drilling in new concrete
 

Hi,

I just used a portland-based fortified concrete as a morter to pack
around and support a new outdoor sillcock watervalve. It's pretty
strong on its own but I would like to use tapcon concrete screws in the
flange holes for added strength.

Is it OK to drill day old concrete to make the drilling operation
easier, then wait for it to fully set to install screws ---- or to
just wait until fully cured and drill conventionally?

Thanks for your time!

Comboverfish wrote:
Is it OK to drill day old concrete to make the drilling operation
easier, then wait for it to fully set to install screws ---- or to
just wait until fully cured and drill conventionally?

I'd wait. A good 5/32 or 3/16 (depending on Tapcon size) will go
through even cured concrete like butter. Well, almost.

Thanks for the quick reply. Seems like good advice.

Comboverfish wrote:
Hi,

I just used a portland-based fortified concrete as a morter to pack
around and support a new outdoor sillcock watervalve. It's pretty
strong on its own but I would like to use tapcon concrete screws in the
flange holes for added strength.

Is it OK to drill day old concrete to make the drilling operation
easier, then wait for it to fully set to install screws ---- or to
just wait until fully cured and drill conventionally?

It'd probably be OK, but I'd wait. Since the concrete is so new, you're
likely to crack it in a big way, or chew a much larger hole than you
intended.

The real thing is that you should have a hammer drill, so that you don't
think that drilling in concrete is a tough job that you're tempted to find
workarounds.



John
--
Remove the dead poet to e-mail, tho CC'd posts are unwelcome.
Mean People Suck - It takes two devitations to get cool.
Ask me about joining the NRA.

"It'd probably be OK, but I'd wait. Since the concrete is so new,
you're
likely to crack it in a big way, or chew a much larger hole than you
intended."

I'n no expert, but this is exactly what I was thinking.

wrote:

It'd probably be OK, but I'd wait. Since the concrete is so new,
you're
likely to crack it in a big way, or chew a much larger hole than you
intended.

The real thing is that you should have a hammer drill, so that you
don't
think that drilling in concrete is a tough job that you're tempted to
find
workarounds.


John


Thanks John and Scott Z for the replies. I have a crappy hammer drill
from Harbor Freight that will do small diameter drilling OK. It's no
big deal to wait but I was interested in the theory of drilling new
concrete.