MiTek

MiTek framing connectors and fasteners are for builders joining joists, beams, posts, and the rest of a structural frame. The range covers connections from foundation to ridge, so you can choose hardware around the joint, the load, and the lumber carrying it.

MiTek is a construction-products, software, services, and automation company headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri. It was founded in 1955 and has been a Berkshire Hathaway company since 2001. It serves residential and commercial construction with engineered products and tools for design and production.

Choose around the connection

Start with the connection on your plans. The supporting member needs enough room to receive the specified fasteners, and the wood itself has to carry the load. A connector’s capacity can exceed the capacity of the connected wood. Have the connection checked with both member sizes shown.

MiTek framing stabilizers are also part of the hardware range. MiTek truss connector plates serve truss assembly, where plate selection belongs with the truss design.

Comparing MiTek with Simpson

A specific replacement needs to meet the connection’s design requirements. MiTek’s software can model the structural frame before construction and compare connector reference products by allowable load, code evaluation, and fastener schedule, with lookup by either a MiTek or industry reference part number. That’s a useful comparison. Have the project’s designer approve the substitution with the required fasteners and supporting-member dimensions included.

Fasteners belong in the material takeoff

The fastening schedule is part of the connection. Match the specified fastener type, dimensions, and quantity before installation. Shorter gun nails can reduce allowable loads, so check the actual nail dimensions before loading the nailer.

Field alterations can reduce published allowable loads too. Choose the connector around the framing geometry, and resolve any required angle in the connection detail before installation.

For exterior work, make exposure and lumber treatment part of the connector and fastener selection. Specify the finish alongside the hardware.

Hardware options

The connection determines which configuration fits. For a post base, that includes whether the concrete is being placed or is already there; for a hanger, it includes the member’s angle and the available mounting surface.

Hardware detail	MiTek options
Hanger configurations	Face-mount, top-mount, sloped/skewed, and variable-pitch
Column-base applications	Cast-in-place and existing concrete
Exterior corrosion-resistant finishes	Hot-dip galvanized, stainless steel, and Gold Coat

Frequently Asked Questions

Are MiTek and Simpson Strong-Tie connectors interchangeable?

MiTek connectors need to be compared with the specific Simpson connector required for your connection. Matching the shape isn’t enough: allowable load, fastener schedule, and supporting-member dimensions all matter. A reference part number helps you compare hardware, but it doesn’t approve a substitution.

What kinds of hangers does MiTek offer?

MiTek offers top-mount, face-mount, sloped/skewed, and variable-pitch hangers, along with hangers for glulam and timber beams. Your framing angle and mounting surface help narrow the choice. The hanger still needs the right load rating and fastening schedule for that connection.

What are MiTek truss connector plates used for?

MiTek truss connector plates join the wood members that make up a truss. Plate selection belongs with the truss design, because covering the joint with steel doesn’t establish how much load it can carry. You can’t judge the right plate by appearance alone.

What makes MiTek framing screws different from ordinary screws?

MiTek offers structurally rated fasteners for wood framing, including a truss and stud screw with reverse thread angles at opposite ends for greater withdrawal resistance. That means resistance to pulling out of the wood. You still need the fastener specified for your connection; being a structural screw doesn’t make it interchangeable with every other one.