Description
Most fixings advertise length; the LTX 160 mm earns its place by matching that length to a decision point — the moment a project steps from 100 mm standard insulation up to the 120–130 mm enhanced band. Renders World stocks it in the same LTX-10 family as every neighbouring length, so an enhanced-spec elevation runs the same drill bit and installation cycle as the standard boards around it.
What the LTX 160 mm Plug Does in a UK EWI System
The Klimas LTX 160 mm polystyrene fixing plug is a hammer-in mechanical anchor with a 10 mm sleeve, 60 mm flange, and 30 mm anchorage depth, certified under ETA-16/0509 to ETAG 014 for fixing 120–130 mm insulation boards on new-build masonry in UK external wall insulation systems. Supplied in boxes of 200 from the insulation fixing accessories range, it is the length that secures enhanced-specification boards once a project moves beyond the standard 100 mm domestic baseline.
The plug body is polyethylene, the expansion pin is glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide, and the assembly contains no metal pathway from masonry to render, so the wall's thermal envelope stays intact at every fixing point. That detail compounds across an elevation: six to eight plugs per square metre on a 200 m² facade means 1,200–1,600 individual fixings, each carrying 0.001 W/K at surface mount and 0.000 W/K when immersed. At enhanced insulation thicknesses, that arithmetic separates a system that meets its U-value target from one that drifts.
What Makes the LTX 160 mm Plug Worth Specifying
- Engineered for the 120–130 mm enhanced specification band: the 160 mm length aligns with the insulation thickness used on housing-association upgrades, developer schemes targeting higher EPC ratings, and retrofit programmes reaching beyond the 100 mm baseline. Pairing it with graphite EPS boards at 120–130 mm delivers a measurably tighter U-value than the standard domestic specification.
- Thermal envelope stays intact at every fixing: all-plastic construction delivers 0.001 W/K at surface mount and 0.000 W/K immersed, holding insulation performance flat across the wall with no metal conduction path to bridge the build-up.
- Retrofit reach for 100–120 mm boards over plaster: on walls carrying 20 mm of existing plaster, the 160 mm plug accommodates 100 mm boards at surface mount and 120 mm when immersed, covering the enhanced-retrofit band without stepping up to the next length.
- Reliable drive through dense UK masonry: the glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide pin holds its rigidity during hammer installation, driving cleanly through concrete C20/25, engineering brick, and dense blockwork without deflection at depth.
- Adhesive-grip flange for flat render finishes: the 60 mm flange carries moulded pockets that key into basecoat mortar, preventing the localised dimples that show through thin-coat render under raking light on south-facing elevations.
- ETA-16/0509 certification across all UK masonry categories: the assessment covers concrete, solid clay and calcium silicate brick, perforated brick including Porotherm 25, lightweight aggregate block, and autoclaved aerated concrete — the full UK housing-stock substrate range.
Technical Specifications — LTX 160 mm Data Sheet Highlights
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Product code | LTX-10160 |
| Plug diameter (dk) | 10 mm |
| Overall length (Lk) | 160 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) |
| Body material | Polyethylene (PE) |
| Pin material | Polyamide + glass fibre (PA + GF) |
| Thermal transmittance (χ) — surface | 0.001 W/K |
| Thermal transmittance (χ) — immersed | 0.000 W/K |
| Characteristic pull-out — concrete C20/25 | 0.75 kN |
| Characteristic pull-out — solid brick | 0.75 kN |
| Characteristic pull-out — perforated brick | 0.60 kN |
| Characteristic pull-out — Porotherm 25 | 0.60 kN |
| Certification | ETA-16/0509 (ETAG 014) |
| Pack quantity | 200 pcs |
How the LTX 160 mm Plug Installs in a Render or EWI System
In a typical UK ETICS sequence, the 160 mm plug enters the build-up after the insulation board has been adhesive-bonded and the adhesive has reached its cure time — most commonly 24 hours on EPS. Drill the 10 mm hole through the board into masonry to a minimum 40 mm depth, insert the plug body until the flange sits flush against the board face, and drive the expansion pin with a steady hammer rhythm until the head seals against the sleeve collar. Basecoat with embedded mesh then covers the flange and unifies the surface for render.
- Fixing density: typically 6 plugs/m² in central zones, 8 at corners and edges, scaling up above 15 m height or in exposed wind zones.
- Immersed option: recess the plug with an EPS hole cutter and cap with a grey EPS finishing cap for a fully flush surface and 0.000 W/K per fixing.
The fixing-pattern and spacing calculation method sets out the layout aligned with ETAG 014 wind-load categories, and the step-by-step insulation fixings installation guide covers each stage from substrate assessment through drill-mode selection to final inspection.
Installation Notes — Drill Mode, Depth Stop, Drive Technique
Drill mode is the single most important variable at this plug length. On concrete and solid brick, impact mode drives the bit efficiently. On perforated brick, hollow block, and autoclaved aerated concrete, rotation-only mode is essential — impact drilling collapses internal webs in perforated substrates and shatters the cellular structure in aerated concrete, both of which drop pull-out below certified levels. After drilling, clear each hole with three or four passes at reduced speed before insertion.
- Depth stop: set to 40 mm (60 mm on aerated concrete) for consistent embedment across the elevation.
- Perpendicularity: check every third or fourth hole, since at 160 mm overall length small angular deviations at the surface translate to meaningful offset at the expansion zone.
- Immersed mounting: delivers 0.000 W/K per fixing and a flush plane for basecoat on enhanced-thickness boards.
What UK Installers Do Differently With the LTX 160 mm Plug
- Carry a spare 10 mm masonry bit per box. Drilling 40 mm into dense masonry through 130 mm of EPS wears bits faster than expected, and a fresh bit every 400–500 holes keeps hole geometry clean and prevents the slight oversizing that reduces grip.
- Store boxes flat on site. The 160 mm sleeves can bow slightly under their own weight if stored vertically for several days, which makes insertion fractionally tighter; flat storage keeps every plug straight.
- Pre-mark the pattern before drilling. A chalk grid matching the design pattern matters more on 120–130 mm boards than at 80–100 mm, because the longer plug magnifies any layout drift in the finished render plane.
- Run immersed installation on south and west elevations. Solar-driven surface temperature shows fixing positions through thin-coat render most clearly on sun-loaded walls, and recessing the plugs with grey EPS caps removes that risk entirely.
- Order a small surplus on every elevation. Carrying ten per cent over the calculated count removes the need for a top-up order if a masonry pocket contains an unseen void.
How LTX 160 mm Compares to Sibling LTX Plug Lengths
The LTX-10 range covers nine plug lengths from 70 mm to 220 mm. The 160 mm is the enhanced-spec plug matched to 120–130 mm boards, with the 140 mm below for the 100 mm domestic standard and the 180 mm above for Part L compliance thicknesses.
| Variant | Key Spec | When to Choose |
|---|---|---|
| LTX 140 mm (200 pcs) | 100 mm new-build · 80 mm retrofit | 100 mm semi-detached standard |
| LTX 160 mm (this product) | 120 mm new-build · 100 mm retrofit | 120–130 mm enhanced upgrade |
| LTX 180 mm (200 pcs) | 140 mm new-build · 120 mm retrofit | 140–150 mm Part L compliance |
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. Renders World stocks all nine lengths, so an elevation mixing enhanced main-wall boards with thinner reveal boards runs the same drill bit and cycle throughout.
Is the LTX 160 mm Plug Right for Your Project?
- 120–130 mm EPS or XPS on new-build masonry, or 100–120 mm on retrofit over 20 mm plaster: the 160 mm length is the matched specification for the enhanced-thickness band, paired with a graphite EPS cap for a flush finish.
- Stepping down to 100 mm boards: the LTX 140 mm plug in the comparison table above is the precise length for standard 100 mm domestic specifications on new-build substrates.
- Stepping up to Part L compliance thicknesses: the LTX 180 mm plug provides the additional depth for 140–150 mm boards aligned with current Part L domestic targets.
- Mineral wool for fire-rated or high-rise facades: higher-density mineral wool and fire-strategy requirements typically call for metal-pin fixings with greater pull-out capacity under current Approved Document B guidance. Matching Rockwool mineral wool slabs are stocked in the range.
- Boards to go with these plugs: the graphite EPS insulation boards stock 120 mm and 130 mm in matching pack sizes, ready to pair on a single order.
FAQ — LTX 160 mm Coverage, Substrates, Ordering
How many square metres does one box of 200 cover?
At the standard density of 6 plugs/m² in central zones and 8/m² at corners and edges, a 200-piece box covers approximately 25–33 m² of insulated wall. For exposed elevations above 15 metres or in higher wind-load zones, density rises to 8–10/m² and coverage falls to roughly 20–25 m² per box. A project-specific fixing-pattern calculation governs the exact figure for any given elevation.
What insulation board thickness does the 160 mm length actually secure?
On new-build masonry with a 10 mm adhesive layer, surface mounting secures boards up to 120 mm and immersed mounting with a hole cutter extends that to 140 mm. On retrofit substrates carrying 20 mm of existing plaster, the effective range is 100 mm surface-mounted or 120 mm with a cutter. This positions the 160 mm plug squarely in the enhanced band between standard domestic 100 mm and Part L compliance thicknesses.
How does the plug perform on perforated brick and Porotherm walls?
Characteristic pull-out is 0.60 kN in perforated brick and 0.60 kN in Porotherm 25, against 0.75 kN in solid brick and concrete C20/25, and these values meet the design requirements for domestic insulation under standard UK wind-load conditions. Rotation-only drilling is essential on these substrates, since impact drilling collapses the internal web structure and reduces pull-out below the certified figure.
Can I use the LTX 160 mm to fix mineral wool slabs?
The LTX-10 range is engineered and certified primarily for EPS and XPS boards. Mineral wool installations typically specify metal-pin fixings with higher pull-out capacity and a larger flange to suit the board's density and fire-strategy requirements. For those specifications the fixing accessories range includes suitable variants, and the installation guide covers the differences in selection and drive technique.
Can the 160 mm plug handle thicker boards with immersed mounting?
Yes — countersinking the board face with an EPS hole cutter before drilling extends surface-mounted board capacity from 120 mm to 140 mm on new-build substrates and from 100 mm to 120 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.
Is the plug suitable for projects with environmental reporting requirements?
The polyethylene body and polyamide pin are recyclable thermoplastics, and the cardboard packaging enters standard paper and card recycling streams. The all-plastic construction carries lower embodied carbon per fixing than equivalent steel-pin alternatives, which supports the embodied-carbon line of any EPC+ or PAS 2035 reporting framework tracking material impact across the envelope. Renders World holds the full LTX range in matched lengths for straightforward specification and reordering.
Technical Documentation — LTX-10 TDS and ETA