Masonry Bolts & Anchors

Masonry Bolts & Anchors are essential for securely fixing items into brick, block, or concrete. When you need reliable strength for your applications, our range of masonry fixings— including bolts, anchors, plugs, and more— ensures a robust solution for every task. Whether you're working on a small DIY project or a large-scale construction job, you can count on our high-quality products to deliver the durability and performance required for all your masonry needs.

How do Masonry Bolts & Anchors work?

Masonry anchors work by creating an extremely strong, load-bearing connection inside the base material, but they do so using different mechanisms:

• Expansion Anchors: This is the most common type. As the concrete bolt or anchor is tightened, it expands a sleeve or wedge outwards. This expansion exerts immense pressure against the walls of the pre-drilled hole, creating a powerful friction grip.
• Screw Anchors: These include concrete screws and brick screws. They have a hard, specialized thread that cuts its own thread directly into the concrete or brick as it is driven in. This creates a tight, secure hold without expansion pressure, making them a fast, removable, and reliable screw for concrete.
• Chemical Anchors: These use a high-strength resin adhesive. A threaded rod or anchor bolt is inserted into a hole filled with the resin. The resin cures and chemically bonds the bolt to the masonry, creating one of the strongest, most durable concrete fixings available.
• Undercut Anchors: These are high-performance concrete anchor bolts for heavy loads. They require a special drill bit to cut a cavity or "undercut" at the bottom of the hole. The anchor then expands into this cavity, creating a mechanical interlock that cannot pull out.

Applications of Masonry Bolts & Anchors

Masonry anchors are essential fasteners in construction, industrial, and commercial applications across Australia.

• Structural & Construction: Used to fasten structural steel beams, base plates, and timber frames to concrete foundations. Masonry bolts are also critical for securely attaching handrails, balustrades, and fencing posts.
• Industrial & Plant Maintenance: Critical for anchoring heavy machinery, conveyor belts, and production equipment to concrete factory floors, preventing movement and vibration
• Electrical & HVAC: Used by electricians and technicians to attach electrical conduits, junction boxes, cable trays, and HVAC ducting securely to brick and concrete walls.
• Commercial & Warehouse Fit-Outs: The primary fastener for installing heavy-duty shelving, pallet racking, and mezzanine floors in warehouses and retail spaces, where high load capacity is essential.

Types of Masonry Bolts & Anchors

Choosing the right masonry anchor depends on the load, base material, and application. They can be categorised as follows:

By Mechanism

• Expansion Anchors: Includes wedge anchors, sleeve anchors, and drop-in anchors. They expand to create a friction grip inside the hole.
• Screw Anchors: These are concrete screws and brick screws. They are fast to install, cut their own thread, and are often removable.
• Chemical Anchors: Use a resin adhesive to bond a threaded rod or stud into the hole, offering very high load capacity and a stress-free bond.

By Form

• Anchor Bolts: Heavy-duty bolts, often with a sleeve or wedge, designed for high-load structural applications (concrete anchor bolts).
• Wall Plugs / Sleeve Anchors: Lighter-duty masonry fixings, often made of nylon or metal, that expand when a screw is inserted.
• Eye Bolts: Anchors featuring an eye loop head, used for attaching cables, wires, or tie-downs to concrete or brick surfaces.

By Material

• Steel (Zinc Plated): The most common material, offering good strength for indoor, dry applications.
• Steel (Galvanised): Hot-dip galvanised for a thick, protective coating, suitable for outdoor and damp environments.
• Stainless Steel: Provides the best corrosion resistance for marine, coastal, or chemically harsh environments.

How to Install Masonry Bolts & Anchors

While installation varies by type, these general steps apply to most masonry fixings:

• Drill the Hole: Use a masonry drill bit of the correct diameter specified for your anchor. Drill the hole to the required depth, ensuring it's straight.
• Clean the Hole: This is the most critical step for a strong fix. Use a brush and air blower (or vacuum) to remove all dust and debris from the hole. A clean hole ensures maximum grip.
• Insert the Anchor: Tap the anchor gently into the hole. For chemical anchors, inject the resin first, then insert the stud with a twisting motion.
• Set the Anchor: Tighten the nut or concrete bolt with a wrench to the specified torque. This will deploy the expansion anchors or set the screw for concrete. Do not over-tighten.

How to Choose the Right Masonry Bolts & Anchors

To select the correct concrete anchors for your job, consider these key factors:

• Base Material: What are you fixing into? Is it solid concrete, hollow block, or soft brick? The anchor type must be compatible with the base material.
• Load Requirements: Is it a heavy structural load (like a beam) or a light-duty load (like a conduit clip)? Choose an anchor rated for the weight it will support (check static, dynamic, and shear loads).
• Anchor Type: Do you need an expansion anchor for a strong grip, a removable concrete screw, or a high-strength chemical anchor for a stress-free bond?
• Environment: For indoor, dry applications, zinc-plated steel is fine. For outdoor or damp applications, use galvanised steel or stainless steel masonry anchors to prevent corrosion.
• Fixture Thickness: The length of the concrete bolt must be long enough to pass through the item you are fixing and achieve the correct embedment depth in the masonry.

Buy Concrete Screws from RS Australia

RS is a trusted supplier of masonry anchors in Australia, offering a wide selection of high-quality concrete fixings from leading global brands like DeWALT, Rawlplug, and Blindbolt. Our competitively priced inventory supports all needs—from light-duty anchoring screws to heavy-duty anchor bolts for concrete, with proven quality and technical reliability.

In addition to our range of masonry bolts, we also stock all the essential tools for your project, including drill bits, hole saws, and soldering irons.

Order your concrete screws and accessories online today and enjoy fast delivery across Australia. For details on how to place your order, estimated delivery times, and service fees, please refer to our dedicated Delivery Page.