It can be easy to think of fixings for roofing and façade installation as generic products. Decisions about fastener types and brands are all too often made for operational and habitual reasons, which can be steered by stock, cost and familiarity. EJOT UK outlines why considering the correct fastener for the job is important.
In an era of much greater scrutiny over how our buildings are constructed, and the need to ensure the building envelope will meet higher than ever performance with safety standards to match, the question to ask when considering the fastener options needs to be: “is it the correct fastener for the job?”
The way that building fasteners are designed and the materials used in their manufacture varies to accommodate different substrates, structural materials, environmental conditions and aesthetic goals. But the devil is in the detail when it comes to how well a fastener performs in-situ and whether it is safe and efficient to install.
Superficially, one fastener may look the same as another, but all too often the real innovations that benefit everyone in the design and installation of the roof or façade largely go unnoticed. This is the case for Colorfast, EJOT’s self-drilling fastener range which features an integral over-moulded nylon head which on one level is a solution for colour-matching. In reality its design features and material composition mean it can perform the role of a critically important system component and is recommended by leading OEMs as a result.
Why is Colorfast different?
Important factors drive the choice between an over-moulded fastener and a metal painted head – not least that the metal head is totally protected from damage during installation. That in itself is a major advantage, and the manufacturing process used by EJOT UK ensures there is total encapsulation of the metal head, the benefits of which are twofold.
Firstly, a reliable bi-hex drive is created, meaning that a consistent torque is easily achievable for uniform compression of the washer. This is ultimately what allows a reliable and superior seal to be created, and that counts for everything where building performance is concerned.
In addition, when you need fasteners with a colour-matched head, you need colour precision and reliable colour retention over the building envelope’s design life whether that is Goosewing Grey, Moorland Green, or Poppy Red. Colorfast accommodates both these objectives because of EJOT’s ability to match to 400 standard colours, as well as numerous bespoke colours to match specific aesthetic goals such as corporate branding, in a UV stabilised polymer that will resist environmental conditions extremely well.
Colorfast’s engineering grade nylon head protects the metal fastener against moisture and corrosion risks. But that is not the only protection against environmental conditions and water or air ingress. A metal washer with an EPDM bonded seal sits under the fastener head, to enable the uniform compression for air and water-tight results, providing that EJOT’s installation guidelines are followed.
These head and washer innovations, which were developed by the EJOT UK team over 30 years ago, combine with the world-class thread and drill point technology common across all EJOT metal fasteners. Specifiers are genuinely surprised to learn that there are more than 200 manufacturing and quality processes behind every standard Colorfast product. These tiny differences enable precise and easy insertion into steel, timber and other substrates, plus a choice of organically coated carbon steel or stainless steel in either A2 or A4 grades, provide contractors and installers with the confidence that their fastener choice will deliver the highest quality finished building envelope.
Trusted by contractors, recommended by OEMs
The performance qualities of EJOT Colorfast is reflected by the fact that the fasteners are compatible with all metal roofing and cladding systems used in the UK, including those manufactured by Kingspan Quadcore, Trimo and Euroclad, along with Tata Steel. OEMs, particularly those who offer a complete guaranteed package, need complete confidence that the fasteners used during installation will not undermine the quality and performance of their systems.
One of the ways EJOT UK can provide these assurances is through regular collaboration at the company’s Applitec Centre. This state-of-the-art product development, testing and training facility at EJOT’s Yorkshire HQ, has the resources and equipment needed to test how roofing and façade panels combine with EJOT fasteners in real-world scenarios.
In addition, our quality and technical teams have the benefit of more than 30 years’ real time data now from Colorfast’s use. This, in turn, helps to continuously monitor the range and contribute to its future-proof performance.
Colorfast’s capabilities and performance have also been confirmed through one of the world's most rigorous third party testing schemes delivered by US insurer FM Global. This means the core products in the fastener range are not only supported by an ETA (European Technical Assessment), but also FM Approved.
The story behind Colorfast’s continued development illustrates very clearly is how there can be so much more to a tiny fastener than meets the eye. What may seem like a generic product is certainly not the case, which is why it is so important to look at the finer detail and supporting performance data when selecting fasteners for your next project.
Find out more about EJOT Colorfast at https://www.ejot.co.uk/colorfast_hub.
Becca is the latest member to join our team and is eager to get stuck into the world of fasteners. She brings an enthusiastic and fresh outlook on what we do editorially and will be leading our social media activity – including sourcing material, editing articles and posting online.
