160mm Plastestrip FastFrame Aluminium Double Helping Hand Bracket - FF FIX/BRD/160

160mm Plastestrip FastFrame Aluminium Double Helping Hand Bracket - FF FIX/BRD/160 is the primary load-bearing component within the Plastestrip sub-frame system. While the single bracket is typically used for intermediate wind-load support, the double bracket is engineered to act as the Fixed Point, carrying the "Dead Load" (total weight) of the cladding panels.

Potential cavity: 168 - 200mm

In any rainscreen system, the rails must be allowed to expand and contract. The double bracket is the "anchor" for this movement:

• Dead Load Support: The rail is fixed through the circular holes in the bracket head. This creates a "Fixed Point" that prevents the rail from slipping downwards under the weight of the cladding.
• Stability: Because it is the primary anchor, it ensures the entire facade remains vertically aligned and structurally sound over the lifetime of the building.

CHARACTERISTICS

• The base plate of the double bracket is significantly wider than the single version (typically 150mm). This allows for multiple fixing points into the structural wall, distributing the load more effectively and providing superior resistance to pull-out forces.
• Manufactured from high-strength aluminium alloy (Grade 5251 H22). This ensures the bracket is both lightweight and exceptionally durable, providing a non-combustible (Euroclass A1) solution for high-rise facades.
• The bracket features a precision-engineered "spring" head. This allows the vertical L or T-rails to be clicked into place and held securely without fixings, enabling an installer to level the rail with both hands free.
  
• Each bracket offers up to 40mm of telescopic adjustment. This is critical for "plumbing up" a facade, allowing the installer to move the rails in or out to compensate for any irregularities in the structural wall behind.
• Every double bracket is supplied with a pre-fitted thermal isolator pad. This breaks the connection between the metal bracket and the building’s cold or warm shell, drastically reducing "cold bridging" and helping the building achieve its U-value targets.
• Although designed for aluminium rails, these brackets are also used with the ThermaFrame system when a high-strength aluminium anchor is preferred over stainless steel for specific structural reasons.
• As an aluminium component, it is naturally resistant to corrosion, making it ideal for the damp, ventilated environment of a rainscreen cavity.