Do you use stainless steel bolts/hardware?

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ChinChin3

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
11
I can't believe that I can't find stainless steel hanger bolts at any local stores, which makes me wonder if you guys use the off the shelf zinc coated ones (knowing zinc is toxic this makes me paranoid) or if you special order stainless steel hardware online? Also what do you use to hang fleece or toys with? Everything is either plastic or zinc coated that I see in HD & Lowes.

Thanks!
 
I thought what I was using was steel, but I could be wrong since it doesn't say on the packages, it just says "hanger bolts" the zinc plated ones I think says "zinc plated". I don't think that's really an issue since the hanger bolts and wing nuts are not accessible. Zinc is only toxic if eaten, so as long as you replace shelves before they chew down to it (which you should do anyway to avoid broken teeth) I think that should be ok. Doing a quick online search though, both Homedepot and Lowes do have stainless steel hanger bolts listed for sale on their websites.

As for hanging fleece and toys, I use aluminum or nickel clips or stainless steel links for my hammocks and toys and stainless steel hanging rods and hay wire (some people also use steel, nickel, and brass wires) to hang toys. Also I bought nickel plated eye hooks to screw into the wood shelves to hook hanging toys from. I got the long rods off a bird website, Things for Wings which is a Canadian site, but they do ship to the US. You can also use chain for hanging toys, just make sure it's not zinc or zinc plated as you know.
 
Thank you for all the great info! Almost everything at my local HD & Lowes say "zinc coated" though I did find a decent selection of stainless at Lowes (just no hanger bolts and very limited selection of anything I could use for hanging that didn't say zinc coated), I'll check around online too.
 
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