Straight, Secure Connections for Timber Construction
Joining timber members across a straight connection? Hobson | Flat Plate Fittings provides purpose-made flat connector hardware for timber construction, repairs, reinforcement & general trade assembly. Hobson's documented range includes hot dip galvanised flat timber connectors in M12 & M16 configurations, giving builders, carpenters, fabricators & maintenance crews defined lengths, widths, thicknesses & bolt-hole sizes to work from.
Got the connector dimensions but still building the fastening list? Pair the plate with suitable Hobson | Bolts & Nuts, check associated hardware through Hobson | Washers or move into Hobson | Brackets when the connection needs an angled fitting rather than a flat plate. Looking at the plate, fasteners & timber joint together makes it much easier to avoid mismatched hardware.
What Are Hobson Flat Plate Fittings?
A straight timber joint can look uncomplicated until the holes, plate dimensions & bolts need to line up. Hobson flat plate fittings provide shaped steel connection hardware for joining across timber members without introducing the 90-degree geometry of an angle bracket.
Hobson identifies these products as flat timber connectors, with pre-formed fixing holes & hot dip galvanised mild-steel construction across documented configurations.
Current documented options include:
► M12 x 300 x 50 mm flat timber connectors
► M12 x 450 x 50 mm flat timber connectors
► M12 x 450 x 65 mm flat timber connectors
► M16 x 450 x 50 mm flat timber connectors
Those aren't simply four versions of the same plate. Length, width & bolt compatibility can change how the connector fits the timber assembly.
Take the documented M12 x 450 x 50 mm Hobson flat timber connector as an example. It measures 450 mm long, 50 mm wide & 6 mm thick, with 14 mm holes designed to suit M12 bolts.
Why Choose Hobson Flat Plate Fittings?
Defined dimensions remove a lot of uncertainty from a seemingly simple connection. Instead of improvising with unidentified flat steel, buyers can work from a manufactured connector with known length, width, thickness, hole arrangement & finish.
Weather exposure deserves consideration before the fitting disappears into the completed job. Hobson's documented flat timber connectors use mild steel with a hot dip galvanised finish, giving installers a known coating to assess alongside the surrounding environment & fastening hardware.
Pre-formed holes also help bring the parts list together. Relevant M12 connector plates are documented with 14 mm diameter holes to suit M12 bolts, allowing the connector & fastening arrangement to be checked before materials reach site.
Space on the timber member can quickly decide between apparently similar products. A 300 x 50 mm connector occupies a very different footprint from a 450 x 65 mm plate, even though both may belong to the same M12 connector family.
Need to source additional fastening components around the assembly? Bolts & Fasteners provides a broader range of related trade hardware.
Common Applications
Two timber members meet in line & the connection needs a flat steel fitting across the joint. That's where a flat timber connector starts making more sense than an angle bracket.
Carpenters may encounter these fittings during timber framing, repairs, strengthening work or connection details where a straight plate is required across adjacent members.
Maintenance crews usually see the job from the other direction. Instead of specifying a new connection, they're standing in front of an existing plate that may be bent, corroded or missing identification. Recording the original length, width, thickness, bolt size, hole arrangement & finish becomes the starting point.
Outdoor timber work adds another question: what will the completed connection be exposed to? Hot dip galvanised construction provides a defined coating system across Hobson's documented flat timber connectors, but the entire assembly still needs to suit its environment, timber treatment, mating hardware & project requirements.
Fabrication teams can benefit from standardised dimensions as well. Where a manufactured connector already matches the required joint, it can remove unnecessary cutting, drilling & modification from the job.
Repairing damaged timber requires more than fitting a larger piece of steel. Split members, enlarged bolt holes, deterioration or movement in the joint can indicate that the underlying timber needs attention before replacement hardware is installed.
Product Selection Guide
First Question: How Long Does the Connection Need to Be?
Don't begin with bolt diameter alone.
Connector length determines how much physical space the plate occupies across the timber assembly. Hobson's documented range includes 300 mm & 450 mm lengths, making the available joint area an important early measurement.
Look for timber edges, nearby joints, existing holes, obstructions & other hardware before deciding which connector length belongs in the assembly.
Next, Look at Plate Width
Two 450 mm connectors can still have noticeably different footprints.
Hobson documents M12 flat timber connectors in both 450 x 50 mm & 450 x 65 mm configurations. That difference in width can affect how the connector sits on the timber face & how it interacts with surrounding hardware.
Measure the available mounting surface instead of assuming every 450 mm plate will fit because the length is correct.
M12 or M16?
This is where the fastener list starts to matter.
Hobson's documented flat timber connector range includes M12 & M16 configurations. Select around the required connection rather than assuming the larger bolt configuration must automatically be the better option.
Replacing an existing plate? Record the original bolt diameter, connector holes & any available project information before dismantling the joint.
Let the Hole Size Confirm the Hardware
A bolt shouldn't need persuasion to pass through a manufactured connector.
Hobson's documented M12 x 450 x 50 mm flat timber connector uses 14 mm holes to suit M12 bolts. The documented 450 x 65 mm M12 version also uses 14 mm holes.
That small detail can prevent a common parts-ordering problem: selecting the plate & bolts independently because they look approximately compatible.
Thickness Is Part of the Product
Flat doesn't mean dimensionally identical.
Documented Hobson M12 flat timber connectors in relevant 450 mm configurations use 6 mm mild steel.
Replacing an existing fitting? Measure thickness alongside length & width. Similar-looking plates with different dimensions shouldn't automatically be treated as substitutes.
Think About Both Faces of the Joint
The plate may be visible from one side, but the fastening assembly continues through the timber.
Check:
► Timber member thickness
► Bolt length
► Hole diameter
► Washer requirements
► Nut access
► Tightening clearance
► Existing hole condition
► Connector position
► Surrounding hardware
A correct connector paired with an impractical bolt length can still stop the installation.
Don't Treat Galvanising as Decoration
Finish becomes more important after installation than it looks on the shelf.
Hobson's documented flat timber connectors use a hot dip galvanised finish. Consider that coating alongside environmental exposure, timber treatment, mating hardware & project requirements.
Outdoor, exposed or specification-sensitive connections deserve consideration as a complete assembly rather than a collection of components that simply fit together.
Follow the Connection Detail Where One Exists
Got a drawing or nominated connection schedule? Use it.
If the project specifies connector dimensions, bolt size, hole arrangement, fastening method or other connection requirements, work from those details rather than substituting an approximate plate.
For assemblies involving specified structural fastening components, Structural Fasteners & Bolts provides a relevant pathway into associated hardware.
Which Flat Timber Connector Fits the Job?
Product photos can look remarkably similar. Dimensions tell a much more useful story.
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Connector Configuration
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Useful Distinction
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Check Before Ordering
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M12 x 300 x 50 mm
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More compact M12 flat connector
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Joint length, timber width, bolt requirement & finish
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M12 x 450 x 50 mm
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Longer 50 mm-wide connector
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Available length, M12 hardware, hole position & joint layout
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M12 x 450 x 65 mm
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Wider 450 mm M12 connector
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Timber face width, clearance, M12 hardware & connection detail
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M16 x 450 x 50 mm
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450 mm connector for M16 configuration
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M16 fastening requirement, joint dimensions & installation layout
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The useful comparison isn't “small, medium or large”. It's which dimensions & bolt configuration correspond with the actual timber connection.
Expert Tips
Trace the Plate Before Removing It
Replacing an existing connector? Grab a pencil or phone before the spanners.
Mark or photograph the plate position, then record the overall length, width, hole locations & bolt arrangement. Once the original hardware is removed, some of that useful installation evidence disappears.
Measure the Timber as Well as the Steel
A perfectly measured connector can still be wrong for the available timber face.
Record the member width, thickness & usable mounting area alongside the connector dimensions. Nearby joints, timber edges or existing hardware can reduce the space available for a replacement fitting.
Need more reliable dimensions before ordering? Measuring & Leveling Tools can support site layout, dimensional checks & replacement measurements.
Inspect Old Bolt Holes Closely
Loose hardware often leaves clues behind.
Check timber around existing holes for splitting, deformation, deterioration or enlargement before fitting replacement components. A fresh bolt through a damaged connection point may not address the reason the original assembly moved.
Don't Solve Every Problem With a Bigger Plate
Bigger hardware can feel reassuring without actually solving the connection problem.
A longer or wider connector changes the joint geometry, hole positions & fastening arrangement. Where the connection is specified, repair-sensitive or load-sensitive, confirm what's required rather than simply stepping up to the largest plate available.
Build the Hardware List From One Connection
Plate first & bolts later is an easy way to create two purchase orders.
Once the required connector is identified, check the bolt diameter, bolt length, nuts, washers & installation access at the same time.
For a practical look at why every fastening component matters, read Why Good Fasteners Matter More Than the Tool You Drive Them With.
Put the Installation Tools on the Same Checklist
Correct hardware doesn't help much if the crew reaches the joint without what they need to fit it.
Check the spanner or socket requirements, marking tools & general installation equipment while the connector specification is being prepared. For everyday fitting & assembly requirements, Hand Tools provides a practical next step.
Photograph Product Identification While It's Readable
Site conditions have a habit of removing labels.
Capture the manufacturer product code, dimensions & packaging information before connectors are separated into workshop or site storage. That small habit can make the next replacement order considerably faster.
Check the Finish of the Mating Hardware
A hot dip galvanised plate shouldn't make the rest of the fastening assembly an afterthought.
Look at the complete connection, environmental exposure & project requirements when choosing bolts, nuts & washers. This becomes especially important where existing hardware is being partially replaced rather than renewed as a complete set.
Keep 300 mm & 450 mm Plates Visibly Separated
From the end of a storage rack, similar flat connectors can be surprisingly easy to confuse.
Label storage by bolt configuration, length & width, then retain manufacturer product identification where practical. Crews can pick the required fitting without laying several plates over the joint to find a match.
Preparing common hardware before demand increases can save considerable workshop time. Spring Jobsite Prep Getting Your Gear Ready covers practical checks across tools, equipment & consumables.
Know When the Timber Is the Real Problem
Sometimes the steel fitting is the easiest part of the repair.
Rot, splitting, damaged bolt holes or compromised timber can change what the connection requires. Replacing the visible plate & fasteners doesn't automatically restore a damaged timber assembly.
Where the repair affects a designed or load-sensitive connection, confirm the appropriate repair detail before proceeding.
Leave Installation Force Out of the Identification Process
If the bolt doesn't pass through the plate cleanly, stop.
Recheck the bolt diameter, connector specification, hole condition & alignment rather than enlarging a manufactured hole or forcing incompatible hardware through it.
For wider guidance on identifying bolts & related fastening components, see Fastener Guide Bolts Screws Anchors.
