Anchor plates are used in masonry buildings to distribute tension and stabilize walls. They are connected to a rod or bolt and are usually visible from the outside. The plates are wide and flat, with a hole in the center for the rod or bolt. They are often decorated and made of cast or wrought iron in older buildings, but modern construction uses steel. The rod connects to the building’s internal frame, keeping the outside wall attached. Larger plates reduce pressure on a given area and improve plate strength. Steel plates are common in modern buildings and can be made to look like wrought iron.
An anchor plate is a structural component mainly used in masonry buildings. These plates are connected to a rod or bolt and are usually visible from the outside of the building. The anchor plate distributes the tension created by its anchor point and stabilizes the connected wall. These plates are usually decorated or stylized, as they are visible from the outside of the building. In older buildings, these plates are made of cast or wrought iron and are usually steel in modern construction.
The general structure of an anchor plate is the same regardless of its actual appearance. These plates are wide and flat – the larger they are, the wider the distribution area. In a residential building, they are rarely more than 2 feet (65 cm) wide; on a commercial or industrial facility, they can be much larger. A hole is made in the center of the plate for connecting the tie rod or bolt that penetrates the masonry wall. Essentially, the anchor plate is nothing more than a giant washer.
The rod that is in the center of the anchor plate goes all the way into the wall behind it. It connects to the building’s internal frame, often by hooking directly into horizontal floor supports. These connectors are placed approximately every 6 feet (2 m) outside a building, on each floor. They are essentially what keeps the outside wall of the building attached to the inside frame.
The outer wall exerts a lot of force on the sunken bolt. To counteract this stress, the anchor plate distributes the weight of that section of wall over a larger area. The wall exerts the same force regardless of the size of the plate, so a larger surface area drastically reduces the pressure exerted on a given area. If the plate weren’t there, the wall would tear off the small bolt head.
Many anchor plates have an artistic look. These plates are extremely functional, yet are made to look like a decoration. Even still, the slabs have several points where they make firm contact with the side of the building. Often the plates are symmetrical, so the pressure points are directly opposite each other. This improves plate strength after the building begins to settle.
The cast iron or wrought iron used to make anchor plates before the 20th century was used because both of these materials were easy to work with. However, cast iron is brittle and wrought iron bends easily. Therefore, neither metal was a perfect material. Modern buildings typically have steel anchor plates. High carbon steel looks very similar to wrought iron and is often used to give an antique look to an anchor plate.
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