Features of furniture fasteners and what options exist
To qualitatively assemble and install interior elements, furniture fasteners are used. Depending on the place of fixation and the method of connection, there are several varieties. These elements allow not only to facilitate the assembly and installation process, but will also be invisible after the completion of the process.
Varieties
The design and type of fasteners will depend on the purpose of the furniture on which it is fixed. Elements can fasten the product inside, creating its frame, as well as fasten the base of the furniture to the wall or floor. Today, these types of fasteners are used:
- Furniture corner;
- Confirmate;
- Dowel;
- Screeds;
- Shelf holders;
- Bolt nut.
Each of these species has its own characteristics and features that distinguish them from each other. To find out which element is necessary for the assembly of furniture, it is recommended to consider in detail the advantages and disadvantages of each category.
Furniture corner
This element refers to a simple and outdated type of furniture fasteners. It would seem that if the part is out of date, then why talk about it? Everything is simple - such a corner is useful for beginner collectors. He will also become an assistant in the independent design of furniture products and subsequent assembly. In addition, for its installation does not require any special equipment or skills. According to the production material, 2 types of furniture corners are distinguished:
- Plastic - fastens with self-tapping screws, has a more miniature appearance and relatively light weight. Such a corner is convenient to use for screeding light furniture panels or to support furniture details;
- Metal - has stiffeners and is produced at an angle of 90 degrees. To fix the part, use plastic or metal screws and couplings. Holes are located on one side of the corner, and grooves on the opposite.
Such fasteners are used for screeding the roof or bottom of a sliding wardrobe with its walls or when assembling cabinet kitchen furniture. Plastic options are equipped with a special plug that gives the product a finished look. Metal are considered affordable and very durable. Of the minuses of fastening, one can distinguish the gradual loosening of surfaces fixed with the help of corners, as well as an unattractive appearance.
PlasticMetalConfirmate
This name is usually called ordinary furniture screws. In another way they are called Euroscrews, as well as Euroscrews. The fastener is easy to install and does not require accuracy; a screwdriver or drill is required to fix it. In the screw head there is a hole for the hex wrench, which is also necessary for work.
To install this part, you need to drill two holes: one at the end of the part, and the other in the element that will be attached. The ease of assembly of furniture with the help of confirmative allows the furniture maker to drill holes already in place. It takes a minimum of time to complete the job. You can simplify the process as much as possible if you use a special drill for confirmation for installation. However, many furniture makers claim that over time this fixture becomes loose and the cutters are clogged with wood shavings. Therefore, for frequent use, standard drills are used.
The most popular and used confirm is considered the size of 7x50 mm. Below are the pros and cons of using this fastener.
Advantages | disadvantages |
Simple installation that does not require special equipment. | The confirmation hat will be visible if it is not closed with a cap in the color of the furniture. |
The fixture provides an excellent coupler of parts among themselves. | The fixture cuts the thread in the chipboard material and can deform it. |
Able to withstand increased loads. | Furniture fastened with confirmation cannot be assembled and disassembled more than 3 times. |
If desired, the part can be corrected using a mallet. |
Based on the above information, it is worth noting that these furniture fixtures are convenient and reliable. But if you can use them, then it is better to give preference to an eccentric screed.
Dowel
Hidden mounts are a feature of furniture assembled with dowels. This is a small wooden cylinder, its dimensions are often equal to 35x8 mm. The first figure shows the height of the element, and the second indicates the diameter of the fastener. The essence of fastening with dowels is as follows:
- Holes are drilled in each of the two parts;
- The holes must be coaxial - that is, coincide in the location of the axis;
- A dowel is inserted into one hole, which goes only half into the depths;
- The second furniture part is mounted on the shkan protruding from the furniture part - this is how their screed occurs.
In order for the connection to have increased strength, they are treated with PVA glue in the hole, which additionally fixes the dowels and makes them stationary. The big plus of this type of furniture fixture is that it remains invisible: it cannot be seen from the outside or from the inside. The dowel connection has some disadvantages: it is done once, so it is extremely difficult to disassemble such furniture without damage. The second minus - requires precise drilling of holes for a perfect fit of the two components. This nuance necessitates the use of special devices.
Devices for installing dowels are called a jig. They are factory or homemade. The former are considered the best in quality, but the latter can be made independently.
Screeds
Today, there are two main varieties of furniture screed - eccentric and intersectional. It is necessary to consider in more detail each of these types separately:
- Eccentric screed - this element is used only in the conditions of factory assembly of furniture. To put it on a furniture board, you need to use a device for drilling an exact hole. The main advantage of such fasteners is the ability to remain invisible, then the furniture gets a neat and attractive appearance. Another advantage compared with confirmations is that such furniture fasteners allow you to assemble and disassemble furniture several times without losing stiffness. In addition, using an eccentric screed, it is possible to fasten parts at an angle;
- Intersectional coupler - is represented by a screw and a nut, with the help of which two perpendicular furniture elements are pulled together. It is convenient to fix the headboard and bottom of the bed, as well as countertops, with an intersection coupler. It is necessary to choose fasteners based on the size of the thickness of the chipboard.
The most popular screed size is 32 mm, but this figure can reach 50 mm.
EccentricIntersectionalShelf holders
A large number of shelf holders allows you to divide them into 2 subgroups: for parts made of chipboard and glass. In furniture stores you can find many models where glass harmoniously combines with a wooden base. To qualitatively pull together two materials of different composition, shelf holders are used.
Each of the species can be separately divided into two categories: with and without fixation. Let us consider in more detail how to fix glass in furniture, as well as how to use the shelf holder for chipboard.
Glass shelf holder | Chipboard shelf holder | |
Design | Rod and screw. | Holder and screw. |
Installation | Screws are screwed to the cabinet wall, a shelf is put into the base. | The self-tapping screw is attached to the cabinet stack, and the shelf holder itself fixes the plane of the shelf. |
pros | It looks attractive, steadily holds the shelf. | Reliable fixing of the shelf, thanks to the thread in the material. |
Minuses | An elastic pad is required to prevent the shelf from loosening. | The hole in the shelf and wall should fit perfectly. |
When installing shelves in a cabinet or cabinet, shelf holders cannot be dispensed with. They should ideally fit the style of furniture, combined with the general principles of the interior.
Bolt nut
Previously, a bolt-and-nut system was commonly used to fix furniture parts. With this connection, a hole was drilled in both surfaces where the bolt was threaded. On the other side of the cabinet wall, this bolt was fixed with a nut. Today, a screw with a nut is also used - it is the simplest type of connection of furniture parts. The screw is equipped with a semicircular hat, which after connecting to the nut does not scroll, but remains stationary. This fastener is easy to use, but with the advent of new materials, it has faded into the background. Bolts with nuts are suitable for use by craftsmen at the initial assembly level.
The advantages of such fasteners are:
- The possibility of self-assembly;
- Availability of parts;
- The possibility of reusable assembly and disassembly of furniture.
Among the minuses, one can distinguish the visibility of the mounts, which is why they ceased to be relevant. Another significant drawback is the ability to connect only parallel surfaces.
Types, depending on the material to which is attached
Modern manufacturers today use not only chipboard for the manufacture of furniture. Widely used glass, metal parts, as well as elements made of plastic. Chipboard furniture fasteners were considered throughout the entire material, and options for screeding items from other raw materials are discussed below:
- Glass - holders are used as a self-tapping screw, which are screwed into a wall of concrete or drywall. With their help, shelves and mirror surfaces are fixed without damaging the coating of the part. For glass doors on the pedestal, the use of furniture hinges is suitable;
- Metal - screw fastenings are used to connect the shelves of metal racks. They are screwed into the racks using a drill or screwdriver. An attractive cap is installed on the front side;
- Plastic - plastic parts can be fixed with any fastener for chipboard.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the dovetail mount - it is used to connect the boxes. The essence of the connection is to cut a comb surface on each part, which is inserted into another part, and end-to-end fixation is obtained. Choose only the type of mount that is most suitable. Before buying, be sure to calculate the thickness of the material so that during assembly the screws and self-tapping screws do not protrude on the surface.
For plasticFor glassFor metal