For people who are looking to learn a thing or two about home or building maintenance, understanding the different types of parts and equipment that are used is very important. One of the many types of components related to building maintenance is a hat channel. The applications of a hat channel are quite massive; they can be used in virtually any environment, and can easily provide protection for internal as well as exterior walls. A hat channel is also commonly known as a “furring channel.” Essentially, a hat channel could be placed in a wall to provide protection, or to add a homely glow.
What Does a Hat Channel Look Like?
While the size and color of the hat channel might vary depending upon the purpose for which it is needed, there are certain characteristics which set these channels apart. Here are some distinguishing features:
* As the name suggests, they have a hat -like cross section. The panel goes straight, and then suddenly rises up to form a type of “hat” for a certain distance, and then comes back down to adopt its previous symmetric shape. This hat-like appearance can be best viewed through the cross section of the channel itself.
* Almost all of the robust and most commonly used hat channels are made using metallic materials, specifically aluminum. This is just because aluminum is pretty malleable and more importantly quite strong as well. Furthermore, because of the fact that aluminum is quite affordable, most people like to purchase items that are cheaper and hence, aluminum hat channels have a very large demand in the industry.
What Can They Be Used For?
A hat channel could be used for getting non- combustible furring for internal and exterior walls. When installing wires that run through the walls, hat channels could be used to prevent damage to the walls (constant drilling can be avoided in case of damage to the wires). Similarly, hat channels could be installed in a wall for running LED lights through them, providing a beautiful afterglow to any room where they are placed. In concrete walls, these channels could be installed vertically with the help of power- driven fasteners or concrete nails. After that, gypsum panels must be attached to the furring channels in order to ensure that they remain firmly in place.
When used for drop ceilings, they can be attached directly to the building’s underside structure with the help of a tie wire and the right sized channel clips. Screws or power driven fasteners can also be used in order to make sure that the channel remains firmly fixed in its place at all times. Heavier gauge channels are also available.
