Semi-OT- What to do when a Tap-con strips?

Cole2534 · Mar 9, 2020

Was hanging a small shelf in some brick using tapcon concrete anchors (the little blue ones) and of all the 9 holes, one happened to fall on a mortar joint. Naturally, it pulled the mortar out as soon as I put any torque on it.

I really want to use the tapcon screw I already have, the aesthetics need to match.

What options do I have here?

Thanks, Cole

MichaelP · Mar 9, 2020

Hmmm. I used Tapcon screws in mortar joints many times without any problems. Different type of mortar, maybe?

APD · Mar 9, 2020

Cole2534 said:
Was hanging a small shelf in some brick using tapcon concrete anchors (the little blue ones) and of all the 9 holes, one happened to fall on a mortar joint. Naturally, it pulled the mortar out as soon as I put any torque on it.

I really want to use the tapcon screw I already have, the aesthetics need to match.

What options do I have here?

Thanks, Cole

Drill the hole out larger and put in a soft lead alloy anchor that the Tapcon will bite into OR fill the hole with concrete anchoring epoxy.

CarlBoyd · Mar 9, 2020

Drill a big hole in the mortor, fill with better mortar, let set, re-drill, install tapcon.

CarlBoyd

Cole2534 · Mar 9, 2020

APD said:
Drill the hole out larger and put in a soft lead alloy anchor that the Tapcon will bite into OR fill the hole with concrete anchoring epoxy.

Leaning toward the latter of these 2.

Here's the shelf-

cyanidekid · Mar 9, 2020

nice shelf! ok, if a tapcon strips out, back it out, jam a chopstick in there, drive in a new one. done.

EPAIII · Mar 9, 2020

"What to do when a Tap-con strips?"

Stuff a fiver in her G-string and hope your wife doesn't catch you there. A ten spot in some localities.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

"Clumsy bastard" is another good response here.

I simply can't help myself. It's just so easy.

Gordon Heaton · Mar 9, 2020

I've had that happen in mortar. I've always used epoxy, but that screw (with epoxy) will likely be 'ornamental' only. Doesn't look like that would matter at all in your case.

Murf · Mar 9, 2020

Back when I did concrete for a living we had to attach wood forms to CMU block or concrete walls. A trick an old timer taught me was to get the form in position, drill through form and into wall, then insert a piece of weed eater string and drive home your 16D duplex nail. Suckers held every time.

Never tried it with a screw, but would sure give it a shot!

Murf

Rob F. · Mar 9, 2020

Best would be new mortar, first I would use a small plastic insert if the remaining mortar holds up.
These type:
Plastic - Masonry & Concrete Anchors - Anchors - The Home Depot

I use the 3/8 size to mount handrails to walls with, really strong.

thermite · Mar 9, 2020

Cole2534 said:
Was hanging a small shelf in some brick using tapcon concrete anchors (the little blue ones) and of all the 9 holes, one happened to fall on a mortar joint. Naturally, it pulled the mortar out as soon as I put any torque on it.

I really want to use the tapcon screw I already have, the aesthetics need to match.

What options do I have here?

Thanks, Cole

Demo the brick and start-over with reinforced concrete and brick veneer. Embed ties for shelving attach before you pour the 'crete?

Tapcons SUCK!

RedHeads RULE.

But yah can't reliably attach anything heavier than a bad odour or a nasty stain to common brick.

Nature of the material.

cyanidekid · Mar 10, 2020

FFS, I’m not kidding about the chopstick!

No need to remove the bracket, no need to wait for anything to set up, it just works.

Just try it.

There are generally two types of wood used for chopsticks, the bamboo and the softer wood. for a hole in mortar, I’d use the softer wood.

thermite · Mar 10, 2020

cyanidekid said:
FFS, I’m not kidding about the chopstick!

No need to remove the bracket, no need to wait for anything to set up, it just works.

Just try it.

There are generally two types of wood used for chopsticks, the bamboo and the softer wood. for a hole in mortar, I’d use the softer wood.

*yawn* chopsticks, toothpicks, sliver of most any wood as fits, stranded electrical wire, jacket OFF of electrical wire, weed-wacker nylon or aramid.. yah. LOTS of "stuffing stuff" can work with the ANCHOR.

But common fired clay brick is a right b***h for holding any sort of expansion anchor reliably, regardless.

Been done to death, that situation. EVEN "Right here, on PM", already.

cyanidekid · Mar 10, 2020

thermite said:
*yawn* chopsticks, toothpicks, sliver of most any wood as fits, stranded electrical wire, jacket OFF of electrical wire, weed-wacker nylon or aramid.. yah. LOTS of "stuffing stuff" can work with the ANCHOR.

But common fired clay brick is a right b***h for holding any sort of expansion anchor reliably, regardless.

Been done to death, that situation. EVEN "Right here, on PM", already.

Well, yea. Obviously.

It’s just a piece of wood. No magic in a chopstick, that’s not what I was sayin.just a handy splinter. In fact, I used a piece of solid 12ga copper the last time I needed to get a tapcon to bite, and it was in a hearth so I didn’t want to use wood.

DDoug · Mar 10, 2020

Murf said:
Back when I did concrete for a living we had to attach wood forms to CMU block or concrete walls. A trick an old timer taught me was to get the form in position, drill through form and into wall, then insert a piece of weed eater string and drive home your 16D duplex nail. Suckers held every time.

Never tried it with a screw, but would sure give it a shot!

Murf

Yup, my concrete friends showed me that, but used rebar tying wire.

Cole2534 · Mar 10, 2020

cyanidekid said:
FFS, I’m not kidding about the chopstick!

No need to remove the bracket, no need to wait for anything to set up, it just works.

Just try it.

There are generally two types of wood used for chopsticks, the bamboo and the softer wood. for a hole in mortar, I’d use the softer wood.

I think I will! It will be a bit before I can return to the site, but I'll report back.

rat_stomper · Mar 10, 2020

I've never used a chopstick, but normally the biggest zip-tie that will fit in the hole.

It just forces the tapcon to bite into the other side of the hole.

I've never had one pull out afterwards either.

DDoug · Mar 10, 2020

simply drill "All-the-Way-Thru" the wall, threaded rod, to plate on other side.

Easy Peasy....

dalmatiangirl61 · Mar 10, 2020

If that shelf is anything but decorative, it is going to fail, as thermite said, getting a screw to hold reliably in pressed brick, or mortar, is a fools errand.

Cole2534 · Mar 10, 2020

dalmatiangirl61 said:
If that shelf is anything but decorative, it is going to fail, as thermite said, getting a screw to hold reliably in pressed brick, or mortar, is a fools errand.

It is decorative.

I don't totally understand your comments about it failing, could you elaborate? There's a whole subsection of the fastener industry centered around attaching things to brick/mortar/concrete so a blanket 'this will never work' is met with some suspicion.

Semi-OT- What to do when a Tap-con strips?

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