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Decking Design Center
Simpler, smarter alternatives to welding
Hilti mechanical fasteners for metal decking offer significant advantages—including rain-or-shine installation, simple visual inspection and a reliable connection that meets or exceeds codes code requirements.
Efficiently attach metal decking to open web steel joists or structural steel without the complications of conventional methods. Using the industry-leading Hilti powder-actuated fastening system, you can install a variety of steel deck profiles in a fraction of the time.
Why Choose Mechanical Deck Fasteners?
Mechanical deck fasteners are more consistent and cost-efficient compared to conventional methods, such as puddle welding
Puddle welds vs Deck fasteners
![graph: arc time vs weld strength](/content/hilti/W1/US/en/business/business/engineering/decking/_jcr_content/mainSection/mainColumn/three_image_text_col/image_text_column/image.coreimg.jpeg/1576591908081/decking-arc-time-vs-weld-strength-2-1.jpeg)
The human element
Research conducted by Virginia Tech colleagues Gregory L. Snow and W. Samuel Easterling found that arc time has a tremendous effect on weld strength (as represented in the graph above). Proper arc welding for steel deck spot welding takes an average of 8.1 seconds for a 5/8" puddle weld and 12.8 seconds for a 3/4" puddle weld. A lack of consistency in human performance for puddle welding in the field can result in significant reductions in weld strength.
![a welder working on steel deck](/content/hilti/W1/US/en/business/business/engineering/decking/_jcr_content/mainSection/mainColumn/three_image_text_col/image_text_column_1/image.coreimg.jpeg/1576595225248/w1-deck-fasteners-puddle-weld.jpeg)
Weld inspections
In reference to a typical weld inspection, an official in Vancouver said: “[I] check the puddle size. Not really anything else you can do.”
But because weld diameter is confirmed by a visual inspection, welders may increase the amperage on their equipment to achieve a bigger puddle—without ensuring proper fusion. Mechanical fasteners do not allow for this kind of manipulation.
![Hilti mechanical deck fasteners are easy to inspect](/content/hilti/W1/US/en/business/business/engineering/decking/_jcr_content/mainSection/mainColumn/three_image_text_col/image_text_column_2/image.coreimg.jpeg/1583414152421/decking-easy-inspection-2-1.jpeg)
Mechanical deck fasteners
When asked about Hilti mechanical deck fasteners, the same inspector said: “[I] check to see that the pins were installed into the steel below. Pins are better because they are verifiable.”