Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Yes, there are "concrete" nails. They are specially hardened. I've
found them a real PITA to drive in. A better bet is the gadget (pretty
cheap) that uses a blank .22 shell to drive a special nail. You then
use this to attach "furring strips," and then attach stuff to that,
such as paneling, etc.

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Doug wrote:
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?



If you don't have dozens to put in, I'd suggest you take a look at
"Tap-Con" screws, they're sold all over, and can be safer for a novice
than the powder driven fasteners, also easier to remove if you ever need to.

All you need is an electric drill and the proper size masonry drill bit
to suit the size you are installing. Just drill holes in the concrete
and screw them in.

Goggle is your friend, just enter "Tap-Con" to learn all about them.

HTH,

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?


Yes, there are concrete nails. But, they are a bugger to drive in, and a
bugger to get out. And you have a very good chance of the concrete coming
off, and all you end up with is a hole.

Check out TapCons. For what you want to hang, you don't have to use very
long ones. Easy, tough, removable, and you won't end up with a bunch of
nails sticking out here and there, or holes from trying to pull those nails
out.

Steve

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
If you don't have dozens to put in, I'd suggest you take a look at
"Tap-Con" screws, they're sold all over, and can be safer for a novice
than the powder driven fasteners, also easier to remove if you ever need to.

Safer, and more successful. Powder-driven nails into concrete walls
don't work as well as into the floor. In my experience, the wall just
breaks off.

There are also lead anchors that you pound into a drilled hole and
screw into, and there are combo lead anchor + steel pin units that you
just pound in.
http://www.ramset-redhead.com/RH/hammer_prod01.asp

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

wrote

Unless you have a lot of patience you really need a hammer drill. Then
TapCons are the hot lick for fastening anything to concrete. I also
suggest hearing protection with the hammer drill (or the Bam Gun
fasteners). If you have the right tools concrete is just another wall
surface, tougher than most.

You got that entirely right. It is just that you want to be able to put
something up, and then TAKE IT DOWN if you want to do it without leaving a
cone shaped hole, or some Mondo fastener showing on the wall. Take out a
TapCon, daub a bit of spackle, and it's almost invisible.

Steve

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:27:57 -0400, Jeff Wisnia
wrotF:

Doug wrote:
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?



If you don't have dozens to put in, I'd suggest you take a look at
"Tap-Con" screws, they're sold all over, and can be safer for a novice
than the powder driven fasteners, also easier to remove if you ever need to.

All you need is an electric drill and the proper size masonry drill bit
to suit the size you are installing. Just drill holes in the concrete
and screw them in.

Goggle is your friend, just enter "Tap-Con" to learn all about them.

HTH,

Jeff


One of the problems with tapcon screws however, is that if the drill
bit encounters a stone aggregate piece, it will not drill through it.
and you're SOOL. Bits will only chew through the matrix between.

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Steve B said something like:
wrote

Unless you have a lot of patience you really need a hammer drill. Then
TapCons are the hot lick for fastening anything to concrete. I also
suggest hearing protection with the hammer drill (or the Bam Gun
fasteners). If you have the right tools concrete is just another wall
surface, tougher than most.

You got that entirely right. It is just that you want to be able to put
something up, and then TAKE IT DOWN if you want to do it without leaving a
cone shaped hole, or some Mondo fastener showing on the wall. Take out a
TapCon, daub a bit of spackle, and it's almost invisible.

It's worth mentioning that these masonry screws you are referring to
actually tap out (as in carve) the threads needed as they are turned. As
mentioned though, you must first drill a hole.

*In my experience* you should *not* use the ones which look like merely blue
Philips head screws. Use the ones which have a hex cap on them and use a
socket wrench: the Philips heads are just too hard to keep a Philips bit or
driver in---the concrete provides too much resistance. Again, IME.

*ALSO*, be aware that if you hit a rock in your concrete your mileage will
vary a *lot*. The initial drilling might be nightmarish, but will almost
always work, and the screwing will have more resistance.

--
Onedoctortoanother:"Ifthisismyrectalthermometer,wh erethehell'smypen???"

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:iEyyg.1197$sy2.957@trndny01...
Steve B said something like:
wrote

[snip]

It's worth mentioning that these masonry screws you are referring to
actually tap out (as in carve) the threads needed as they are turned. As
mentioned though, you must first drill a hole.

*In my experience* you should *not* use the ones which look like merely
blue Philips head screws. Use the ones which have a hex cap on them and
use a socket wrench: the Philips heads are just too hard to keep a Philips
bit or driver in---the concrete provides too much resistance. Again, IME.

[snip]

It's easier if you use the proper drill size, then rub the screw threads
with a little paraffin or soap before installation -- either style Tapcon
should go in easily. Regards --

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Don't use nails. For places where a Tapcon would be overkill, there are
picture hangers designed for concrete walls that can be put in with a
hammer. They look like a plastic button, with a hook from which to hang the
picture, and with several very small (and sharp) brads sticking out of the
plastic. You drive these small pins into the cement wall -- the trick is to
drive each of the pins into the wall without bending or breaking one of the
others. Removing them later is a PITA and may leave a small (but reparable)
pit in the wall -- these are widely used overseas where most buildings are
of concrete construction, but I believe the picture hangers are available in
the US at big box home stores.

There are also picture hangers that use glue to adhere to the wall. They
look like a folded bandage with a hook in the middle. I've used them many
years ago, but don't trust them to hold anything heavy -- or valuable.

Regards --

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

46erjoe said something like:
On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:27:57 -0400, Jeff Wisnia
wrotF:

Doug wrote:
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?



If you don't have dozens to put in, I'd suggest you take a look at
"Tap-Con" screws, they're sold all over, and can be safer for a novice
than the powder driven fasteners, also easier to remove if you ever need
to.

All you need is an electric drill and the proper size masonry drill bit
to suit the size you are installing. Just drill holes in the concrete
and screw them in.

Goggle is your friend, just enter "Tap-Con" to learn all about them.

HTH,

Jeff


One of the problems with tapcon screws however, is that if the drill
bit encounters a stone aggregate piece, it will not drill through it.
and you're SOOL. Bits will only chew through the matrix between.

Bah. A *lot* of perseverance and your masonry bit will eventually chisel
the way through. It might be worn to a nub, but I've been able to do it,
several times.


--
If I can ever figure out how, I hope that someday I'll
succeed in my lifetime goal of creating a signature
that ends with the word "blarphoogy".

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

JimR said something like:
Don't use nails. For places where a Tapcon would be overkill, there are
picture hangers designed for concrete walls that can be put in with a
hammer. They look like a plastic button, with a hook from which to hang
the
picture, and with several very small (and sharp) brads sticking out of the
plastic. You drive these small pins into the cement wall


Pins, nails, whatever. Am I the only one who believes that nothing driven
in like a nail will work with concrete without creating a hole of shattered
cement?


....[rip]...


--
If I can ever figure out how, I hope that someday I'll
succeed in my lifetime goal of creating a signature
that ends with the word "blarphoogy".

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I would like to hang some things up in my basement, but the walls are
of course all made of concrete. Is there a special type of nail to
hang on concrete walls or is there something other than nails that can
be used?

Nobody else said it, so I will- unless you are looking for 'pretty', like in
a painted-wall rec room, the most painless solution is vertical flat 2x4s
nailed or lagged off to the sill plate, ,maybe held into place against the
wall with a stripe of construction adhesive. If the basement has ever been
wet, hold it off the floor an inch or two, with maybe a brick or porch-post
spacer under it.. If any significant weight will be involved, a metal plate
screwed into top of the 2x4, hanging over the top of the sill plate, helps.
Something from the joist-hanger or fence parts aisle will probably work. I
have held utility shelves up this way for years, and they go up in minutes
with no mess, versus renting or buying a hammer drill, and leaving pits in
the wall. If you have a table saw or router, and want adjustable shelves,
you can even cut a groove in the 2x4 to accept shelf standards and brackets.

aem sends...

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

One of the problems with tapcon screws however, is that if the drill
bit encounters a stone aggregate piece, it will not drill through it.
and you're SOOL. Bits will only chew through the matrix between.

Maybe with a regular drill but a hammer drill with an appropriate bit will
go through through the stones. You just need the right tools and techniques.

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Doug said something like:
Wow, thanks everyone for the input. Although with all the concerns
that were raised, I'm not so sure I want to try and put anything into
the concrete! :)

Sorry if you got that impression. The masonry screws (tapcon) are *very*
easy. It's how I'll hang *neraly anything* on concrete---really.

I really would warn against anything impact based though. I still don't
believe that concrete is amenable to that hooey. :) Perhaps it's a
conspiratorial plot foisted on us by the spackle companies...

--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"

Putting Nails Into Concrete Walls
 

Robert Haar said something like:
One of the problems with tapcon screws however, is that if the drill
bit encounters a stone aggregate piece, it will not drill through it.
and you're SOOL. Bits will only chew through the matrix between.

Maybe with a regular drill but a hammer drill with an appropriate bit will
go through through the stones. You just need the right tools and
techniques.

Of course, I believe that quartz changes the situation a little.

From: http://www.skidmore.edu/~jthomas/fai...es/rockid.html

Quartz: hardness of 7, usually clear, may be a little grayish, glassy looks
like grains of glass.

Potassium Feldspar: hardness of 5 1/2 - 6 1/2, pink to light gray, two good
cleavages at right angles, opaque, rectangular minerals with good cleavage.

Plagioclase: hardness of 5 1/2 - 6 1/2, gray, two good cleavages at right
angles, striations on one cleavage, opaque, rectangular minerals with good
cleavage and striations.

Clay: aphanitic, soft, usually gray, but can be red or green, looks muddy.

Calcite: hardness of 3, fizzes in acid.

Dolomite: hardness of 3, fizzes in acid when it is powdered. To powder the
mineral, scratch it with a knife, steel nail, or other metal object.

Halite: hardness of 2, tastes salty.

Gypsum: hardness of 2, does not taste salty.



--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"