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 are designed for quick and easy installation, requiring only a 6mm or 6.5mm pilot hole through the frame, reinforcement and brickwork before the screw can be driven into place. This saves times as there is no need to drill to accommodate a plug or anchor and plastic waste is reduced too – a hot topic for consumers at the moment.

David Furness, MD at Rapierstar said: “Despite being a proven option for frame fixing, plug-free masonry screws are not always favoured by installers, usually in our experience as a result of a negative experience using poorly designed fasteners. This is because many of the plug-free frame fixings currently on the market are not ideally suited the traditional brick and block wall construction of UK buildings – instead many were designed mainly for use in honeycomb clay blocks widely used in continental Europe.”

The StarFix range of plug-free masonry screws is specifically designed for British style blocks with a ‘hi-lo’ thread form. This is a varied thread height to fulfil different roles as the screw is driven through the frame and into the masonry. A higher level thread cuts into the masonry and the alternate low thread allows for dust to be compacted. This ensures a secure fix by preventing the masonry, dust and debris build up affecting the grip and pull-out strength, and allowing for multiple re-fixing without stripping the tapped hole.

The hi-lo thread form also helps prevent unreinforced PVC-U frames ‘jacking’ or twisting as the frame fixing is driven through. Some fastener threads may grip too much, and this can easily cause distortion of the profile if it lacks lateral rigidity in the absence of reinforcement. The StarFix range’s thread design along the length of the fastener is optimised to cater for the contradictory requirements for the different material types – plastic, brick, metal, etc.

David Furness added: “Consumers are increasingly looking to their product and service suppliers to be as sustainable as possible. With StarFix frame fixings, which do not require plastic plugs at all, installers can take a simple waste reduction step, with the added benefit that the completed installation will be reliably secure for the long term.”

Like all window and door fasteners in the Rapierstar range, StarFix masonry screws are designed and manufactured to a consistently high standard to ensure optimum drive efficiency, safety and improved grip. The precision Stardrive T30 recess features across the StarFix range, which also helps to extend bit life for another cost-saving benefit.

The StarFix masonry screw range is available from window and door distributors across the UK and Ireland and is backed by specialist advice and support direct from Rapierstar.