Looking for a change in your home decor? Metal elements are an important part of pulling a design look together!
Incorporating decorative bolts and rustic hardware in design features can update the look of any space without a major decorating overhaul.
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to which bolts are best for your home project. The selection can be a bit overwhelming if you're standing in the hardware store! Lag bolts and decorative bolts can be used for plenty of functions, but using generic hardware can lead to uninspired home design.
So, what is a lag bolt? Lag bolts, sometimes called lag screws, are some of the strongest fasteners you can choose. At Old West Iron, we offer a square head and six-sided hex head, which allows for sturdy project strength and a stylish visual.
Choosing a quality decorative bolt is essential for a polished project. They need to look great and function without fail. Here are the top 12 reasons to use these hardware heavyweights!
1. Add a Rustic Look
Decorative bolts are both functional and nice to look at. They enhance and refine exposed wood, rock, and concrete.
Lag bolts were first used to fasten barrels together and have been around for hundreds of years, so incorporating that handmade look into home decor projects adds a familiar, appealing element.
Iron door knockers, mantel straps, and window edging are both traditional and fresh ways to add a warm, classic charm to your interior.
And this modern country and farmhouse decorating trend is not going away any time soon. Decorators know by adding traditional-looking items into the overall decor scheme, it adds depth to the overall look. Tying together pieces from different historical eras adds a worldly dimension to any room.
Choosing a hammered hex decorative lag in an oil-rubbed bronze finish is a classic vintage look that works with the newest trends. The bronze wax highlights all the dimensions of the hammered head to show off the rich details of the distressed decor.
2. Lag Bolts for a Backyard Deck
Outside spaces are often neglected when it comes to the little details. You need your fasteners to be sturdy, but they should also look great and hold up to all weather conditions.
Deckbuilding supplies are most often made of wood. Lag bolts are perfect for wood, are long and strong, and have durable threads that don't require nuts to secure them. Their hex head is perfect for securing the load your backyard deck requires and they don't require a secondary nut to secure.
Decorative hardware is designed to look great and not need to be hidden or painted over, yet, some finishes are better for outdoor use than others.
If your deck is exposed to regular rain or snow, the metal will rust at some point. Using a black, bronze, or pewter patina finish will delay the oxidation process for the longest amount of time.
3. Dress Up an Arbor or Gazebo
Like decks, these outdoor gathering spaces often have exposed bolts where beams intersect. Garden arbors and gazebos are often romantic spots, draped in flowering vines, wine grapes, or other foliage.
Gazebos are often supplied with outdoor lighting and wired for stereo systems, perfect for a garden party or summer wedding! Using sophisticated finishing on your outdoor wood projects with fancy builder supplies completes the little details for these special spots.
Hand polished, smooth bolts are the best combination of structural strength and pleasing to the eye. For outdoor use in a garden setting, a classic, black finish will stay elegant while holding up to the elements.
4. Attach a Handrail Bracket
The bolts you choose to finish your interior can really impact the overall look of your home. Handrails are an important element of interior decor where they are used multiple times a day.
Stairs can be a focal point of many decor designs, but they need to be functional as well as draw the eye to where they lead to.
Using sturdy bolts is essential for handrail safety and they should still fit into the overall design scheme. Consider adding hand-hammered blacksmith bolts or screws to your handrail choice. You don't need to cover your fasteners with wood plugs if they're of a quality design and made to show off!
5. Decorative Bolts for the Coffee Table
Just take a glance at cozy home ideas on the web and you'll notice the rustic charm of exposed wood and metals. Square head lag bolts look great as an exposed bolt on classic, farmhouse-style furniture.
From a spool side table to a distressed trunk table, the exposed metal is the major design element that pulls these looks together.
All our square head lags can be finished in a smooth, hammered, or old-world pyramid design. The textured heads pop with the oil-rubbed and aged bronze finish or try the gunmetal or pewter to add an industrial look.
There are many do-it-yourself projects online for refurbishing or creating rustic coffee tables. By showcasing the metal design elements of the piece, it adds a new layer of texture and one that greatly enhances a raw or distressed wood finish.
6. Hand Finished Bolts Add Style
Sure, stainless steel is a classic look but doesn't add much flair to home decor, especially when going for a rustic or farmhouse theme. Using your color scheme right down to the bolts will tie your living area together.
A unique, optional finish for lag bolts to consider is the rusty metal patina. This finish is best on textured heads and creates a reddish rust effect. Perfect in a room with warm leathers, exposed beams, and brick.
Now, what's the difference between using an oil-rubbed bronze and black finish? A rubbed bronze finish adds light dimension with flex of bronze stirred into the finishing wax. It gives a dark appearance, pairing well with many different decor themes and enhancing the look of textured metals.
A black finish is ideal for smooth, polished surfaces. Of course, it can still be used on a hammered or pyramid head, especially if a monochromatic look is desired with the design.
7. Give Hanging Light Fixtures Some Love
No one wants unfinished brackets or mismatched metal bolts or screws adding an unsightly look to their interior or outdoor space. If you're hanging lighting elements to your covered deck or exposed, indoor beams, consider how the fasteners will be incorporated.
Many hanging light designs hide the fasteners and that may be the right look for some decors like contemporary or traditional. But, industrial-inspired or cabin-chic looks often have the functionality of design elements showcased as part of the decor.
Hanging light fixtures from exposed beams looks great with large, decorative bolts as part of their design. Showing off square, pyramid lag screws adds those old-world charm details that pull a room together.
8. Hold Up That Bookshelf
Lag bolts are incredibly strong. A decorative lag bolt is perfect for ensuring your book collection is kept safe on a sturdy surface.
We know that showcasing exposed metal enhances many rustic design themes with furniture and fixtures.
Furniture for an industrial design theme often incorporates metal piping with unfinished or stained wood, while farmhouse-style bookcases are usually made of all wood. Both standing bookshelves, or ones built into the wall, require fasteners that can handle hundreds of pounds.
The fasteners used to hold the shelves to the back of the unit, or whatever the frame is, need to be able to withstand the load to keep it all together. If your bolts aren't strong enough or made for wood projects, that book collection could be tumbling to the ground!
Number one decor fact: If it's going to be exposed, make sure it is visually appealing! Pairing functional fasteners with decorative metal straps creates a timeless bookshelf look.
9. Add a Sliding Interior Door
Have you seen a large, sliding barn door indoors before? They are incredible at how they improve the look of a home's decor. If you have an open space that could use a partial divider, consider installing a sliding door.
This kind of sliding door runs on a track attached above the doorway. Decorative bolts are essential for an aesthetically pleasing mounting. These can be used for attaching door spacers, the track to frame board, or the L-shaped brackets that attach the door to the floor.
There are many different styling options for a sliding barn door. Going for a shabby-chic, modern country, or perhaps, a Spanish colonial-inspired design? Changing the stain color of the door and adding elements like faux nail heads will transform the versatility of your sliding interior door.
10. Decorate With Exposed Beams
Exposed beams are one of the biggest showstoppers in interior design. They are the foundation for the modern country and farmhouse look that is so popular today.
Ceiling beams are a part of every home style, from the rustic look that everyone imagines when they hear exposed wood, to the modern and contemporary designs that use concrete and glass.
When renovating or building a home that will incorporate exposed beams it is important to think of the overall design scheme. To make a room look brighter, keep the beams the same color you paint the ceiling. Using a polished decorative bolt will enhance this contemporary design.
Contrasting beams with a dark stain while keeping the ceiling light will add a powerful mood to the atmosphere of the room. This makes a room feel larger and adds a stately and classic ambiance. Fasteners finished in oil-rubbed bronze or rusty metal patina would pull this classic decor together.
Industrial design themes with exposed metal, concrete accents, and track lighting greatly benefit from an unfinished wood beam. This style looks great with large windows and natural lighting, where gun metal and pewter fasteners fit right in.
11. Mount a Flat Screen TV or Anything Heavy
You've made a big purchase for your tv and now you want to put it on the wall. To secure a heavy object, you'll need a fastener that can handle the job. One 1/4 lag bolt is capable of holding nearly 13,000 pounds!
But, lag bolts require a few more steps than a regular screw. To install a lag bolt, the materials that you're fastening need to be lined up. Once they are lined up, use a clamp to hold them together.
Next, you'll need to drill a hole that is a bit smaller than your bolt. The threads will grip into this hole and create a strong anchor. Lag bolts, with their hex head, require a ratchet to finish the job.
If the mounting equipment for your TV has a wood shelf or decorative design, think about what the fasteners will look like from your view on the couch.
12. Support An Artist and Crafts Person
Everyone knows you can pop into your big box hardware store to pick out fasteners from a wall of generic options. But, these mass-produced bolts and screws aren't made for enhancing your decor.
Supporting a skilled, artisan blacksmith by choosing one-of-a-kind fasteners will show you've thought of every detail in your design flair, right down to the bolts! Your support also keeps this noble profession and rich history alive.
Quality Bolts for a Polished Project
Now that you've had a few project inspiration ideas, look around your indoor and outdoor decor and see what could use an update. Is there a room lacking a rustic, cozy element? Or, perhaps the garden could use a new sitting area?
Sturdy and versatile lag bolts and decorative bolts will update any renovation or project. By using exposed metal in your decor ideas, you add a historic and unique charm that has high visual appeal.
For more information on one-of-a-kind fasteners and building supplies, send us a message on our contact page. We're also happy to chat during business hours to help with any of your building or decor questions!
You can find out more information on the history of blacksmiths, gift ideas, and other decor ideas on Old West Iron's blog.