Some jobs are harder than others, and as a builder, you probably have a few jobs on your list of least favorite things to do. For many builders, those least favorite jobs include driving fasteners into steel and concrete. When you’re working with wood, drywall, or other, softer materials, you can leverage nail guns to make it quick and easy to drive fasteners. Where steel and concrete are concerned, however, it often requires a lot of time and hard work.

Below, we’ll explore the difficulties you’ll face when using traditional fasteners with these materials. We’re also going to show you a better way to fasten to steel and concrete: The ET&F® (a BECK member) Model 710 fastening system, which is designed for steel and concrete—and offers the same ease of use that you’d get from a nail gun.

Topics: Construction Fasteners, building, fasteners, Tools, ET&F, steel framing, construction site, outdoor construction, power tools, fastening system, commercial building, construction, concrete, trimfast, nail system, nails, steel construction, concrete pins

Buildings are designed to stand the test of time, but sometimes, they face challenges from natural forces or structural defects. Understanding the factors that can lead to a building's deterioration is crucial for ensuring the success of your construction projects.

To enhance the durability and stability of your structures, consider the advantages of BECK’s patented diamond-coated fasteners. This innovative diamond coating technology is expertly applied to a range of products, including BECK’s SCRAIL® SUBLOC® PRO and JUMBO strip nails. This coating significantly reduces friction between the fastener and the wood structure, resulting in a stronger grip on the material and fewer fibers being damaged.

Curious about the underlying causes of building failures? Keep reading to discover more.

Topics: Construction Fasteners, Scrail Fasteners, building, fasteners, Tools, construction site, outdoor construction, power tools, nail screws, commercial building, construction, sustainability, diamond coated, nail system, nails, sustainable building, structural integrity

More and more, people are turning toward sustainable building methods—and it’s not just within the homebuilding industry. Commercial and industrial construction clients are also looking for ways to create more sustainable buildings.

And one of the best ways to do that? It’s through recyclable materials.

In many instances, builders are searching out materials that they can recycle directly into new builds—like timber, for example. For other types of materials, people are choosing options that, while you may not be able to directly recycle them at the end of their useful life, they can be recycled at the industrial level. Metals and concrete are examples of this type of recycling.

Fasteners are included in the push to use recyclable materials—and that’s what makes SCRAIL® nail screw fasteners, developed by BECK, a great choice for sustainable, recyclable builds. In this post, we’re going to show you the importance of recyclable materials, and we’ll show you how SCRAIL® fits into a recyclable building plan.

Topics: Construction Fasteners, Scrail Fasteners, building, fasteners, Tools, construction site, outdoor construction, power tools, nail screws, commercial building, construction, sustainability, nail system, nails, sustainable building, structural integrity

Sustainability has become very important to consumers and contractors in the last several years. At the same time, what is involved in sustainable material selection is far more complicated than most people realize. There is not one set of standards that determines what is and isn't sustainable, and when it comes to sustainable woods, determining what woods are sustainable can be challenging. Knowing what to consider when trying to choose sustainable wood is important.

Contractors who prioritize sustainability also use the patented LignoLoc® Wooden Nail System made by BECK, the first collated nail made of wood, as well as Cross-Laminated Timber Panels. These panels offer a beautiful and functional solution for building projects and come in various types, including beerier wall panels, non-load-loading wall panels (dividers), and LCLT wall systems (LignoLoc® Cross Laminated Timber panels) which are CLT panels mechanically fastened using LignoLoc® wood nails and no glue. Discovering the innovative applications of sustainable woods like these can lead to a deeper understanding of their benefits and possibilities in construction.

Topics: building, fasteners, Tools, lignoloc, construction site, outdoor construction, power tools, nail screws, construction, sustainability, wooden nail system, nail system, nails, clt panels, sustainable building, cross-laminated timber panels

Multi-functional outdoor areas certainly are popular, but do you know how to design spaces that your clients will love? Multi-functional spaces require planning and organizational thinking when designing the layout.

It's also important to use the right tools for the project. The Splitless.Decking.SCRAIL® systems from BECK are specially made to allow for rapid installation when creating boardwalks, footpaths, decks, and more. The blunt tip of SCRAIL® nail screw fasteners helps prevent the wood from splitting either in the top layer or the layer below. This reduces waste and wasted time, allowing for a faster and more efficient installation process.

But before you purchase tools, here are several key factors to consider when embarking on the design journey for multi-functional outdoor areas.

Topics: Scrail Fasteners, building, fasteners, Tools, scrail, construction site, outdoor construction, power tools, fastening system, nail screws, decking, spitless decking scrail, commercial building, construction, fastener system, nails

Construction falls into several different categories. Residential, infrastructure, commercial, and industrial are the biggest. Residential construction is obvious: Homes, multi-family units, apartment buildings, and so on. Infrastructure is pretty simple, too. That category covers everything from roads and bridges to airports, water, wastewater systems, and more.

But what’s the difference between commercial and industrial construction? Here, things are a little less clear.

We’re going to explain what separates commercial and industrial construction. We’re also going to talk about the Aerico® 90 Strip Nailer, which is a tool made to drive collated pins into steel and concrete—two common materials that are often worked with in both commercial and industrial construction.

Topics: building, fasteners, Tools, pallets, construction site, power tools, staple systems, fastening system, commercial building, construction, fastener system, nails, Aerico® 90 Nailer, steel construction, industrial construction

Your business relies on quality products, including quality pallets, to fulfill orders and meet the needs of your customers. A poorly constructed pallet or a pallet made from poor-quality materials can cause many problems. You might save a little money on your pallets by using cheap wood or fasteners, but is it worth it?

The FASCO® (a BECK brand) CN15W-57A ES MAG STIRRUP Nailing Head System for automation includes automatic sensor-controlled fastening to avoid dry fires and a customizable magazine for different coil sizes. This system works efficiently, and it’s fast to reload, so you can finish projects quickly and then move on. BECK's 15-degree wire coil nails (High-Load) are designed to withstand a variety of challenging conditions, for years of use.

Below are some of the consequences of building poor-quality pallets, and good reasons to use FASCO® Nailing Head Systems.

Topics: fasteners, Tools, pallets, construction site, mezger stapling, power tools, staple systems, fastening system, construction, fastener system, mezger stapling head systems

For many builders, oriented strand board (more commonly known as OSB) is the go-to for sheathing. However, you may not have been aware that there are actually many different types of sheathing out there, each with their own unique properties.

Here, we’re going to explore some of the different types of sheathing you can use for various builds. On top of that, we’re going to give you a look at the FASCO® F44AC G-50 TL stapler, which is a great tool for fastening not only sheathing, but also subflooring, roof decking, and more.

Topics: fasteners, Tools, Staples, Staplers, Fiber Cement, construction site, power tools, staple systems, construction, sheathing

Erosion can be a major problem on the job site. What causes it? And what can you do to prevent it? There are several measures you can take.

We’re going to show you all about those preventative measures—and we’re also going to talk a little bit about our GABION line of tools. These are hog ring tools designed not only for agricultural use but also to help you maximize efficiency by building quick erosion control measures on the job site.

Topics: Tools, Gabion Ringer, erosion control, construction site, power tools, construction, diamond coated, air driven, agricultural, gabion plier, soil

Summer is one of the most productive and challenging times of year for most construction contractors. Problems like extreme weather, an overly busy schedule, and poor air quality can all cause delays in production and poor overall efficiency. Sometimes these problems can even cause injuries, poor morale, and loss of work.

These problems have solutions. Using the right tools and fasteners, such as BECK's patented diamond coating for fasteners, for example, can help make your season more productive and profitable. The diamond coating ensures reduced friction, fewer wood fibers destroyed, and higher withdrawal values, allowing you to work faster when using nails and staples made with this innovative technology.

Additionally, training workers to stay safe in challenging conditions and following summer-specific protocols are essential steps to overcome some of summer's biggest challenges. See below for more details on these challenges and what you can do about them.

Topics: Pneumatic Nailers, Scrail Fasteners, Tools, Staples, pneumatic tools, Staplers, scrail, construction site, power tools, fastening system, summer, construction, diamond coated, diamond coated fasteners