Are you trying to decide which Hovr Bracket you need for your project? Worry not, you've come to the right place for information about the key differences between the two. Some of them are more obvious than others, so bear with us on the more straightforward points - there's plenty of great info beyond just the basics. With that said, here are the 9 key differences between the Aluminum and Steel Hovr Brackets.
- The Material - Starting with the most obvious one. The Aluminum Hovr is made of 6063 T6 aluminum. The Steel bracket on the other hand is made out of 10-guage steel.
- The Production Method - The Aluminum Hovr is extruded (machine made with no variances), whereas the Steel Hovr is man / machine bent custom to order, resulting in slight variances in size.
- The Bracket Shape - The Aluminum version of our bracket has an inner ledge - this limits the size of the screws you can use on this option. The Steel version on the other hand, has no inner ledge, meaning you can use much larger options, including bolts, lag bolts, washers, etc.
- The Bracket Combining Method - When attaching (marrying) the male and female Aluminum brackets, ability to maneuver the bracket into place at and angle and then lever 10 or so degrees down to snap into place is required. Due to the different construction of the Steel variant, one can simply slide the brackets horizontally into position without the need to deal with vertical force or angles.
- The Size - The Aluminum Bracket is 1 ½" tall, whereas the Steel Hovr comes in a range of sizes (custom to order) from 2 ½" to 7" tall (increasing in half inch increments) as needed for your project.
- The Weight of the Bracket - This is another one that probably won't shock you. The steel bracket is significantly larger and heavier than our standard Aluminum Hovr. People often use these for custom projects, fireplace mantels or other heavy duty installs, and that means they hold a lot more weight and are heavier and sturdier than the base Aluminum model.
- The Alternate Installation Options - If you're familiar with our Aluminum option or have needed to install some very thin shelves with it, you may already know about the Exposed Bracket alternate installation option - if not, you can read more about it Here. While you can do this with the Aluminum Hovr due to its shape and design, the Steel Hovr trades this flexibility for more strength. This means there is no option for an exposed bracket for our Steel Bracket variant.
- The Weight Capacity - Obviously we've touched on this a bit already, but this is the big reason people choose the Steel Hovr. While the Aluminum Hovr installed into at least 2 wood studs with 4 pan head wood screws on a 24' long shelf can carry an industry leading 300lbs, our Steel Bracket in a concrete wall with Hilti Bolts can take as much as 3000lbs of weight.
- The Cost - While the Aluminum option will run you around $79 for a 4-foot length, the Steel option is custom made as previously mentioned, resulting in a higher cost. A 48 inch long, 2 ½" deep Steel Bracket typically costs a minimum of $200 or so.
So there you have it. All the key differences between the two options you need to make the right choice for your project. While the Aluminum Hovr is an incredible piece of hardware, capable of handling a huge variety of installation scenarios, the Steel Hovr provides a second option for those particularly heavy duty projects. If you have any other questions about the bracket options, or want to discuss Steel Bracket options further, don't hesitate to give us a call or reach out via email and we can help you plan your next project.
*Have more questions about the steel bracket? Head over to our Steel Bracket FAQ.