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Drill the Hole
The hole in the masonry should be drilled by use of a hammer drill that is set in the hammer and rotation mode. This will ensure that the hole drilled will have accurate dimensions. Using a straight rotation drill may create a hole that is not shaped properly and may negatively affect the holding strength of the screw once installed.
Hole Preparation
Once the hole is drilled, it must be cleaned of all dust and debris. Using a wire brush, vacuum or compressed air will ensure that the hole is clean before installing the masonry screw.
Type of Masonry Bit
The bit that is used in the hammer drill for the masonry screw has a carbide tip. The carbide tipped bit must meet ANSI standards B212.15-1994 to ensure the correct tolerance between hole size and masonry screw size requirements.
Diameter of Bit
The 3/16” diameter masonry screw requires the use of 5/32” carbide tipped bit for drilling the hole. The 1/4” diameter requires the use of a 3/16” carbide tipped bit.
Length of Bit
The length of the bit used should allow the hole to be drilled a minimum of 1/2” deeper than the masonry screw will penetrate the base material. The chart below shows the length of the drill bit to use with each length of masonry screw:
| Screw Length | Bit Length |
|---|
| 1-1/4” | 3-1/2” |
| 1-3/4” | 3-1/2” |
| 2-1/4” | 4-1/2” |
| 2-3/4” | 4-1/2” |
| 3-1/4” | 5-1/2” |
| 3-3/4” | 5-1/2” |
| 4” | 5-1/2” |
| 5” | 6-1/2” |
| 6” | 7-1/2” |
Depth of Embedment
The masonry screw must be installed a minimum distance into the masonry to obtain minimum holding values. The masonry screw must be embedded a minimum of 1” and a maximum of 1-3/4” into the masonry base material. Less than 1” embedment will decrease the holding values and may provide no holding values at all. Attempting to embed a masonry screw deeper than 1-3/4” may cause installation problems, such as having the screw shear off or become stuck in the hole.
Base Material
All base materials are different, and the masonry screws installed in concrete may act differently than those installed in brick or cinder block. The lead thread of the masonry screw cuts threads into the masonry. This lead thread can wear down, making it difficult or impossible for the screw to reach minimum embedment depths or depths leading up to the maximum embedment depth of 1-3/4”.
Length of Screw
The length of masonry screw must be equal to the thickness of the material being fastened plus a minimum of 1” with a maximum embedment of 1-3/4”.
Head Style
Two head styles are available: the hex and flat countersunk. The hex head masonry screws lengths are measured from underneath the head and are used in applications where the head of the screw is above the surface of the material being fastened. The flat countersunk is measured as an overall length which includes the headand is used where the head is countersunk in the material being fastened. The hex headed masonry screw requires a 1/4” driver for the 3/16” diameter screw and a 5/16” driver for the 1/4”. The flat countersunk requires a #2 Phillips driver for the 3/16” diameter and a #3 Phillips driver for the 1/4” diameter.
Now that you've read on how to install masonry screws, perhaps you'd like to purchase them? Click here for masonry screws from CONFAST®. Or click here to buy Tapcon® brand masonry screws.
Purchase Tapcons
May 20th 2013 Bob Carlisle
FAQs
The masonry screw must be installed a minimum distance into the masonry to obtain minimum holding values. The masonry screw must be embedded a minimum of 1” and a maximum of 1-3/4” into the masonry base material. Less than 1” embedment will decrease the holding values and may provide no holding values at all.
How much weight can masonry screws hold? ›
Masonry and Concrete anchors vary in strength and how much weight they can support. They usually fall under light-duty (for up to 50 pounds), medium-duty (for up to 200 pounds), and heavy-duty (for structural applications and weights over 200 pounds).
What size hole do you drill for masonry screws? ›
Concrete screws are a very simple fastener to install into masonry. Simply drill a pilot hole the same size as the body diameter, for example with a 6mm concrete screws you would drill a 6mm hole into the masonry substrate, then simply drive them directly into the masonry or brickwork substrate.
Do you need to pre drill for masonry screws? ›
Before a Tapcon masonry screw can be installed, a hole must be drilled into the masonry. Use a hammer drill to ensure that the hole has the proper tolerance. The switch on the hammer drill must be in the hammer and rotation mode before starting to drill.
Do you have to drill a hole for masonry screws? ›
Drill pilot holes into the concrete or masonry at the marked points. The pilot holes should be slightly smaller in diameter than the concrete screws you plan to use. Be sure to drill to the recommended depth, which is usually slightly deeper than the length of the screw.
What is the best drill for masonry screws? ›
Experts recommend using a hammer drill with masonry drill bits or concrete diamond point screws for drilling into concrete. Hammer drills are designed to hammer while rotating to effectively drill into concrete.
Are masonry screws any good? ›
Meanwhile, a masonry screw also needs a pre-drilled hole, but it's much stronger than a plug and screw. So much so, that it can be used for harder materials, such as concrete. A masonry screw can also be used for securing wooden fixtures, attaching wood to concrete and staircase installation.
How deep should screw penetrate? ›
The general rule is that two thirds of the length of the screw should penetrate into the lower piece. For example, if the upper piece is 3⁄4" thick, I use a screw that penetrates twice this thickness (11⁄2") into the lower piece. The total length of the screw should be in the range of 21⁄4".
How long should masonry screws be? ›
Length of Tapcon® Concrete Screw
The screws require a minimum of 1” embedment and a maximum embedment into the base material of 1-3/4”. To determine the minimum length of concrete screw required for any job, add the thickness of the material being fastened plus 1”.
Do masonry screws need anchors? ›
When you find it difficult to insert fasteners directly into a concrete wall or other hard surface, you may need to insert anchors before securing the screws.
A regular drill can still drill holes in bricks without the hammer motion. However, it is slower and requires the use of masonry drill bits. Masonry bits feature an arrow-like form and larger tips than the remainder of the bit and are designed to cut through solid materials like bricks.
How far apart should concrete screws be? ›
Rule: Concrete fasteners should not be set closer than 10-anchor diameters from each other.
Can masonry screws go straight into brick? ›
The heavy-duty masonry screw has the versatility for use in brick, mortar joints, CMU, block or solid concrete. Install the masonry screw in brick by selecting a carbide bit with the correct diameter for that screw. Drill a pilot hole with a hammer drill with the carbide bit.
Can you screw straight into masonry? ›
The screws come with a deep thread that cuts through concrete or masonry, enabling them to be inserted directly, meaning there's no need for plugs. Installation requires two simple steps: Pre-drill a 6mm or 6.5mm hole. Directly insert screw.
Do you need wall plugs with masonry screws? ›
In addition, a masonry screw won't need a plug either as it will self-tap its way into the material. It's worth noting that you wouldn't use either for things like fine joinery, wood-to-wood joinery or hardwood applications.
