Hex Bolts

Hex bolts are used across a wide range of construction and infrastructure projects, including docks, bridges, buildings, and highway structures. They are also commonly used as headed anchor bolts when embedded in concrete to secure structural elements.

Portland Bolt manufactures hex bolts from ½″ through 2-½″ in diameter in most ASTM, AASHTO, and SAE specifications. Stock sizes range from ½″ to 1″ diameter with lengths up to 30″. Available inventoried grades include ASTM A307 Grade A and F1554 Grade 36 with options for plain finish or hot-dip galvanized coating. Both domestic and imported bolts are available.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are important distinctions:

• Installation: A bolt is tightened by turning a nut, while a cap screw is tightened by turning the head into a tapped hole.
• Applications: Hex bolts are commonly used in construction, where strength and mechanical properties are critical. Hex cap screws are used in machinery and OEM applications requiring precise dimensional tolerances.
• Specifications: Common hex bolt standards include ASTM A307-A, A354, and F1554, whereas hex cap screws are typically supplied under SAE J429 Grades 2, 5, and 8, or ASTM A449.

Portland Bolt hot-forges each hex bolt head to ensure structural integrity and consistent performance. The company also provides cutting, threading, bending, and hot-dip galvanizing in-house. For custom projects, special tooling can be developed to create nonstandard head dimensions or to stamp the head with your company’s name or logo.

A heavy hex bolt has a larger head and a slightly larger body dimension compared to a standard (finished) hex bolt. This provides additional strength and load-bearing surface. Heavy hex heads are required for several ASTM specifications, including A193, A320, and A307 Grade B. For A325 and A490 structural bolts, refer to Portland Bolt’s Structural Bolts page for proper dimensional tolerances.

Heavy hex bolts are typically used in high-strength or structural applications, such as bridges, highway structures, and steel-to-steel connections, where additional bearing surface and torque capacity are beneficial. Standard hex bolts are more common in general-purpose construction and fastening wood-to-steel or wood-to-wood connections.

Standard finishes include plain steel and hot-dip galvanized, both produced in-house to meet ASTM standards. Galvanizing adds corrosion protection for outdoor and marine environments such as docks, bridges, and coastal structures. Hex bolts can be supplied in a variety of other coatings, upon request.

Yes, while Portland Bolt distributes common sizes of imported fasteners, all fasteners manufactured in our facilities across the United States are produced from domestic steel.