:

determine the best location for the dowel, taking into account that this should be the center of the brick. The fact is that the support solution for the load is completely unreliable, so it’s better not to take risks;
It is advisable to drill the brick with an impact drill. Start carefully and slowly so as not to split the masonry. After overcoming the centimeter “barrier”, the rotation speed of the drill can be increased to normal;
remove dust and brick chips from the hole;
drive the cartridge and nail.

For tiles/ceramic tiles:

Determine the location of the dowel using a marker. This can be either the surface of the tile or the seam;
Mark the surface with a metal screw. Perform very light taps, going through no more than 0.5 millimeters of enamel;
Using an impact drill with a metal drill (diameter - 3 millimeters), drill through the entire thickness of the tile;
bring the hole to the required size;
drill the wall under the tiles according to the instructions for concrete or brick;
Carefully install the dowel nail.

In drywall:

Before hammering a nail into drywall, you should think carefully about whether you will thereby ruin the surface. If you plan to place a heavy load, then this material is not the best choice for support;
for light objects, molly fasteners are suitable, designed specifically for bases with low load-bearing capacity;
make a hole of the required diameter in the surface;
tapping, insert the fastener into the hole until it stops;
screwdriver or hand tighten the screw.

That's all. Now you know how to drive a dowel nail and a regular nail correctly. Reliable designs to you! And watch your fingers!