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Anchors & Concrete Fixings · Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor) · Application guide

What Are Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) Used For?

Typical applications, the industries that specify wedge anchors (through-bolt), and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint.

Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) are used for fixing steelwork, plant and services to concrete and masonry, where the anchor is set in a drilled hole and its capacity is governed by the base material rather than by the steel. They are manufactured to Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor), and selection is driven by the thread size, the fit and tolerance the assembly requires, and the service environment.

Primary duty
Fixing steelwork, plant and services to concrete and masonry, where the anchor is set in a drilled hole and its capacity is governed by the base material rather than by the steel
Governing standard
Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor)
Thread size range
M8 to M20
Category
Anchors & Concrete Fixings

Application notes are general engineering guidance. Verify the property class and any approval requirement against your own design calculation.

What Are Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) Used For? application image

Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) are used primarily for fixing steelwork, plant and services to concrete and masonry, where the anchor is set in a drilled hole and its capacity is governed by the base material rather than by the steel. This page lists the industries and assemblies where they are specified, the selection criteria that matter for each application, installation practice, and the cases where a different fastener type is the correct choice. Parts are supplied to Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor). Stocked across roughly M8 to M20, they cover general to heavy-duty work.

Typical Applications for Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt)

The most common settings where these are specified:

  • Structural fixing to concrete: base plates, brackets, rails and steelwork bolted to a concrete slab or wall.
  • Building services: suspending cable tray, ductwork, sprinkler pipe and unistrut from a soffit.
  • Plant & machine installation: holding down machines, presses and conveyors on a factory floor.
  • Fit-out & drylining: fixing to plasterboard, block and hollow wall where there is no solid backing.
  • General machine building: fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment.

How to Specify Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) for Your Application

  • Size: Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product spans M8–M20; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
  • Material: Choose the material and finish for the service environment — plated steel for general use, stainless for corrosion resistance.
  • Environment: For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient.
  • Standard: This product is supplied to Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.

Where Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) Are Not the Right Choice

Match the fastener to the load, environment and whether the joint must be reopened; the wrong class or style is the usual cause of joint failure.

Technical Drawing

Customize the parameters below — every spec field is editable, and the drawing redraws to match the values you choose. Changing the size will snap the other fields to that size's standard values; you can then override any individual value.

Sends the selected values to the quote form below.

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The form below follows the current technical drawing configuration. Change the drawing values above and the request details update automatically.

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Specification
Business Information

Dimensions & Specifications (Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor))

Thread sizeDrill hole diameter (mm)Embedment depth (mm)Overall length (mm)Max fixture thickness (mm)SettingMaterialBase material
M88407515Torque-controlledZinc plated steelCracked / uncracked concrete
M1010509520Torque-controlledZinc plated steelCracked / uncracked concrete
M12126011025Torque-controlledZinc plated steelCracked / uncracked concrete
M16167514530Torque-controlledZinc plated steelCracked / uncracked concrete
M20209018035Torque-controlledHot-dip galvanisedCracked / uncracked concrete
Inside the plant

Manufactured in our own plant

This part is cold-formed, threaded, heat-treated and finished in-house. The stages below are where its class and finish are actually decided.

  1. Wire rod feeding into a cold heading machine
    01

    Cold heading

    Wire rod is drawn to size and cold-formed into blanks. Forming rather than cutting keeps the grain flow continuous around the head, which is where a bolt is most likely to fail.

    Head dimensions and under-head radius checked at set-up and per shift.

  2. Thread rolling machine producing bolt threads
    02

    Thread rolling

    Threads are rolled between hardened dies rather than cut. Rolled threads are stronger in fatigue than cut threads and hold pitch and flank angle far more consistently across a batch.

    Go / no-go ring gauges to ISO 965 tolerance class 6g.

  3. Baskets of bolts staged for heat treatment
    03

    Heat treatment

    Quench-and-temper brings carbon and alloy steel to the property class ordered — 8.8, 10.9 or 12.9 — with the furnace charge tracked so a finished lot can be traced back to it.

    Core hardness and tensile tested per lot to ISO 898-1.

  4. Zinc plated bolts in a treatment basket
    04

    Surface treatment

    Zinc, zinc-nickel, hot-dip galvanizing, black oxide, phosphate and Dacromet, selected against the service environment rather than against the price list.

    Coating thickness and neutral salt spray hours to ISO 9227.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) used for?

Fixing steelwork, plant and services to concrete and masonry, where the anchor is set in a drilled hole and its capacity is governed by the base material rather than by the steel. They are supplied to Trade series (torque-controlled expansion anchor).

Which industries use Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt)?

They are commonly specified in general machine building, maintenance & repair (mro) and fabrication & metalwork, among other sectors.

How do I choose the right size of Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt)?

Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product is available from M8 to M20; the full dimension table on this page lists each size.

What material should Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) be for outdoor use?

For damp, coastal or chemical environments specify A4 (316) stainless or a suitably coated steel. For indoor or dry use, A2 (304) stainless or zinc-plated steel is normally adequate.

Can I get a quote for Wedge Anchors (Through-Bolt) in the size and material I need?

Yes. Use the technical drawing and quote form on this page to set the size and options, then send the exact configuration to our team for pricing and lead time.