Fixing 18mm Ply to a steel structure

[Barreller]

I'm erecting a cabin on a steel structure and need advice on sizing Hilti nails and cartridges. I propose screwing the 50mm square bearers to 18mm ply which is fixed to the steel with Hilti nails. Trouble is I can't find any advice on what length nails or which colour cartridges to use. My gun in a DX450.
Any advice appreciated.

 

[Hivenhoe]

Give Hilti a call with the thickness of timber and steel.
When we fixed 50mm timber to steel red carts and 65mm nails did the trick but changed to a hilti screw gun and 65mm winged screws, wings clean out timber then break off as they go through steal. No split timber, no messing with those anti split caps, no failed fixings and you can adjust if needed.

 

[barkwindjammer]

Stitching screws might be a good alternative-self tapping-use an ordinary drill or a cordless ?

 

[chippy1970]

i have a 450 and normaly use the black cartridges for steel but best to email hilti and check.. For what you want to do though i think i would use the winged screws ive used them in the past and they work well

 

[a4mative]

It has been a while since ive used the hilti products but IIRC 4mm larger nails, 22mm, with yellow catridges should do the job nicely with the nail washers recessed and the head below the line of the board.

 

[chris_d]

Hi Barreller,

I've been doing the very same task today to divide a steel framed barn into horse stalls - my wife is complaining that the horses will be cold without shelter in this harsh weather.

I can't help directly because I used a Spit gun but FYI I was fixing 50mm timber to ~8mm steel columns using 60mm nails with red cartidges (high power). Used same cartridges to fix 50mm sole plates to concrete using 90mm nails.

HTH,
C