Acquiring the Right Fastener for Your Project
Fasteners come in many shapes and sizes, giving you a variety of options when it comes to attaching materials. From screws to nuts to anchors, Tractor Supply stocks the hardware you need to finish your task. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast wanting to complete a small project or an industrial professional needing to fix machinery, rely on our complete range of fasteners, featuring different sizes, materials and finishes to help you get the job done.
Using Fasteners for Different Applications
Having the right tools is only part of completing a project – you also need supplies, such as fasteners, which join two materials together to provide a secure and tight hold. From woodworking to hanging pictures in the home, you may require the following types of fasteners:
Screws and Nails
Screws and nails are two must-haves for any tool box, whether you are using a hammer, screwdriver or power drill. We offer many different screw types, each designed to accommodate varying projects and materials. For example, wood screws are used with wood, while drywall screws are for drywall applications. If you’re looking for something more versatile, we also offer multi-material screws, which work with anything from wood to plastic to sheet metal.
Nails look like screws but without the threaded shaft. They also feature different heads, from round to flat to checkered. Use screws to complete small to medium-sized projects, including woodworking and decking. Nails may be better suited for fastening materials together in mass, such as hardwood floors and roofing. Because of their threaded shaft construction, screws can offer a tighter hold than nails in most cases.
Nuts, Bolts and Washers
Nuts, bolts and washers all work to secure two materials to each other, but they differ in the following ways:
- Bolts: These come with similar features as screws, including a head and cylindrical, threaded shaft. They differ in that the threading pattern on bolts typically ends right before the head. The unthreaded part allows for more secure installation and hold.
- Washers: Some projects may require you to use a washer with your bolt, which goes through the bolt’s shaft and rests underneath the head against the material. This helps to spread the load connection once installed, allowing it to hold up better after completing your project.
- Nut: Along with a washer, you may also have to add a nut, which is threaded on the inside and spin along the bolt’s shaft. Nuts should match the driving surface of the bolt – for instance, if you’re working with a hex-head bolt, you should use a hexagonal-shaped nut.
Anchors
Anchors ensure pictures and other heavy objects stay secure to walls and other materials. They are specially designed to expand once screwed into the wall, splitting and separating to create an added layer that holds up against the wall’s interior. You should use anchors when there are no studs to support wall hangings.
To install, push the anchor into a hole on the wall area you plan to hang your item. Then, drill the screw into the anchor. As you drill, the screw’s threads catch on anchor materials, sprawling inside the wall and giving it added holding power. Alongside hollow wall and concrete anchors, we carry toggle bolts, which feature unique metal wings that open inside the wall once installed.
Pins
Pins are non-threaded fasteners with a cylindrical shape, and they insert into existing holes in machinery, from electronics to industrial equipment to vehicles. One of the most common types, cotter pins look like bobby pins but with straight sides. Made with soft, pliable metals, these pins insert through a hole on the machinery, and the legs are bent back to keep materials secure. Meanwhile, tension pins are used in mechanical industries to secure two or more machine parts together.
Braces and Brackets
Braces and brackets connect two materials using a large, strong metal piece. They typically feature pre-drilled holes to make installation convenient. Our brackets feature many shapes to connect materials in different configurations, such as L-braces to secure corners on woodworking projects. Use shelf brackets to install bookshelves and other shelving units to walls.
Staples
Staples are small pieces of metal featuring a U-shape. Used with stapler devices, the metal juts through materials while simultaneously pushing the legs down, wrapping around to keep parts together. Staples feature many distinct thicknesses and material types, making it easy to find compatible accessories for your tool and project.
Picture Hangers
Made specifically to hang pictures, picture hangers come as brackets with built-in hooks to hang pictures from. We offer sawtooth hangers for the back of picture frames, allowing convenient replacement of frame components or DIY project completion. We also carry double-headed screws featuring two heads – one to sit flush with the wall and an extended head to hook on photos or wall decor.
Rivets
Used to join materials together permanently in mechanical applications, rivets look similar to screws but without the threading. They also work like anchors, featuring a tail which deforms after placing the rivet to ensure it stays secure.
Hardware Hooks
Hardware hooks are designed to hold a variety of materials, built with a screw on one end to drill into parts and a hook on the other for convenient hanging. Ceiling hooks are great for hanging plants, lamps and other accessories in your room, and other options can be customized to hang anything you need, keeping spaces organized.
Key Stock
A key stock is a large, long piece of metal used in machinery. Our options come in many different shapes, from square to rectangular to hex or round. Key stocks are essential for keeping gears and parts working and moving as they should, as well as making machine keys, as they can be cut and altered to fit specific measurements.
To use a key stock, simply connect it to your machine’s gear and it will rotate with the rest of parts. Because key stock is typically used in industrial settings, you must know and follow fastener industry standards for machinery and replacement parts.
Spacers and Standoffs
Used in electrical work, spacers and standoffs ensure screws and bolts are placed precisely as needed on parts and materials. Spacers come as a hollow cylinder or tube, and they prevent screws from diving all the way into materials. These types of fasteners are not threaded at the ends, while standoffs are. Standoffs work the same way spacers do, keeping screws and bolts exactly where you need them. Find options with male or female threads to hold spacers in place.
Thumb Tacks
Thumb tacks are an ideal temporary fastening solution for hanging lightweight objects onto walls, such as posters. They come with a thin, pointed end attached to a larger head surface. Thumb tacks are unique in that you don’t need tools to install them. Simply push the thumb tack into soft drywall materials to hang pictures and other items. The large head makes it comfortable to push into walls, and the sharp end sticks into the wall for secure holding.
Other Fasteners and Accessories
Life Out Here may require much more than your basic screws, nails and bolts. Some projects need heavy-duty fastening solutions to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. That’s why we offer a range of other fasteners and accessories, including:
- Hitching rings: These come as round rings to secure rope, chains or straps, featuring options with built-in brackets, plates and eyeholes screws for convenience.
- Bearings: These are used in machinery to keep moving parts doing just that – moving. They also reduce friction between parts and are available in bronze and steel.
- Retaining rings: These are made with thin metal materials and used with machinery to keep parts in position, allowing them to run efficiently and reduce vibrations.
- Fastener kits: These include a variety of fasteners so you can have different screw, nut and washer sizes on-hand when needed, giving you easy access.
Shopping for Fasteners in Our Selection
When searching for fasteners, you should keep in mind that some building codes may require you to use specific fastener types, depending on the kind of project you’re working on. You must know and understand the building codes for your area before starting your work. Other considerations to make include:
Fastener Material and Finish
The right fastener material is based on the type of project you want to complete and the materials you plan to use. For instance, while steel fasteners are a common option for many jobs, they can corrode after moisture exposure. Because of this, you also want to consider a fastener’s finish. So, while a traditional steel fastener is not corrosion-resistant, you can find options with corrosion resistant coatings, such as stainless steel, to give it the durability needed to withstand moisture outdoors.
We also carry finishes suitable for indoor use, from brass to nickel to chrome. Other fastener options, such as zinc-plated or powder-coated, offer less corrosion resistance, making them better for the indoors, as well. Alongside varying materials, fasteners come in many different finishes, adding necessary resistance to parts.
Fastener Size and Gauge
To ensure all parts fit as they should and keep project installations smooth, you must make sure all fastener parts are the correct size – including the length, diameter and gauge. The diameter of a fastener measures everything from the outside of the threads, called the major diameter.
Our fasteners come in inch sizing, which are labeled with a # symbol followed by a number. The smaller the number, the smaller the screw diameter. They also come in gauge sizing, anything from 5- to 14-gauge, for convenience.
The length of a fastener is the measurement from the point to the head, usually pertaining to screw size. For non-flush screw designs, the length is measured by the part of the screw that drives into the material. In other words, it measures the shaft from the point of the screw to the bottom of the head that will sit flush with the material once installed.
Fastener Grade
Fastener grades only apply to larger-sized fasteners, helping to ensure the part you choose meets specific strength requirements. When replacing components, you want the grade of your existing fastener to match the grade of your new one.
For instance, if the part calls for a Grade 8 fastener, you shouldn’t use a Grade 2 or 5. This is because Grade 2 or 5 choices aren’t as strong as Grade 8 options, meaning they won’t hold up in the long run. Instead, you should opt for a Grade 8 fastener or higher to deliver reliability and durability to your project. The higher the grade, the more durable your part is.
Head Style
The head style of your fastener determines the look and feel of your project. If you want to achieve a rustic, industrial look, consider non-flush fastener styles, such as oval, round or pan heads, which sit noticeably above your project’s surface to give it a unique appearance. Other head styles, such as flat or bugle heads, lay flush with materials, giving it an almost invisible appearance. Whether you want to disguise your handiwork or lay it out for guests to see, the head style you choose matters.
You can also install fasteners into countersunk holes, which are small holes in materials that allow screws and other fastener types to sit completely flush with materials. We offer a range of self-countersinking screws, meaning they cut holes into the material as you push them in. Other head types, such as washer heads, feature a large screw head, covering more material and offering a stronger hold after installation.
Drive Style
The drive style of your fastener is essential – often indicating the type of tool you’ll need to complete your project. For example, if you’re working with hex drive fastener styles, you must use a hex head ratchet, wrench or socket to install them.
Hex fasteners can be identified by their six-sided shape, making them great for connecting wood materials together or metal to wood. Phillips head, slotted and combination fasteners are the most common driver types, offering convenience in finding the parts you need. You can also consider nailer-compatible fasteners so you can complete your project with ease.
Thread Type
The thread type is categorized by the amount of space between threads (lines) on a fastener’s shaft, and it determines how tight a hold is between two materials. Coarse threaded fasteners carry more space between threads, while fine threaded choices have less gapping. Coarse fastener types are ideal for softer materials, such as drywall or wood, and offer quicker removal and installation than other options.
On the other hand, fine threaded fasteners are ideal for use with nuts and pre-tapped holes in metal materials. With tighter gaps, these parts provide more secure installation than other types – however, they will also take longer to install and remove. When choosing a thread type for a bolt and nut combo, you want to make sure the thread of your bolt matches the thread of your nut. Alongside coarse and fine threaded options, we offer standard, dual-action and assorted sizes.
Measurement Standard
You may notice that many parts and tools use either SAE or metric sizing, or both. SAE stands for Society of Automotive Engineers, and uses traditional U.S. measurements, such as inches and fractions. Metric sizes use metric measurements to show the size of a fastener. Many people prefer metric sizing, as it offers more exact measurements using millimeters.
SAE and metric fasteners both typically feature hex heads, which can be used with socket, open-end and boxed wrenches. You want to make sure the measurement standard you use for your project matches the one for your fastener. You can also convert measurements from SAE to metric (or vise-versa) to find a compatible fastener size.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fasteners
How are fasteners made?
Fasteners are made with a variety of materials through one of three manufacturing techniques:
- Cold forming: Molds fasteners by striking or pressing the metal into a form without using heat
- Machining: Cuts metal parts until the fastener molds into your ideal size and shape
- Hot forging: Heats up metal parts until they become malleable
Cold forming is the preferred method of manufacturing, as it’s quicker and more environmentally friendly than other options.
What’s the difference between rolled and cut threads?
The threads on screws form through two methods – rolling or cutting. Rolling adds pressure to components, rolling it through specially made molds that press into materials and form the threads. This type of manufacturing involves no cutting or heating, meaning it’s a cold forming solution. Cutting involves cutting away at materials to form threads. This manufacturing technique is better for molding large-sized fasteners.
Can fasteners meet certain industry standards?
Some workplaces must follow rules established by the government, manufacturers, OEMs and other entities, especially those in military or automotive industries. Everything from the materials to size charts to surface coatings may have quality requirements. That’s why many fasteners are made with industry standards in mind, enduring a rigorous testing and approval process before going on-the-market.
Some of the most common quality standards fasteners must adhere to include:
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASMT) standards
- International Standards Organization (ISO) standards
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards
Complete Your Project with Fasteners and Accessories from Tractor Supply
No project can be complete without the right tools and accessories. Next time you’re searching for fastener options for your DIY plans, whether big or small, rely on our products to get you going. We carry a variety of options, allowing you to find exactly what you need. To learn more about the fasteners we offer, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.