Drilling and mounting to Concrete ?

[Jbear]

Hey All,
I went to mount a circular saw holder to a concrete wall in our garage/basement. I needed to sink some 3/16" screws. Today I got some Tapcons, my 18v hammer drill (it's a Rigid) and a 5/32" masonry bit. I needed to go 2 1/4" deep but couldn't get much deeper than about 1 3/4". Tried to screw on of the Tapcons in and it just broke off before getting more than 1/2" or so.
I have zero experience with concrete...what am I doing wrong?
Thanks all!

 

[gizardlizard]

Tapcons minimum embedment is 1”. The maximum is 1 3/4”. Why do you need to drill so deep for hanging saw blades? If I ever need to drill deeper than 1” due to available screw lengths, I will only use the 1/4” size tapcons. Otherwise, the 3/16” screws will just snap off like you discovered.

 

[Jbear]

I guess I was using the equivalent to the screws provided.
It's a saw holder (cap. 45lbs) ...not blades.

 

[PCustoms]

Tapcons minimum embedment is 1”. The maximum is 1 3/4”.

If this is true I just learned something today

@Jbear how clean was the hole, and what did you use to drive the screws?

 

[Jbear]

Seemed a clean hole, and I just popped an impact socket on the drill. I didn't think I was drilling too fast but maybe I was.

 

[TheFixer]

Hey All,
I went to mount a circular saw holder to a concrete wall in our garage/basement. I needed to sink some 3/16" screws. Today I got some Tapcons, my 18v hammer drill (it's a Rigid) and a 5/32" masonry bit. I needed to go 2 1/4" deep but couldn't get much deeper than about 1 3/4". Tried to screw on of the Tapcons in and it just broke off before getting more than 1/2" or so.
I have zero experience with concrete...what am I doing wrong?
Thanks all!

When you say you couldn't go deeper than 1 3/4, do you mean the drill stopped progressing? I'm wondering if you hit rebar or wire?

 

[Jbear]

Yes...two separate holes about a foot apart...both dead ended for the drill.

 

[willf650]

I personally hate tapcons and will use them the least out of anything. In my experience they either strip out or snap off as much as they hold. Tap them twice and you will be able to pull them out of the wall.

For a small diameter hole there is an anchor called a zamac or drive pin that will mount with a 1/4” hole 1” deep. They hold quite well for only being a 1/4” diameter.

 

[paulsomlo]

I use plastic anchors in brick, they hold surprisingly well.

 

[Junkman]

I have some anchors with 1/4" threads that I drive into concrete with my Remington stud gun, then bolt whatever I want to the 1/4" stud.

 

[Dig Doug]

I use this type of anchor all the time for misc items

If you need it removed, chisel off the end and tap it in then patch over or use a prybar to pull out

 

[knobby]

With tapcons you want at least 1/4" deeper hole than the depth that you will be threading in the screw.
It also helps to blow the dust out of the hole first.
Put in enough of them that i have a sds hilti dedicated for installing them with the appropriate bits. The sds bits make it fairly seamless.

 

[LopezBart]

I've had good luck w/ Red Head anchors... perhaps a bit large, but 1/4" would work here:

https://www.itwredhead.com/Portals/0/Documents/2019%20Catalog/Mechanical%20Anchoring%20Systems/Trubolt%20Wedge%20Anchors.pdf

 

[nadogail]

my "Go To" Anchor was Hilti Kwick Bolts, when drilling them into slabs i always drilled extra deep .
if and when I had to relocate a piece of equipment i was able to drive the remaining bolt down into the hole .

 

[BillK]

Yes...two separate holes about a foot apart...both dead ended for the drill.

Still dont understand. Is this as deep as the drill will go because of the length of the bit or is it hitting something in the concrete that is stopping it ?

And you definitely have to blow out the hole. I use one of the computer dusting cans.

 

[OccupantRJ]

My best success with Tapcons was to drag the threads across a bar of soap or wax, then run in with an impact driver in short bursts.

 

[bluedog225]

Not a fan of tapcons either. Though the 1/4 and larger are on if short.

If you size the hole to the fastener, you can drill one the same diameter as the screw (tapcon or other) and tap in a piece of wood or insert copper wire. Then screw in. Hold pretty good. And remove able. May take some trial and error.

 

[PCustoms]

Seems like when HD used to carry Spax hardware there was at least one style that was rated for concrete. Used several of those around the basement, then when GRK became the dominant choice at stores switch back to tapcon.

A real hammer drill makes a huge difference

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I personally hate tapcons and will use them the least out of anything. In my experience they either strip out or snap off as much as they hold. Tap them twice and you will be able to pull them out of the wall.

For a small diameter hole there is an anchor called a zamac or drive pin that will mount with a 1/4” hole 1” deep. They hold quite well for only being a 1/4” diameter.

Agreed, Tapcons are junk in my opinion. We only use Hilti screws at work. You wouldn't think there'd be that much difference, but there is. Never snapped a Hilti.

 

[paulsomlo]

Agreed, Tapcons are junk in my opinion. We only use Hilti screws at work. You wouldn't think there'd be that much difference, but there is. Never snapped a Hilti.

I agree - I've had few experiences with Tapcons, and they haven't been very positive.

 

[willf650]

I use this type of anchor all the time for misc items

If you need it removed, chisel off the end and tap it in then patch over or use a prybar to pull out

Those are zamac but I’m sure every company makes them under tons of names. Good anchors and cheap.

There are bunches of 1/4-20 size anchors that work well but they are $0.50- $1 or so a piece even when bought in box quantities of 50-100.

You can use this as an excuse to buy a new tool too. Malco makes a heavy duty trim nail tool that is awesome for setting the zamac anchors and is available easily at Home Depot.

 

[no704]

Plastic or lead anchors! Tapcons ****!

 

[Jbear]

Well...I learned a lot...thank you! First, the drill...user error. I had it on the wrong torque/ speed setting. Switched that and it went right in.
Tapcons...love 'em or hate 'em...for this job they worked. I just used a shorter size. All mounted and holding the saw nicely.
Thanks again everyone!

 

[lolaetype]

On occasion I've drilled a 1/2" hole, mixed up a little bit of JB Weld and smeared it on a 1/2" wooden dowel and cut if flush with the face of the concrete. Let it cure and you are essentially screwing into wood.

 

[PCustoms]

On occasion I've drilled a 1/2" hole, mixed up a little bit of JB Weld and smeared it on a 1/2" wooden dowel and cut if flush with the face of the concrete. Let it cure and you are essentially screwing into wood.

That seems like a ton of extra work for poor retention in end grain wood...

If anything just drill for a plastic sleeve anchor and use that

 

[jhelrey]

If you use Tapcons, don't use an impacting driver. Use a regular drill.

 

[Jbear]

Yeah...learned that straight off.

 

[MovingAlong]

Yes...two separate holes about a foot apart...both dead ended for the drill.

Guessing the two holes were level? In a poured wall, that could definitely be the same piece of horizontal rebar.. Next time try moving up an inch and over an inch, should clear the obstacle whether it was horizontal or vertical.

Tapcon's just are what they are, takes a minute to get a feel for them. Very easy to oversize the screw for the application too. Not sure of your bracket, but suspect a couple of the 1/4" x 1 3/4" (or 1 1/4") screws would have been plenty.



And yeah, every option mentioned so far would have worked just fine too.

 

[MovingAlong]

Tap them twice and you will be able to pull them out of the wall.

Yep, they are a one shot deal.

 

[lolaetype]

That seems like a ton of extra work for poor retention in end grain wood...

It worked perfectly well for what I was doing; wall brackets for hanging lawn tools.

 

[dave*99]

It worked perfectly well for what I was doing; wall brackets for hanging lawn tools.

I suspect since the wood and epoxy are captured in the hole in the concrete, it ought to hold pretty well. The wood can get crushed, but not expand or split out. A stripped out Tapcon can sometimes be remedied by inserting the tail of a cable tie. It depends on what you are trying to hold and if the fastener is in compression or tension etc.
YMMV.

 

[joe_pinehill1]

I use wedge anchor bolts, they have stood the test of time.