steel decking FASTENER INSPECTION GUIDE - Verco Deck

steel decking

FASTENER
INSPECTION
GUIDE

PNEUTEK® STEEL DECKING FASTENER INSPECTION GUIDE

Purpose of Guide

These are the guidelines for establishing the proper drive depth of Pneutek fasteners in the attachment of steel deck.
This inspection guide will allow you to easily determine the acceptability of your installation in accordance with the
manufacturer’s recommendations. The Pneutek pneumatically driven mechanical fastening system offers many
advantages over traditional powder-actuated fastening and welding methods. Inspection is one of the most significant
advantages. Field inspection is extremely easy to perform and very effective.

In the attachment of steel roof or floor deck using the Pneutek Air/Safe® Fastening System, it is important that all
fasteners be driven to their optimum depth of penetration. This guide will provide an overview of this objective.

Application Overview:

Through proper air pressure regulation, all Pneutek one-piece K66062 K64062 SDK63075
“uni-construction” fasteners are driven at low velocity to the or K66075 or SDK61075
optimum depth of penetration with as much force as is
STEEL STEEL
DECK DECK

required to meet a tight contact condition of the fastener’s

head, the steel deck and the structural substrate. This

condition can be achieved even in very thick support member STRUCTURAL STEEL MEMBER
steel, where the entire shank of the pin will be embedded in

the structural member. In this condition, none of the fastener’s shank will be visible from beneath the support. In thinner

substrate applications, knurling will be visible on the upper portion of Pneutek’s protruding stepped-down style shank.

Inspection Tools:

Pneutek’s pneumatic fastening system allows for precise installation of Pneutek “uni-construction” fasteners, without the
use of a sheet metal washer to adjust for variations inherent in powder-actuated charges. Therefore, no inspection tools
are needed to determine whether a washer is properly placed on a fastener shank. ONLY A VISUAL INSPECTION IS
NEEDED TO DETERMINE PROPER INSTALLATION.

Instructions for Inspection of
Fastener Installations:

Optimum penetration/depth: The underside of the fastener’s head
must be in tight contact with the deck, and the deck must be in tight
contact with the supporting structural substrate. In this condition,
strands of the linear plastic collation material may remain under the head
of the pin or plastic may completely surround the fastener’s head. The
presence OR absence of this plastic collation material, in a tightly driven
pin condition, does NOT affect the tensile or shear properties of the
Pneutek pinned deck connection.

The most important inspection is a visual
review of the fastener head.

NOTE: Plastic collation material is used to guide the fasteners through STRANDS OF COLLATION
the drive tool. This plastic is designed to shatter on impact, allowing a MATERIAL REMAIN UNDER
tight attachment of the fastener head to the steel. FASTENER HEAD

COLLATION MATERIAL
COMPLETELY SURROUNDS
FASTENER HEAD

17 Friars Drive • Hudson, NH 03051 • Ph:800-431-8665 • Fax:603-882-9165 • www.pneutek.com • [email protected]

PNEUTEK® STEEL DECKING FASTENER INSPECTION GUIDE

Improper Installations:

Operators will set the Pneutek fastening tool air pressure according to the specifications chart showing the various
fastener sizes and steel thicknesses. During the first few fastener installations on a project the operator will adjust the
pressure to yield the best attachment result.

Under-driven
This is an example of an under-driven fastener. Clearly a visual inspection will
reveal the fastener head is NOT making contact with the steel deck material.
Pneutek fasteners are underdriven if removal of any loose residual plastic at
the head of the driven fastener reveals visible space between the underside of
the head and the deck. Fasteners found to be underdriven must be replaced
with a properly driven pin in the same panel rib/structural support location.
Attempts to further drive an under-driven fastener are prohibited.

Over-driven
Pneutek fasteners are overdriven if: the head of the pin separates from its
shank or the pin creates excessive dimpling (coining) of the steel deck at the
base of the panel’s rib.

Optimum contact Fastener with strands Collation material Under-driven Pin fracture
between fastener head of collation material completely surrounds No contact between Caused by over-driving/
fastener head and deck toenailing or incorrect
and steel deck fastener
fastener selection

ACCEPTABLE NOT ACCEPTABLE

Notes:

Through proper training of Pneutek Air/Safe® Fastening System operating personnel, all Pneutek fasteners recommended
for use on a specific application can be optimally driven through appropriate regulation of supply air pressure and
observance of tool actuation technique. ONLY individuals trained by currently certified Pneutek Independent
Distributors or Factory Representatives are authorized to operate Pneutek Installation tools and equipment.

17 Friars Drive • Hudson, NH 03051 • Ph:800-431-8665 • Fax:603-882-9165 • www.pneutek.com • [email protected]