To put it simply, anchor bolts are devices used to attach objects to concrete or other structures. Concrete anchor bolts are a part of almost every construction project because they are vital for the integrity of the building. A concrete anchor bolt generally has a thread like end that can be used to attach a washer and a nut, which helps to carry external load.
There are several types of bolts that are used for varied purposes. The most common variety is the one that has a bolt with a head cased in the wet concrete and then allowed to set and then there are the other varieties which have bended hooks which sometimes even have hooks attached to the ending. Concrete anchor bolts bind the foundation of a structure to the wall as these are strongest variety of fasteners and hence help to make it earthquake resistance. This can be accounted as one of the major reasons for their popularity.
There are three majorly known varieties of bolts, namely
* Taper Bolts
They are uniformly set bolts that have a tapered thread attached to both the nut and the bolt. The best part about these types of anchor bolts is that these can be installed or reinstalled with a lot of ease and hence changing window frames becomes a less tedious task with their usage.
* Expansion sleeve anchor
This variety of bolts generally has a mushroom end that can help to fit the body of the bolt inside the sleeve. Since these are low strength bolts therefore these are not suitable for any security devices
* Embedded bolts
They are the most commonly used variety. They are bolts which are embedded in the concrete and provide for a strong base for any foundation.
Besides the above mentioned varieties one needs to know that these bolts are also classified with the kind of strength they have, these range from light duty to medium duty bolts and for ensuring an extremely sound structure heavy duty bolts are also used in some constructions. With the help of these fasteners you can fasten not just the concrete foundations but also the towel bars, shower doors, brackets, pipes and even shelves.
Such bolts these days are also crafted out of plastic to help with light duty applications in homes. But one major drawback of the plastic bolts is that in case the concrete is crumbly, the anchor may just bend and break free. One needs to be very careful about choosing the right kind of bolt for different applications and ensure that it is installed with professional help to prevent any hazardous situation.