Washers | Copper State Bolt and Nut Co.

Oct 14, 2014

Whether you are gathering materials for a large-scale construction project or for a small job in your home, it’s important to make sure you have every tool that can ensure successful completion. You don’t want to cut corners when it comes to safety or reliability. That is why washers are necessary items on your list if you are planning on using screws. Safety and reliability are more likely if you use a washer with your screw for two reasons: The washer will increase friction and redistribute load.

Using a Washer to Increase Friction

Increased friction when tightening a screw will allow you to fasten the screw more securely. A washer’s smooth, strong surface creates more friction against the screw head, and the screw will be less likely to loosen against it. This is especially true if you are screwing into an uneven surface such as a porous material. For example, brick is notoriously uneven and often crumbles when the screw head bears down onto it. A washer will solve that problem if placed between the brick and the screw. Special washers provide tighter fits and more stability for specific uses. A lock washer, for instance, places a spring between the material and the screw head. Even if the screw loosens a small bit, the spring keeps enough pressure between the material and the head so that the screw is unable to continue moving.

Using a Washer to Redistribute Load

When you attempt to tighten a screw into a softer material, you will only be able to turn the screwdriver a finite number of times before the screw head begins to press into the material. After that point, you will only damage the material and not improve the tightness. A washer will distribute the pressure across more of the material, allowing you to turn the screwdriver more times, achieving a tighter fit before the material begins to buckle.

You may think that a screw you have carefully tightened will suffice for your project, but why take the chance? A washer is not just important to avoid tightening screws over and over. It can mean a safer project with screws that stay in place. Call (800) 603-6887 today for more information about washers available at Copper State.