Gripnails™ & Insul-tacks™

Mechanical Insulation Fasteners with Insul-tacks solving the insulation to painted metal fastening problem.

A Gripnail is a unique mechanical fastener used to attached insulation to sheet metal. It was specifically designed to fasten acoustical duct liner to the inside of heating, ventilating and air conditioned ductwork. This operation generally takes place when the ductwork is being manufactured.

How Gripnails Work . . .

Gripnails are driven through the insulation and into the sheet metal with controlled impact. The hardened tapered teeth of the fastener (see photo below) bite into the sheet metal without puncturing. A hardened steel back-up plate is required to properly set the teeth of the Gripnail in the sheet metal.

The impact of GRIPNAIL when driven into sheet metal causes tapered teeth at it's tip to close, biting into and holding the softer metal but not puncturing it.

A permanent attachment is formed with the hardened steel fastener "nailed" to the sheet metal. A pre-attached cap holds the duct liner firmly in place.

Insul-Tacks are manufactured with a precisely formed conical point that grips into the surface of the sheet metal, and each fastener holds about 40 pounds. The total penetration of the point is limited to 0.015 inches, which leaves the painted side of the metal undisturbed. Insulation is held in place with a 1 inch diameter retaining cap. Since Insul-Tacks are mechanical fasteners, they do not need an electrical ground contact and the will not scorch the metal surface like welded fasteners. From air conditioners to ovens, Insul-Tacks solve the insulation-to-painted-metal fastening problem.

GRIPNAIL fasteners withstand pulls up to 120 lbs., far exceeding SMACNA application standards. Extensive tests also demonstrate GRIPNAIL fasteners have superior corrosion resistance, surpassing SMACNA's 96 hours saltspray test.

GRIPNAIL fasteners are designed and manufactured by Gripnail Corporation which also provides a complete selection of application equipment including a multi-head fastening system for use in a coil line, automatic-feed single and dual-head systems.

Now you can mechanically fasten insulation to pre-painted or powder-coated sheet metal with Insul-Tacks by Gripnail Corporation. This revolutionary fastener can be used as a primary means of attachment for insulation or to temporarily hold insulation in place while an adhesive is curing. In either case, the insulation is instantly held in place exactly where you want it, and there is no messy adhesive over spray to clean up.

These fasteners are applied with standard hopper-fed Gripnail equipment. In addition, Gripnail engineers have designed numerous customized pieces of fastener application equipment to meet specific customer requirements.

• Mechanically fasten insulation to pre-painted sheet metal
• Small penetration point leaves painted side of sheet metal undisturbed
• Can be applied with standard hopper-fed Gripnail equipment
• No electrical ground contact needed
• Does not scorch metal surface like welded fasteners
• Each fastener holds about 40 lbs.