What is Threaded Rod?

Threaded rod, as its name suggests, is a metal rod that is threaded throughout the entire length of the rod. It’s typically made from carbon, zinc coated or stainless steel. The threading allows for bolts and other types of fixings to be fastened onto the rod to suit many different construction applications.

Threaded rod is commonly used to connect two objects together, such as wood or metal, or to provide a connection between concrete and another material.

How is Threaded Rod Made?

Threaded rod is made from round bar at the specified grade and diameter.

Standard diameter and grade threaded rod will typically be mass produced by a thread rolling machine. This process involves passing round bar through two hardened steel rollers to imprint the thread onto the round bar. These rollers are set at specific distances apart and rotate perpendicular to the direction the round bar is being passed through them, and the extremely high pressures these rolls apply, mold the round bar into a threaded bar. In this largely automated process, the round bar is forced through the rollers to imprint the thread onto the surface. The threaded bar is then sawed to size, and the edges are beveled to provide a smooth, workable, finished surface.

Nonstandard threaded rod is usually made via a cutting process. The round bar is cut to a slightly longer than desired length and passed through a machine that cuts the thread from the surface as it is forced along. The threaded bar is then cut to length and beveled. This technique is slower and therefore more expensive than thread rolling so is more expensive.

Threaded rod is most commonly made from stainless steel, zinc plated mild steel, or carbon steel depending on the final application.

What is Threaded Rod Used For?

Threaded rod can be used anywhere a large screw, bolt or anchor bolt is used, however the main use for threaded rods is when the required length or diameter needed exceeds the more conventional bolts or screws. A typical example of it being used in this capacity is in large construction projects such as bridges. Here the length and diameter required far exceeds a conventional bolt so threaded rod is used instead.

A further application is high tension and vibrational loads such as those found within any combustion engine block.

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