Description
At 100 mm graphite EPS — the thickness that typically lifts a 1950s–70s semi from a D to a C on its EPC — the Klimas LTX 140 mm hammer-in plug is the matched mechanical anchor, delivering 0.75 kN pull-out in concrete and 0.60 kN in solid brick at a point thermal transmittance of just 0.001 W/K. Certified under European Technical Assessment ETA-16/0509 across five substrate categories and supplied in 200-piece boxes covering roughly 25–33 m² at standard density.
Where LTX 140 mm Plugs Perform Best — Standard 100 mm Semi-Detached EWI
The LTX 140 mm plug is the matched mechanical fixing for 100 mm EPS and XPS boards on UK external wall insulation projects, anchoring boards into concrete, solid brick, perforated brick, lightweight block, and aerated concrete under ETA-16/0509 assessment to ETAG 014. Its 30 mm effective embedment — rising to 50 mm in aerated concrete — delivers characteristic pull-out of 0.75 kN in concrete C20/25, 0.60 kN in solid clay brick, and 0.60 kN in calcium silicate hollow block, comfortably above design loads for typical UK two-storey domestic wind exposures. The 140 mm length sits mid-range within the fixing accessories range, where each length corresponds to a specific board-thickness band.
100 mm graphite EPS is the headline thickness for semi-detached and end-terrace EWI because it crosses the point where the U-value improvement is genuinely felt in heating bills and EPC ratings, typically a step from D-rated to C-rated on a mid-century semi. On retrofit walls carrying 20 mm of existing plaster the same plug handles 80 mm boards surface-mounted or 100 mm immersed. The 60 mm pressure flange spreads clamping load broadly and its adhesive-pocket profile keys the basecoat directly over each fixing point.
Why Specifiers Choose the LTX 140 mm Plug
- Matched to the semi-detached standard specification: 100 mm graphite EPS is the thickness most housing associations and homeowners settle on for a noticeable U-value improvement without the build-up cost of deeper panels, and the 140 mm plug is engineered for that board on clean masonry with no compromise on embedment.
- Virtually zero thermal bridging at every fixing point: all-plastic construction delivers point thermal transmittance (χ) of 0.001 W/K surface-mounted, falling to 0.000 W/K when immersed, so across the hundreds of fixings on a typical semi the cumulative thermal benefit is genuine and no cap-pattern appears on the finished facade.
- Three-substrate pull-out data covers cavity-wall outer leaves: ETA-16/0509 publishes verified pull-out in concrete (0.75 kN), solid clay brick (0.60 kN), and calcium silicate hollow block (0.60 kN), so on a cavity-wall semi with a concrete-block inner leaf and facing-brick outer leaf the plug performs predictably in both.
- Five-substrate ETA certification under one product code: beyond the three published pull-out values, the LTX-10 range is certified for perforated brick, lightweight aggregate block, and autoclaved aerated concrete — covering UK semi construction from 1930s clay brick through to modern blockwork extensions.
- Retrofit and new-build coverage in one length: 100 mm new-build, 80–100 mm retrofit surface or immersed, all on the same plug, which handles a mid-project specification change without re-ordering on phased housing-association programmes.
- Glass-fibre reinforced pin drives true at 140 mm: longer plugs amplify any pin deflection during hammer impact, and glass-fibre reinforcement keeps the polyamide pin rigid through the full sleeve length, maintaining a straight drive path even in dense engineering brick or high-strength concrete.
Technical Specifications — LTX-10140 Data Sheet Highlights
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Product code | LTX-10140 |
| Plug diameter (dk) | 10 mm |
| Overall length (Lk) | 140 mm |
| Flange diameter (Dk) | 60 mm |
| Anchorage depth (heff) | 30 mm (50 mm in aerated concrete) |
| Drill hole depth (h0) | 40 mm (60 mm in aerated concrete) |
| Drill bit diameter | 10 mm |
| Body material | Polyethylene (PE) |
| Pin material | Polyamide + glass fibre (PA + GF) |
| Point thermal transmittance (χ) — surface | 0.001 W/K |
| Point thermal transmittance (χ) — immersed | 0.000 W/K |
| Characteristic pull-out (concrete C20/25) | 0.75 kN |
| Characteristic pull-out (solid clay brick) | 0.60 kN |
| Characteristic pull-out (Ca-Si hollow block) | 0.60 kN |
| Board thickness — surface mount (new-build) | up to 100 mm |
| Board thickness — immersed mount (new-build) | up to 120 mm |
| Board thickness — surface mount (retrofit, 20 mm plaster) | up to 80 mm |
| Board thickness — immersed mount (retrofit, 20 mm plaster) | up to 100 mm |
| Certification | ETA-16/0509 (ETAG 014 / EAD 330196-01-0604) |
| Pack quantity | 200 pcs |
How to Install the LTX 140 mm Plug — Drilling, Embedment, Finishing
Installation follows the three-step cycle: drill, insert sleeve, hammer pin. Drill a 10 mm hole to 40 mm depth (60 mm in aerated concrete), using impact mode on concrete and solid brick or rotation-only mode on hollow and aerated substrates to preserve the cell structure that gives those materials their pull-out resistance. Clear masonry dust with three or four strokes at reduced speed, insert the polyethylene sleeve until the flange sits flush with the board face, then drive the glass-fibre pin with firm, even blows until the head seats against the sleeve collar.
- Surface mounting (new-build): suits 100 mm boards on clean masonry; the head sits 2–3 mm proud, ready for basecoat.
- Surface mounting (retrofit with plaster): suits 80 mm boards on walls carrying up to 20 mm of existing plaster, with the 30 mm embedment still engaging structural masonry beneath.
- Immersed mounting (peak thermal result): cut a recess with the EPS hole cutter, fix as normal, then seat a graphite EPS cap flush over the head to extend new-build board capacity to 120 mm and drop χ to 0.000 W/K.
- Perpendicular drilling at 140 mm length: longer sleeves amplify any angle error, so a 2° drift at the surface becomes a 5 mm offset at the expansion zone — use a perpendicular-drill jig or a sight-line check on every hole.
- Aerated concrete adjustment: drill to 60 mm and use rotation-only mode; the 50 mm embedment maintains rated pull-out without crushing the cellular substrate.
For full sequencing across an elevation — base-track interface, corner-zone density, and snagging inspection — the complete EWI fixings installation guide walks each stage. To calculate plug counts by wind zone and building height, the fixing pattern and spacing calculation method works through examples aligned to ETAG 014 design loads.
How LTX 140 mm Compares to Sibling LTX Plug Lengths
The LTX-10 range covers nine plug lengths from 70 mm to 220 mm. The 140 mm is the mid-range plug matched to 100 mm boards, with the 120 mm below for 90 mm specifications and the 160 mm above for 120–130 mm enhanced-spec retrofits.
| Variant | Key Spec | When to Choose |
|---|---|---|
| LTX 120 mm (200 pcs) | 90 mm new-build · 60 mm retrofit | 90 mm new-build, plaster retrofit |
| LTX 140 mm (this product) | 100 mm new-build · 0.75 kN concrete | 100 mm semi-detached (UK standard) |
| LTX 160 mm (200 pcs) | 120 mm new-build · 100 mm retrofit | 120–130 mm enhanced upgrade |
The plug body, flange dimensions, pin material, and ETA certification stay identical across the range — only the sleeve length changes to match board thickness plus adhesive plus embedment plus any existing plaster. On a typical semi specifying 100 mm graphite EPS on the main walls and 30 mm reveal boards, the 140 mm handles the main elevations and the 70 mm handles the reveals, both running through the same 10 mm drill bit and the same cycle.
Pro Tips From UK Installers Using LTX 140 mm Plugs
The 140 mm plug is the volume fixing on UK semi-detached EWI, and at this sleeve length small drilling and seating habits show up directly in pull-out test results at handover.
- Check perpendicular alignment twice on long plugs. A 2° angle error at 140 mm becomes a 5 mm offset at the expansion zone — enough to shift part of the anchor out of the structural substrate — so a quick line-of-sight check before each drill protects the 0.75 kN rating.
- Order four boxes for a pair of semis. 120–150 m² of combined wall at 6 plugs/m² central plus 8 at corners lands at 750–1,000 fixings, so three boxes cover the central zones and the fourth handles corners and the misdrilled-hole reserve.
- Confirm outer-leaf substrate before drilling on cavity-wall semis. Mid-century stock often has a concrete-block inner leaf with a brick outer leaf, and since only the outer leaf carries the fixing, the 0.60 kN solid-brick figure is the working design number.
- Change to rotation-only on aerated concrete and lightweight block. The visible powder returning from hammer mode is broken cells, not just dust, and the pull-out value drops with it.
- Pull-test one plug per 50 on retrofit substrates of unknown grade. A manual pull on a sample confirms rated resistance before the next pallet goes up the scaffold.
Is the LTX 140 mm Plug Right for Your Project?
- Standard 100 mm EPS or XPS on semi-detached or end-terrace properties: the 140 mm length is the matched specification for UK semi-detached EWI, paired with a graphite EPS cap for a flush thermal finish across the full substrate range from solid brick to aerated concrete.
- 90 mm boards on the same or adjacent elevations: step down to the LTX 120 mm plug, which keeps drill bit and installation cycle identical.
- 120–130 mm enhanced retrofit boards: step up to the LTX 160 mm plug for the additional sleeve length when the spec moves beyond the semi-detached standard.
- 100 mm boards on retrofit walls with existing plaster: the 140 mm handles this with immersed mounting using the EPS hole cutter, maintaining full embedment into the structural masonry.
- Mineral wool slabs on fire-rated facades or high-rise: steel-pin fixings are typically called up for non-combustible fixing chains under current Approved Document B guidance. Matching Rockwool mineral wool slabs are stocked in the range.
- 100 mm boards to go with these plugs: the graphite EPS insulation boards stock 100 mm in matching pack sizes, ready to pair on a single order.
FAQ — LTX 140 mm Coverage, Compatibility, Substrate Limits
How many boxes do I need for a pair of semi-detached houses?
A standard pair of two-storey semis typically presents 120–150 m² of combined external wall for insulation. At 6 plugs/m² in central zones and 8 plugs/m² at corners and edges, the total generally lands between 750 and 1,000 fixings. Three to four 200-piece boxes cover the central zones, with a fourth or fifth box providing corner-zone fixings and a working reserve for misdrilled holes, so ordering in round box quantities avoids mid-job shortages.
How does the LTX 140 mm perform on cavity-wall semi-detached construction?
Cavity-wall semis built between the 1930s and 1970s typically have a concrete-block inner leaf and a brick outer leaf, with only the outer leaf carrying the EWI fixings, so the published 0.60 kN pull-out in solid clay brick is the working design value — comfortably above wind-suction loads on a two-storey elevation. For 1980s-onward stock where the outer leaf may be calcium silicate hollow block, the 0.60 kN Ca-Si value applies, equally above standard design requirements.
Can the 140 mm plug handle 100 mm boards on retrofit walls with existing plaster?
Yes — with immersed mounting using an EPS hole cutter, the 140 mm plug accommodates 100 mm boards on retrofit substrates carrying up to 20 mm of existing plaster, while surface mounting on the same substrate supports boards up to 80 mm. For retrofit walls with thicker existing render or multiple plaster layers, select the LTX 160 mm to maintain the full 30 mm anchorage into the structural masonry beneath.
What pull-out resistance does the LTX 140 mm achieve across substrates?
Characteristic pull-out under ETA-16/0509 is 0.75 kN in concrete C20/25, 0.60 kN in solid clay brick, and 0.60 kN in calcium silicate hollow block, which comfortably exceeds wind-suction design loads for domestic EPS systems on typical UK semi-detached substrates. Metal-pin fixings deliver higher headroom for dense mineral wool at height, with the trade-off of measurable point thermal bridging at each fixing — typically χ of 0.002–0.004 W/K against 0.001 W/K for the LTX.
Can the 140 mm plug handle thicker boards with immersed mounting?
Yes — countersinking the board face before drilling extends surface-mounted board capacity from 100 mm to 120 mm on new-build substrates and from 80 mm to 100 mm on retrofit walls with existing plaster. Immersed mounting also drops point thermal transmittance to 0.000 W/K, so the technique delivers both a thickness gain and a thermal improvement in the same step.
How should LTX plugs be stored on site?
Keep the 200-piece boxes in a dry store at normal site temperatures. The polyethylene body and polyamide pin remain stable across the −20 °C to +60 °C range typical of UK conditions and are unaffected by humidity. Avoid prolonged direct sun on stripped pallets, since UV degrades unprotected thermoplastics over multi-year exposure — a storage discipline point rather than a short-term concern.
Does the LTX range support sustainability or PAS 2035 reporting?
Both the polyethylene body and polyamide pin are recyclable thermoplastics that enter standard plastics recovery streams, and the cardboard packaging recycles through paper and card collection. For projects reporting embodied carbon — typical of PAS 2035 retrofit and Warm Homes programme work — the all-plastic range carries lower upfront carbon than steel-pin alternatives, supporting reduced material-impact specifications. Renders World holds the full LTX range in matched lengths for straightforward specification and reordering.
Technical Documentation — LTX-10 TDS and ETA