Bolting — Bolt Stick-Out Check
Bolt length selection: grip + allowances vs stock lengths, with stick-out check.
The rule is visual and binary: end of bolt flush with or beyond the nut face — but ordering lengths that achieve it across varying plies is the detailing skill. Excess stick-out wastes money and snags decking; short bolts fail inspection outright.
Formula
Note: Erection-planning estimate only. Member weights, connection capacities and tolerances for execution must come from the issued drawings, the EOR and the erection engineer — never from a generic calculator.
Bolt length selection: grip + allowances vs stock lengths, with stick-out check. A free structural steel delivery & erection tool — no sign-up, no upload, instant results in your browser.
About Bolting — Bolt Stick-Out Check
Bolting — Bolt Stick-Out Check computes the governing relationship L ≥ grip + washers + nut height (~0.9d) with thread point margin live as you type. The rule is visual and binary: end of bolt flush with or beyond the nut face — but ordering lengths that achieve it across varying plies is the detailing skill. Excess stick-out wastes money and snags decking; short bolts fail inspection outright. Defaults are pre-filled with realistic values for this exact scenario, and the worked example substitutes your numbers step by step so the math is never a black box.
How to use Bolting — Bolt Stick-Out Check
- 1Enter your values — Grip (total ply thickness), Washers/DTI thickness, Bolt diameter, Proposed bolt length (sensible defaults are pre-filled).
- 2Read the live results: Required length (≈grip + washers + nut + point), Expected stick-out.
- 3Check the "with your numbers" line to see L ≥ grip + washers + nut height (~0.9d) with thread point margin substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Bolting — Bolt Stick-Out Check?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs client-side in your browser; nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the stated formula L ≥ grip + washers + nut height (~0.9d) with thread point margin with authoritative sources cited on the page (RCSC — Specification for Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts; AISC 360 — Specification for Structural Steel Buildings)
- ✓The rule is visual and binary: end of bolt flush with or beyond the nut face — but ordering lengths that achieve it across varying plies is the detailing skill.
- ✓SI ⇄ Imperial toggle converts your inputs in place, so you can work in the units your drawings use
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the bolting — bolt stick-out check use?+
It evaluates L ≥ grip + washers + nut height (~0.9d) with thread point margin, exactly as published. Sources: RCSC — Specification for Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts; AISC 360 — Specification for Structural Steel Buildings. The substituted worked example on the page lets you verify every step against the textbook.
How should I read the result — and how far can I trust it?+
The rule is visual and binary: end of bolt flush with or beyond the nut face — but ordering lengths that achieve it across varying plies is the detailing skill. Erection-planning estimate only. Member weights, connection capacities and tolerances for execution must come from the issued drawings, the EOR and the erection engineer — never from a generic calculator.
When is this calculator the right tool for the job?+
Bolt length selection: grip + allowances vs stock lengths, with stick-out check. A free structural steel delivery & erection tool. Excess stick-out wastes money and snags decking; short bolts fail inspection outright. For neighbouring scenarios, the related tools below cover the same engine with different presets.
Does it support both metric and imperial units?+
Yes — the SI ⇄ Imperial toggle converts the values already in the fields, preserving the physical quantity, so you can flip mid-calculation without re-entering anything.
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