Description
The LTX 70mm polystyrene fixing plug is the shortest fastener in the Klimas LTX-10 range, anchoring 30 mm into concrete and solid brick for a point thermal transmittance of 0.001 W/K at every fixing point. Renders World supplies it in the manufacturer's 200-piece box.
Where the LTX 70 mm Plug Fits on a UK Wall
The LTX 70mm polystyrene fixing plug holds insulation boards up to 30 mm at reveals, jambs and slab-edge junctions on new-build masonry outside aerated concrete, drilled 40 mm into the substrate under ETA-16/0509. The 200-piece box sits at the short end of the insulation fixing accessories range, where each sleeve length answers one board-thickness band rather than a general size. That makes length selection arithmetic rather than judgement, and the data sheet gives the formula: Ld = tfix + ttol + heff, or board thickness plus sub-crusts plus anchorage depth.
Because ttol changes between a new wall and an old one, the same sleeve carries four different board capacities. Reveal-thickness EPS insulation boards are the usual pairing, and the sheet names both EPS and XPS polystyrene as the materials this fastener is recommended for.
- New build, surface-mounted: boards to 30 mm, with a 10 mm adhesive layer allowed for — reducing to 10 mm on aerated concrete, where anchorage runs deeper.
- New build, countersunk with a hole cutter: boards to 50 mm, or 30 mm on aerated concrete, which is the quiet advantage of this length.
- Existing plaster, surface-mounted: boards to 10 mm, allowing 10 mm adhesive plus 20 mm of old plaster; the sheet gives no figure for this length on aerated concrete, so a longer sleeve is the route there.
- Existing plaster, countersunk: boards to 30 mm, or 10 mm on aerated concrete.
Why Specifiers Choose the LTX-10 Fastener
- Point thermal transmittance of 0.001 W/K surface-mounted, 0.000 W/K countersunk: an all-plastic fixing chain keeps the declared χ low enough that a full fixing pattern adds very little to the calculated heat loss of the finished wall.
- Five substrate use categories on one product code: ETA-16/0509 covers categories A to E to ETAG 014 — concrete, solid clay and calcium silicate brick, hollow and perforated units, lightweight aggregate block and autoclaved aerated concrete — so one box suits mixed masonry on a terrace of different ages.
- 60 mm plate with adhesive pockets: Klimas attributes the collar design to greater stiffness and to mortar adhesion across the pocketed face, which is what keeps the basecoat keying properly over each fixing head.
- Declared washer stiffness of 0.50 kN/mm: a published stiffness value is what a system designer needs to complete a fixing calculation, rather than a general assurance about holding power.
- Glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide pin: the sheet credits the reinforcement with improved pin strength, which is the part of the fastener that takes the hammer.
- One box quantity across most of the range: 70 mm to 200 mm all box in 200 pieces, so cost per plug compares like for like along the range; the 220 mm sleeve boxed in 100 pieces is the one step where a price comparison needs halving first.
Technical Specification, LTX-10070
Every figure below is transcribed from the LTX-10 product data sheet, which declares them for the fastener rather than for any wall it sits in.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Product code | LTX-10070 |
| Sleeve diameter (dk) | 10 mm |
| Sleeve length (Lk) | 70 mm |
| Plate diameter (Dk) | 60 mm |
| Anchorage depth (heff) | 30 mm; 50 mm in aerated concrete |
| Drilled hole depth (h0) | 40 mm; 60 mm in aerated concrete |
| Body material | Polyethylene |
| Pin material | Glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide |
| Washer stiffness (S) | 0.50 kN/mm |
| Point thermal transmittance (χ), surface-mounted | 0.001 W/K |
| Point thermal transmittance (χ), countersunk | 0.000 W/K |
| Substrate use categories | A, B, C, D, E to ETAG 014 |
| European Technical Assessment | ETA-16/0509 |
| Box quantity | 200 pieces |
Characteristic Pull-Out Resistance by Substrate
Pull-out resistance is a property of the fastener in a named substrate, not a property of the wall, and the sheet publishes ten separate values rather than one headline figure.
| Category | Substrate | Characteristic pull-out |
|---|---|---|
| A | Concrete C12/15 | 0.50 kN |
| A | Concrete C20/25 to C50/60 | 0.75 kN |
| B | Solid clay brick | 0.75 kN |
| B | Calcium silicate solid brick | 0.60 kN |
| C | Calcium silicate hollow block | 0.60 kN |
| C | Perforated brick | 0.60 kN |
| C | Porotherm 25 | 0.40 kN |
| D | Lightweight concrete block | 0.60 kN |
| E | Autoclaved aerated concrete AAC2 | 0.50 kN |
| E | Autoclaved aerated concrete AAC7 | 0.60 kN |
Each value holds at or above the minimum substrate density the sheet states alongside it, and each is a characteristic figure: the sheet applies a partial safety factor of γM = 2 in the absence of regulations, so 0.40 kN ÷ 2 = 0.20 kN design resistance on the weakest row. Specifying against that weakest row — large-format perforated clay block — is the safe habit on a survey where the block type is not yet confirmed.
How to Install the LTX 70 mm Plug
The sheet is explicit that this fastener transfers wind suction loads as an additional mechanical fixing for the whole system, so the boards are bonded first and the plugs supplement the adhesive rather than replace it. Nine steps cover the cycle.
- Identify the substrate and confirm the use category before selecting the sleeve length.
- Bond the insulation boards correctly with adhesive.
- Size the sleeve from Ld = tfix + ttol + heff, so the expansion zone lands in the structural material rather than in plaster.
- Prepare the substrate as the ETICS manufacturer recommends.
- Drill a 10 mm hole, matching the hole diameter to the fastener diameter.
- In solid materials drill at least 10 mm deeper than the anchorage depth — 40 mm for a 30 mm anchorage.
- Switch off impact on hollow units and aerated concrete, where hammering breaks down the internal webs that carry the pull-out value; rotation-only drilling keeps that resistance intact.
- Clear the hole with a back-and-forth motion of the drill at reduced speed, repeated four times — the sheet asks for four, and dusty Victorian brick is exactly where fewer passes leave a falsely seated sleeve.
- Place the fixing where the adhesive sits on the board, seat the washer flush against the insulation, then drive the pin. A pin already driven is never hammered again, as re-striking is what breaks them.
For a countersunk fixing, the sheet nominates a plastic cutter for cutting holes in polystyrene and a polystyrene disc to cap the recess afterwards; Renders World stocks an EPS hole cutter and grey EPS plug caps for that method on the fixing accessories pages. Sequencing across a whole elevation, including the base-track interface and corner-zone density, is covered in the step-by-step guide to installing insulation fixings.
Choosing Between the LTX Plug Lengths
Klimas lists ten LTX-10 sleeve lengths up to 260 mm and we stock nine, from 70 mm to 220 mm. The selection table maps each code to a board thickness, and the mapping is the manufacturer's own — it cannot be derived from the sleeve length by subtraction alone, which is where mis-ordering usually starts.
| Sleeve | Board, new build surface-mounted | Board, new build countersunk | Typical position |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTX 70 mm (this product) | 30 mm | 50 mm | Reveals, jambs, slab junctions |
| LTX 90 mm for 50 mm boards | 50 mm | 70 mm | Soffits, lintels, thin overlay |
| LTX 110 mm for 70 mm boards | 70 mm | 90 mm | Mid-range main wall zones |
| LTX 120 mm for 80 mm boards | 80 mm | 100 mm | The common domestic retrofit thickness |
| LTX 140 mm for 100 mm boards | 100 mm | 120 mm | Deeper retrofit and over old plaster |
Existing plaster moves every row by one step, because ttol rises from 10 mm of adhesive to 10 mm of adhesive plus 20 mm of plaster. An 80 mm board takes the 120 mm sleeve on a new wall and the 140 mm sleeve over 20 mm of old plaster, and the 120 mm sleeve drops to a 60 mm board capacity on that same old wall. Working the length back from the survey rather than from the board alone is the point of the plug length calculation method for UK boards.
How Many Plugs, and What They Cost per Square Metre
Fixing density comes from the design, and the sheet's recommended minimums are a starting point rather than a substitute for one: 6 plugs/m² in the middle of a wall and 8 plugs/m² in corner zones up to 15 m above ground, rising to 8 and 10 plugs/m² above 15 m. The sheet states plainly that the recommendation does not replace the thermal insulation design, so the designed figure governs the order.
- Field coverage: 200 pieces ÷ 6 per m² = 33.3 m² per box.
- Corner coverage: 200 pieces ÷ 8 per m² = 25 m² per box.
- Unit cost: £24.00 ÷ 200 = £0.12 per plug, at £24.00 per 200-piece box as displayed in August 2026.
- Cost per square metre: £24.00 ÷ 33.3 m² = £0.72/m² in the field, and £24.00 ÷ 25 m² = £0.96/m² at corners.
The LTX 70mm polystyrene fixing plug 200pcs box was showing as available to order when Renders World's product data was read in August 2026. Wind zone, building height and exposure all move the plug count before they move the price, and the fixing pattern and spacing guide works through how the layout is set out on the board face.
Is the LTX 70 mm Plug the Right Length?
- Reveals, jambs, soffits and slab junctions on EPS or XPS: this is the length, surface-mounted to 30 mm or countersunk to 50 mm on new-build masonry.
- Main wall zones on a new build: step to the 120 mm sleeve for 80 mm boards, keeping the same plate, pin and assessment.
- Mineral wool build-ups: the LTX-10 sheet names EPS and XPS polystyrene only, so slabs from the mineral wool insulation range need a fastener assessed for wool, specified by the system holder.
- Plinth and below-DPC zones: the XPS foundation boards continue the line below the damp-proof course, where fixing method follows the plinth detail rather than the wall pattern.
- Mixed lengths on one job: ordering reveals and main wall together from the insulation fixing accessories range avoids the half-day stop that a missing short plug causes.
LTX 70 mm Plug Questions: Quantity, Substrates, Limits
How many LTX 70 mm plugs do I need per square metre?
The sheet's minimum recommendation is 6 plugs/m² in the middle of a wall and 8 plugs/m² in corner zones up to 15 m above ground, and 8 and 10 plugs/m² above that height. One 200-piece box therefore covers 33.3 m² of field area or 25 m² of corner area. Those are minimums for quoting, and the number actually fixed is the one the thermal insulation design sets.
Will the 70 mm plug hold a 50 mm board?
Yes, countersunk on a new-build wall: the selection table gives the LTX-10070 a 50 mm board capacity with a hole cutter, against 30 mm surface-mounted. On a wall with 20 mm of existing plaster that drops to 30 mm countersunk, and for a surface-mounted 50 mm board the 90 mm sleeve is the correct code.
Which substrates is it assessed for?
ETA-16/0509 covers use categories A to E: concrete, solid clay and calcium silicate brick, calcium silicate hollow block, perforated brick, Porotherm 25, lightweight concrete block and autoclaved aerated concrete. Characteristic pull-out ranges from 0.75 kN in higher-grade concrete and solid clay brick down to 0.40 kN in Porotherm 25, so the substrate decides the value, not the plug.
What changes on aerated concrete?
Anchorage depth increases to 50 mm and the drilled hole to 60 mm, which leaves the 70 mm sleeve holding boards of 10 mm surface-mounted or 30 mm countersunk on a new build. Drilling without impact is what preserves the cell structure and with it the 0.50 to 0.60 kN characteristic resistance the sheet declares for AAC2 and AAC7.
Can it be used over existing plaster?
Yes, with the plaster counted into ttol. Allowing 10 mm of adhesive plus 20 mm of plaster, the 70 mm sleeve holds a 10 mm board surface-mounted and a 30 mm board countersunk, because the 30 mm anchorage still has to sit in the structural masonry behind. Where the plaster is thicker or its bond is uncertain, moving up a length restores the embedment.
How should the boxes be handled on site?
The data sheet sets no storage conditions for this fastener, so ordinary dry storage in the original 200-piece box is the sensible practice, and any figure for temperature or shelf life would need the manufacturer's own statement behind it. On the wall, the one handling rule the sheet does give is that a pin already driven is not struck again.
Technical Documentation for the LTX-10