I always use a thick washer that is at least 25-33% bigger than the head of the Tapcon... it just helps spread the hold across the part being secured, especially sheet metal like you show. My solution for stripped holes... always keep a spool of galvanized wire handy. Just fold a few lengths equal to the thread length, put it in the hole and re-run the screw. The screw will bite into it and press against the sides of the hole. Works every time.
Yep, I use Tapcons for a lot of jobs at work, or in some cases zinc anchors. I prefer the rotohammer for much faster work. One thing you may want to consider when mounting fan units are vibration dampeners. The low hum/rumble can be annoying to a lot of people and mounting on spring dampeners is a good approach to minimize the vibration.
I really enjoy your channel. I've used my share of Tapcons during the hurricane plywood wars living in an east central Florida block home. Occasionally I'd spin one and lose the threads. My fix was to stick a few pieces of heavy duty grass trimmer line in the hole. Worked like a charm and held like iron.
Had problems using the smaller size tapcons because of drill wobble etc., so in cases like that i learned to drill a smaller hole first and then go over with proper size bit.
30 years ago a carpenter from Indiana named Jim taught me a great tip and I have used it ever since. Drill a 3/16 hole with a masonry bit of course, insert a piece of tie wire ( 16 gauge annealed wire, home Depot or Lowe's) and then drive a 16d common nail. Easy ,inexpensive and strong. Thank you Jim. Edit, the piece of wire should be 4 or 5 inches in length.
I've used Tapcons and they are the easiest, but I don't use them unless I'm pretty sure I'm never going to need to remove them; I find they don't hold nearly as well on subsequent uses (and, yes, I use a new anchor). So I used them to anchor a gazebo I put in on a concrete deck, but I use wedge anchors to hold down my drill press, since I might need to move that temporarily. I also don't use them when attaching things to sandstone or soft brick, since I've seen Tapcons split that sort of material; something like a Rawl plug works better in softer stone, holds quite well, and you can remove the screw (at least once) and put it back without worrying. If you don't have an air compressor, a can of compressed air works to blow out the holes. As you say, it's essential to clean the hole, no matter what you're using as an anchor.
I have been using Tapcons and other concrete anchors for years. You stated good solid advice. Overtightening is probably the biggest mistake. It breaks the side walls. One solution is after recleaning the hole there are some masonry certified epoxys. On something like this AC. Put some in the hole and reinstall. When that expoxy sets the anchor will not go anywhere for this application. For framing attachment. Move over and drill another hole. Make sure to stay within recommended spacing. When in doubt and possible install 2. On commercial or industrial jobsites. This should be brought to the attention of the site engineer. Regular workers do not understand the loads that the anchor will be expected to withstand over a lifetime. Do not leave that to chance.
I haven't had any issues with the larger tapcon screws but I have had the smaller ones snapping off half way down. Most issues have been in flagstone. Always use the recommended drill size for each.
I've never used the larger ones, only the smaller ones. I absolutely hate them lol. Same deal with wedge anchors mostly. I started to epoxy everything in....
According to tapcon the threads are not intended for more than 1-1/4” embedment in the substrate. The longer screws are not to go deeper, they’re for fastening thicker materials to the concrete. This only applies to the 3/16 and 1/4 screws, the bigger anchor bolts 5/16 and up, can go deeper into the concrete for better pull out.
This is perfect timing. I just came home from Lowes with 3/8 heavy duty tapcons to mount a new mini split on a concrete block wall. Also bought the 8” tapcon sds drill bit.
Hey,dogsense I worked on the Russ building in SF in 98 at 33 stories, and Tapcons were my best friends too. I could see Alcatraz from the roof. From SF Towers too.
I built a 'catio' about 6 years ago and used Tapcon. I anchored the vertical beams to a brick wall and the horizontal 2x4s to the patio floor. They've held up very well.
If it's a well balanced ac unit, you don't need the isolation pads. Not only that, the rubber won't survive the elements very long. Then you're stuck fixing unstable feet
I just removed a shed that was bolted to a concrete pad using tapcon bolts around 20 years ago. I went in expecting issues getting the bolts out. The typical stuff, snapping the heads off, etc. I had no issues and the bolts looked practically new, other than the concrete dust.
I have generally had very good results with Tapcons. I once used the phillips head type, couldn't get enough leverage to drive it in all the way and stripped the head. (Pulled it out with pliers.) Since then I have used the hex head only with no problems. I use a ratchet wrench which, though a little slower, reduces the chance of breakage or other problems.
Yeah, I try to stay away from the phillips head concrete screws for the exact issues. I agree the hex head is my favorite but have seen solid results with the Torx head 👍
The trouble with drilling concrete, is often the drill bit walks on you soon as you start drilling, This can be a real pain if you are lining up more than one hole like what you did here. So what I do is use a punch to start the hold and use a small drill bit that will set in the punch mark and drill a pilot hole. Even a new sharp drill bit will walk on you sometimes. I do like those anchors. Have used a lot of drop in anchors also, trouble with those is you need to drill a much larger hole to accommodate the anchor not the bolt.
I always used my hammer drill for my smaller jobs and often had a lot of problems with harder spots, killing a number of bits (and my arm) as well as going through all my 5 batteries. Then I rented a rotary hammer drill after spending over an hour trying to get through 10" of concrete with my hammer drill and only getting through 2". Rotary hammer went through the last 8" like butter, taking only a minute or two. Had no idea it would be such a night and day difference. Never using a hammer drill again for concrete drilling. I was also surprised at how much quieter the hammer drill was than my drill.
I learned that too. It took me 1.5 hours to drill a 2" hole through brick with a hammer drill. Mainly due to having to let the drill cool down. I rented a Hilti drill to drill a 2.5 inch hole through brick. It took less than a minute. I then drilled a 1 1/4" hole in about 30 seconds.
Hammer drilling is one of the times I still like to use a corded plug-in version when feasible. The tool is better balanced, very powerful, and doesn't need recharging. I use cordless tools plenty, but sometimes the old plug ins are still the best.
@@johnhorner5711 IAfter swearing endlessly at some concrete I had to drill with a corded hammer dril my wife bought me a brushless CORDLESS SDS drill. It is so effective (I'd estimate a minimum of 10 times faster) that I have given away my hammer drill - I only use the SDS drill for masonry. And cordless is far more convenient and safer too.
Totally agree tapcons are the way to go, not cheap but the best. Ive no idea what sort of metal these are made out of and what that coating is but they are both impressive.
Awesome video. Great step-by-step explanation for the weekend warriors. Perfect cadence and content. Subscribed. Although I wish he would not have damaged the paint on that $15,000 heat pump.
If you have trouble with breaking Tapcons or stripping out the holes, use your drill to drive them, not your impact. I think if you read the directions it actually says to drive them with a drill and not an impact. After I started using a drill to drive them I haven't snapped one or stripped one.
@@kalijasin Well, no doubt. But Tapcons are notorious for it. It's to the point where I always thought they were a crappy product. Many of my coworkers always said that Tapcons sucked and couldn't be trusted. They would use Tapcons as a last resort. I'm just saying that once I started using my drill to drive them, my problems with Tapcons were solved. To the extent that I actually like them and trust them now.
@@drdwgmd14 I don't use the clutch settings. I set my drill to drill mode, drive until the drill stops and the Tapcon is tight. The wide part of the head firmly contacting the work piece. Workpiece firmly attached. If you're breaking them then experiment with clutch settings and find what works. My drill is an old Dewalt and it might not be very powerful anymore, but it can still drill concrete and sets Tapcons on drill mode without breaking them. I've broken exactly one since watching this video 8 months ago. I use the hex head Tapcons and a hex nut driver. Make sure to use the recommended diameter size drill stated on the packaging. If you're not in a hurry use a shop vac to suck the concrete dust out of the hole, if you don't have a shop vac or if you're in a hurry like at work or something, you might have to run the Tapcon in and out of the hole a couple times to clean out the concrete dust to get it to tighten down. But long story short, if you use the right diameter drill, use hex head Tapcons, drive them with a drill, and make sure there's not too much concrete dust leftover from drilling the hole, you'll have a 99% success rate with Tapcons.
I just used some tapcons yesterday to anchor a wrought iron fence post to a drive way using angle brackets. In order to clear the hole of dust and debris I used a can of compressed air with a thin straw attached to the nozzle. This is the stuff normally used to blow dust out of computers and keyboards. The thin straw fit really well and the pressure was more than adequate to clear the holes. On first use I got a blast of dust in the face because I wasn’t expecting it to come out with that much force.
Not a whole lot with tapcon. I found my problem that I don’t keep the drill perpendicular and causing a bigger hole. I prefer using the Red Head instead. Valuable information. Thank you for sharing
I notice that the fitting into the hole made by the driver has a better snug fit compared to the one made by the rotary in hammer mode. In my experience, rotaries in hammer mode just makes bigger than intended holes although in drive mode it’s often a pain to drill into concrete. Great video.
When I replaced the aluminum lattice columns, on my front porch awning, I used Tap-Con fasteners. It was easy and they've lasted over 10 years, exposed to weather and ice melt products. I installed mine with my corded 1/2" drill/hammer drill.
One tip I would recommend is not to tighten the bolts until you have all 4 bolts 90% or so in place. This will help preventing any possible alignment issues that could also cause your last bolts to not go in easy and even possibly strip
Scott, another great video. Something to discuss further with your viewers is when you would normally recommend concrete anchor wedge bolts compared to concrete screws. We all have our preferences, but would like to hear your thoughts.
I haven’t used this brand, but I have put shelves on a concrete wall with concrete screws. They are the best choice for that relatively light-duty application.
You make very good videos. Very detailed, even when there's a potential problem. Very professional and to the point. My favorite channel for DIY. Thanks.
I agree that type of concrete anchor is my favorite and probably the best. Shout out to Fastenal who sold a brand (RedHead) many years before Tapcon followed suit. Maybe it was negotiated. I love the simplicity and the shear strength for vertical mounting.
I use Tapcons for attaching metal boxes and conduit hangers to cement walls. Originally used a hammer drill. Eventually I got smart and now use a rotary hammer drill and SDS bits.
Because I've lived in several very old houses, MANY times I've drilled pilot holes in mortar, only to find that the sandy mortar has crumbled too much and the hole is too large. My go-to fix is inserting a small length of bare #14 wire. It fills the gap and makes the attachment super strong.
Never did an anchor in concrete before but my first was a Tapcon and I had no problems just following the instructions even though I had no idea what I was doing.
Tapcons are great for ease and speed. Not so much if need to adjust/reuse the hole or for high strength. I use them often but know when it’s time to use something stronger.
I use a plastic drinking straw and a pair of safety glasses to blow out the drilled holes. Beats dragging out a compressor and works better than a shopvac!
Great video!, I used Tapcon before. Failiure modes were drilling hole shorter than the bolt length and snapping the head of the bolt and sometimes the drill bit size matching the bolt size resulted in the bolt is "loose" and what I was anchoring was not properly anchored!!!. In that case I had to move up to a bigger size Tapcon..
I recently had an issue with smaller diameter tapcon screws and slightly over-sized pilot holes. I placed a plastic toothpick in the hole with great success. Someone below mentioned weed trimmer line. Would have been too thick for me, but I'll put that idea in my back pocket.
I'm not a fan of tapcons. I use them to attach light loads like shelf brackets to block, but I'll stay with red heads when I need to really secure something well and not worry about it ever pulling out.
Me too. I don't like using Tapcons. They strip and break too easily for me to trust them. I'm a contractor and I cannot have my reputation ruined by those fasteners.
Here is a tip to avoid bit drift. Drill a hole in any 3/4 wood the same size as the hole for the anchor. Place it over the sharpie mark and put weight on it with your foot. Bit cant drift.
when doing concrete anchors and the strips. i carry a block of hardwood, take a small ribbon of the hardwood the same length of the hole, and aprox 1/4 of the hole space drop it in the hole and reset the screw, sometimes 2 pcs opposite sides will be the last go to fix.
This was very helpful, and so were the comments. I am not drilling straight down into concrete. I am drilling into the side of my condo through (what I assume is) stucco. I need to erect a wood frame sturdy enough to support a couple water filter housings. I think behind the exterior wall I've located one of the studs, so that hole gets a long screw to reach the stud. But the remaining holes to affix the board to the wall are what had me stumped. Do I go with Tapcon, or Rawls and screws, or something else fancy? Your demo and a lot of the comments gave me more ideas to look for at my local HF, HD, Lowes or Ace.
Watching him slowly drill that hole with a little drill that has a hammer function makes me very much appreciate my rotary hammer drill that can easily set a three-quarter inch wedge anchor.
I had trouble. I had some Phillips head (actually torx head) left from another job. I couldn’t get things tight with the suggested hole. I went a little larger and it was loose. I went to Home Depot and purchased wedge anchors.
In us freezing states like MN. You might want to put epoxy in them there holes so when you insert the screw the hold stays a solid so the winter doesn't crack the concrete in half by having water in the hole.
They're great, I tent to avoid impact drivers for screwing in. Just use a drill set to to screw and torque out around 3/4, on the first one I might have to tweak it up or down a couple of clicks then it's perfect for the rest of the wall/slab that needs fixing.
You must be using really small ones in soft concrete. The ones I use most often are 10 or 12mm which is roughly equivalent to 3/8 and 1/2. My impact driver won't do them usually, I need to go to a 1/2 impact wrench to get them in. A drill would just break my wrist with no progress. You must not be a professional, because even if you can get them in with a drill, it's hard on you, and hard on the drill. I use impacts for almost all driving of fasteners, because they a lighter, faster and virtually effortless to use.
My main problem is hitting a rock in the concrete that the drill bit doesn't want to go through, so the bit takes the path of least resistance around the edge of the small rock, resulting in a slightly enlarged hole or the hole getting off my mark if the rock is just below the surface. I've used a fair number of these to mount various things to my unfinished basement walls and I probably have to relocate new holes about 1/10th of the time for this reason. Thanks for the tips!
@@johndough9187 I use a hammer drill that's high-end consumer grade, but the bit still wanders to the path of least resistance especially when the rock is near the surface. Thanks for the tip though.
@@Pseudo-Geek One solution is to turn the hammer drill to normal (ie for wood) drilling mode and press hard for a while to "grind" an indentation into the rock so the bit doesn't wander off it when back on hammer mode (I use this method to start holes in concrete too). And what johndough said - an SDS rotary drill will have enough cutting power through the rock that this problem won't happen anway.
My biggest problem is that I put several tapcon screws in a bucket and I never know what size drill bit to use 😣. I’ll learn to keep them separate now.
I am a mechanical engineer, and this is my opinion. the Topcon directly screwed into the concrete, its secured depends on the quality of the concrete, if it has too much sand and gravel, the hold will be weak. The other problem is that the threads are cutting through the concrete with very shallowed threads to the root diameter of the screw and it doesn't provide a good hold if a force is applied to pull it out. I spoke to a supplier, and they recommend using and epoxy for concrete gel into the hole to provide strength. For use horizontally on a vertical wall, with a perpendicular download, it should be ok. I don't recommend the use of Topcon for heavy load or applications with pull force. the advantages of using a lead anchor are that lead is a soft metal, and the screw will push material against the concrete hole creating a tremendous amount of pressure, to pull the screw, the concrete has to break first
the more age on the concrete, the more likely a tapcon won't do it. they are also overkill for light duty anchoring. Walldog (tm) screws work great for the light stuff - and also for light stuff in sheetrock. addendum: if you need to level things, you also want a pinset or wedge anchor with double nuts.
The ONLY Tapcons I willingly use anymore are ones that are least 5/16 or bigger. The little ones just snap so easily. The bigger ones do work well and I don't have any issue with them. I also generally squirt in some heavy duty construction adhesive into the hole depending on the project.
I look forward to a video a year from now on how to repair a concrete base that has cracked due to vibration 😂 Said with love! Great video as always but like of vibration support was an odd one. The thing is, it's not that the fans are going to cause the unit to pitch this way or that, it's just a continuous low vibration that never stops. I installed 2 units on wall brackets (to avoid critters) and had to retro-fit dampeners after the fact because the low vibration was causing all the walls and ceilings around it to vibrate. Once I retro-fitted I cut it down by more than half. Obviously different situation here, but all that vibration has to go somewhere. And onto that pad it will go!
The problems I've had with Tapcons (smaller, more common sizes) occurred when driving in the screw with an impact driver...seems they had a propensity to strip out. Once I switched to using a standard drill to drive the screw, that problem went away.
How about those of us who have shops in cinder block buildings. Would you/have you done a video on hanging things on the walls from small to larger shelves to hold heavier items? I have everything from small plastic hose guides for wheels to shelves that I need to hold gallons of product for display. I have a detail shop... I would appreciate any advice. Thx!
For an A/C system that is so tall, I'm skeptical about using tapcon. That height would create a greater tilt force. For a normal height A/C tapcon would work great. I think Redhead anchors would be better for an A/C that tall.
Better than red heads are flush shells. Red heads are great for applications where they will always be in tension. But it there is risk of them getting lose flush shells are a better option.
I have drilled holes and as I am nearly done I will hit steel or river rock or (something) so I cant bottom out the drill. I guess I could cut off a tapcon and just put in the cut off screw. This was for things that where not real heavy at all going up on a concreate wall.
Ive seen some of the blue coated Tapcons get rusted out in exterior applications in humid Florida. I prefer the stainless versions if the project allows.
A very easy way to clean out the concrete dust from the drilled hole is to blow it out with a piece of tubing. I’ve also used soda fountain straw (a small, one inside of a larger one for added length.). Just be sure to keep your face shielded from the dust blast.
I’ve used many different sizes of tapcon. The main issue I’ve had is drilling without moving the drill side to side. You need to drill straight in and out.
I always use a thick washer that is at least 25-33% bigger than the head of the Tapcon... it just helps spread the hold across the part being secured, especially sheet metal like you show. My solution for stripped holes... always keep a spool of galvanized wire handy. Just fold a few lengths equal to the thread length, put it in the hole and re-run the screw. The screw will bite into it and press against the sides of the hole. Works every time.
I've used zip tie 'ends' too, or small strips of wood shims or even copper wire will work too!
@@tdotw77 I use poo, but you do you
Thanks I will try that next time
@@tdotw77😅😅x.v
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I rarely have good luck with Tapcons. The holes end up being to large. I will be using your tip next time, though. Thanks.
Yep, I use Tapcons for a lot of jobs at work, or in some cases zinc anchors. I prefer the rotohammer for much faster work. One thing you may want to consider when mounting fan units are vibration dampeners. The low hum/rumble can be annoying to a lot of people and mounting on spring dampeners is a good approach to minimize the vibration.
I really enjoy your channel. I've used my share of Tapcons during the hurricane plywood wars living in an east central Florida block home. Occasionally I'd spin one and lose the threads. My fix was to stick a few pieces of heavy duty grass trimmer line in the hole. Worked like a charm and held like iron.
Or just crush up a couple of 221 Wagos, drop them in the hole and they'll allow the Tapcon to tighten up tighter that a Nun's box on Sunday!!!
@@Verminator151029colorful explanation
I would say crude. Some folks need attention.......
If it straps, I use a piece of small tie wrap in the whole...
@@joemendyk9994 You want some cheese with that whine?
Had problems using the smaller size tapcons because of drill wobble etc., so in cases like that i learned to drill a smaller hole first and then go over with proper size bit.
Smaller bit in all cases gets a better center alligment
30 years ago a carpenter from Indiana named Jim taught me a great tip and I have used it ever since. Drill a 3/16 hole with a masonry bit of course, insert a piece of tie wire ( 16 gauge annealed wire, home Depot or Lowe's) and then drive a 16d common nail. Easy ,inexpensive and strong. Thank you Jim. Edit, the piece of wire should be 4 or 5 inches in length.
That holds things into cement? A nail? Even I can do that! I have to try to secure a pergola or gazebo into an aggregate cement patio. Will that work?
@@Tinyteacher1111 yes the 16 gauge annealed wire is the key and it only works with a 16d common. It will work.
@@jackfarrell4727 Thank you! I’m 4’9”, pushing 70, and have to secure this myself, so I appreciate your response❣️
@@Tinyteacher1111 you are very welcome. Wear safety glasses.
I've used Tapcons and they are the easiest, but I don't use them unless I'm pretty sure I'm never going to need to remove them; I find they don't hold nearly as well on subsequent uses (and, yes, I use a new anchor). So I used them to anchor a gazebo I put in on a concrete deck, but I use wedge anchors to hold down my drill press, since I might need to move that temporarily. I also don't use them when attaching things to sandstone or soft brick, since I've seen Tapcons split that sort of material; something like a Rawl plug works better in softer stone, holds quite well, and you can remove the screw (at least once) and put it back without worrying. If you don't have an air compressor, a can of compressed air works to blow out the holes. As you say, it's essential to clean the hole, no matter what you're using as an anchor.
I have been using Tapcons and other concrete anchors for years.
You stated good solid advice.
Overtightening is probably the biggest mistake.
It breaks the side walls.
One solution is after recleaning the hole there are some masonry certified epoxys.
On something like this AC.
Put some in the hole and reinstall.
When that expoxy sets the anchor will not go anywhere for this application.
For framing attachment.
Move over and drill another hole. Make sure to stay within recommended spacing.
When in doubt and possible install 2.
On commercial or industrial jobsites. This should be brought to the attention of the site engineer.
Regular workers do not understand the loads that the anchor will be expected to withstand over a lifetime.
Do not leave that to chance.
I am 76 and been building things for many years, this is one of the best solutions I have run across.
I haven't had any issues with the larger tapcon screws but I have had the smaller ones snapping off half way down. Most issues have been in flagstone. Always use the recommended drill size for each.
I've never used the larger ones, only the smaller ones. I absolutely hate them lol. Same deal with wedge anchors mostly. I started to epoxy everything in....
According to tapcon the threads are not intended for more than 1-1/4” embedment in the substrate. The longer screws are not to go deeper, they’re for fastening thicker materials to the concrete. This only applies to the 3/16 and 1/4 screws, the bigger anchor bolts 5/16 and up, can go deeper into the concrete for better pull out.
100% agree with you. I HATE any Tapcon less than 5/16". They always snap.
I hate tapcons also I broke to many of them and pretty much refuse to use them now. Nail anchors work better imho.
This is perfect timing. I just came home from Lowes with 3/8 heavy duty tapcons to mount a new mini split on a concrete block wall. Also bought the 8” tapcon sds drill bit.
Worked on alcatraz island for 25 years,doing concrete work, Tapcons were my best friends!
Were you installing your own escape hand and footholds?... 🤣
Hey,dogsense I worked on the Russ building in SF in 98 at 33 stories, and Tapcons were my best friends too. I could see Alcatraz from the roof. From SF Towers too.
@@rickarchuleta1 alcatraz 1993-2018!
Native SF Born Raised…did guys really escape or is that BS
Tap Cons don't work everytime have some wedge anchors for those cases
I built a 'catio' about 6 years ago and used Tapcon. I anchored the vertical beams to a brick wall and the horizontal 2x4s to the patio floor. They've held up very well.
Those units come with rubber anti-vibration pads, you should slide those underneath the next chance you get.
My guess is the rubber also helps prevent moisture from leaching out of the concrete and rusting the tie-down flanges…
If it's a well balanced ac unit, you don't need the isolation pads. Not only that, the rubber won't survive the elements very long. Then you're stuck fixing unstable feet
@@inkdaddy66now that’s a comment based in lack of understanding
@@NoName-sn1le ok
@@inkdaddy66 My unit (MrCool) came with rubber pads .
I just removed a shed that was bolted to a concrete pad using tapcon bolts around 20 years ago. I went in expecting issues getting the bolts out. The typical stuff, snapping the heads off, etc. I had no issues and the bolts looked practically new, other than the concrete dust.
This fellow is an excellent instructor. Good Job !!
Thank you!
Thank you for this video. I always use the redhead style anchors and never used tapcon. Now I'll give them a shot
I have generally had very good results with Tapcons. I once used the phillips head type, couldn't get enough leverage to drive it in all the way and stripped the head. (Pulled it out with pliers.) Since then I have used the hex head only with no problems. I use a ratchet wrench which, though a little slower, reduces the chance of breakage or other problems.
Yeah, I try to stay away from the phillips head concrete screws for the exact issues. I agree the hex head is my favorite but have seen solid results with the Torx head 👍
Use an impact driver with Phillips head even with regular screws into wood. Of course you have to be careful right at the last sixteenth.
Yeah Phillips are the worst. Hex or torx always! 🛠️🔩🔧
The trouble with drilling concrete, is often the drill bit walks on you soon as you start drilling, This can be a real pain if you are lining up more than one hole like what you did here. So what I do is use a punch to start the hold and use a small drill bit that will set in the punch mark and drill a pilot hole. Even a new sharp drill bit will walk on you sometimes. I do like those anchors. Have used a lot of drop in anchors also, trouble with those is you need to drill a much larger hole to accommodate the anchor not the bolt.
I always used my hammer drill for my smaller jobs and often had a lot of problems with harder spots, killing a number of bits (and my arm) as well as going through all my 5 batteries. Then I rented a rotary hammer drill after spending over an hour trying to get through 10" of concrete with my hammer drill and only getting through 2". Rotary hammer went through the last 8" like butter, taking only a minute or two. Had no idea it would be such a night and day difference. Never using a hammer drill again for concrete drilling. I was also surprised at how much quieter the hammer drill was than my drill.
I learned that too. It took me 1.5 hours to drill a 2" hole through brick with a hammer drill. Mainly due to having to let the drill cool down. I rented a Hilti drill to drill a 2.5 inch hole through brick. It took less than a minute. I then drilled a 1 1/4" hole in about 30 seconds.
the cordless SDS drill in my truck is easily on my top 5 tools, maybe 3
Hammer drilling is one of the times I still like to use a corded plug-in version when feasible. The tool is better balanced, very powerful, and doesn't need recharging. I use cordless tools plenty, but sometimes the old plug ins are still the best.
@@johnhorner5711 IAfter swearing endlessly at some concrete I had to drill with a corded hammer dril my wife bought me a brushless CORDLESS SDS drill. It is so effective (I'd estimate a minimum of 10 times faster) that I have given away my hammer drill - I only use the SDS drill for masonry. And cordless is far more convenient and safer too.
Totally agree tapcons are the way to go, not cheap but the best. Ive no idea what sort of metal these are made out of and what that coating is but they are both impressive.
Tapcon is the only type anchor I use now - they are very easy to use and they work GREAT!!
Awesome video. Great step-by-step explanation for the weekend warriors. Perfect cadence and content. Subscribed. Although I wish he would not have damaged the paint on that $15,000 heat pump.
If you have trouble with breaking Tapcons or stripping out the holes, use your drill to drive them, not your impact. I think if you read the directions it actually says to drive them with a drill and not an impact. After I started using a drill to drive them I haven't snapped one or stripped one.
EXACTLY!
Any bolt, screw, nail, etc.. will break if you put enough force on it.
@@kalijasin Well, no doubt. But Tapcons are notorious for it. It's to the point where I always thought they were a crappy product. Many of my coworkers always said that Tapcons sucked and couldn't be trusted. They would use Tapcons as a last resort. I'm just saying that once I started using my drill to drive them, my problems with Tapcons were solved. To the extent that I actually like them and trust them now.
What setting should i set the drill motor to as to not apply to much torque, thanks
@@drdwgmd14 I don't use the clutch settings. I set my drill to drill mode, drive until the drill stops and the Tapcon is tight. The wide part of the head firmly contacting the work piece. Workpiece firmly attached. If you're breaking them then experiment with clutch settings and find what works. My drill is an old Dewalt and it might not be very powerful anymore, but it can still drill concrete and sets Tapcons on drill mode without breaking them. I've broken exactly one since watching this video 8 months ago. I use the hex head Tapcons and a hex nut driver. Make sure to use the recommended diameter size drill stated on the packaging. If you're not in a hurry use a shop vac to suck the concrete dust out of the hole, if you don't have a shop vac or if you're in a hurry like at work or something, you might have to run the Tapcon in and out of the hole a couple times to clean out the concrete dust to get it to tighten down. But long story short, if you use the right diameter drill, use hex head Tapcons, drive them with a drill, and make sure there's not too much concrete dust leftover from drilling the hole, you'll have a 99% success rate with Tapcons.
I just use Tapcon's bit that is sold right next to these anchors usually. Perfect hole every single time, and these anchors are top notch.
I just used some tapcons yesterday to anchor a wrought iron fence post to a drive way using angle brackets. In order to clear the hole of dust and debris I used a can of compressed air with a thin straw attached to the nozzle. This is the stuff normally used to blow dust out of computers and keyboards. The thin straw fit really well and the pressure was more than adequate to clear the holes. On first use I got a blast of dust in the face because I wasn’t expecting it to come out with that much force.
I'm 63years old and have been using tons since they came out. I love them and have used pallets of them with no problems fast clean your dun!!
Great video. I’ve had issues driving in Tapcons all the way and I realized I didn’t drill deep enough or clean the loose material out of the hole.
Not a whole lot with tapcon. I found my problem that I don’t keep the drill perpendicular and causing a bigger hole. I prefer using the Red Head instead. Valuable information. Thank you for sharing
I notice that the fitting into the hole made by the driver has a better snug fit compared to the one made by the rotary in hammer mode. In my experience, rotaries in hammer mode just makes bigger than intended holes although in drive mode it’s often a pain to drill into concrete. Great video.
When I replaced the aluminum lattice columns, on my front porch awning, I used Tap-Con fasteners. It was easy and they've lasted over 10 years, exposed to weather and ice melt products. I installed mine with my corded 1/2" drill/hammer drill.
One tip I would recommend is not to tighten the bolts until you have all 4 bolts 90% or so in place. This will help preventing any possible alignment issues that could also cause your last bolts to not go in easy and even possibly strip
Scott, another great video. Something to discuss further with your viewers is when you would normally recommend concrete anchor wedge bolts compared to concrete screws. We all have our preferences, but would like to hear your thoughts.
That most common failure point of bottoming out was my first disaster too. Since then smooth sailing using tapconns. Great vid!
Thank you for your time, it's always worth to watch them.
I haven’t used this brand, but I have put shelves on a concrete wall with concrete screws. They are the best choice for that relatively light-duty application.
Great video, I have also used the screws, with a smaller bit, so I was a little confused. Thank you for talking about that subject, big help.
He uses adverbs!!! Amazing! Congratulations!
Yes I’ve had success with Tapcons … and one of your videos showed an alternative I’ve forgotten.
I've used both, and have used them a lot. Tap cons for smaller things, red head anchors for i-beams and such.
Thanks Scott another great video. Look forward to all of your videos. Very informative
You make very good videos. Very detailed, even when there's a potential problem. Very professional and to the point. My favorite channel for DIY. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the kind words and support 👍
I agree that type of concrete anchor is my favorite and probably the best. Shout out to Fastenal who sold a brand (RedHead) many years before Tapcon followed suit. Maybe it was negotiated. I love the simplicity and the shear strength for vertical mounting.
Tapcons are my first choice as well. Thank you for the clear video instructions.
You bet 👊
I use them too, Ive used just about every style of anchor bolts, but find them the easiest and best for all light work.
I use Tapcons for attaching metal boxes and conduit hangers to cement walls. Originally used a hammer drill. Eventually I got smart and now use a rotary hammer drill and SDS bits.
Thank you for recording and posting this valuable educational video.
Because I've lived in several very old houses, MANY times I've drilled pilot holes in mortar, only to find that the sandy mortar has crumbled too much and the hole is too large.
My go-to fix is inserting a small length of bare #14 wire. It fills the gap and makes the attachment super strong.
A Zip Tie also works great
THANKS SCOTT,GREAT INFO AND…IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS 🤗👍💚💚💚
Another good video man. I enjoyed it. Very much appreciated 👍👍
Thanks for the feedback!
Never did an anchor in concrete before but my first was a Tapcon and I had no problems just following the instructions even though I had no idea what I was doing.
Always a good, clear, and concise instructional video! Thanks.
Don't forget to bugger up the paint on the compressor like he shows also
Thx for the video - it reminded me to resecure my low deck railing
Tapcons are great for ease and speed. Not so much if need to adjust/reuse the hole or for high strength. I use them often but know when it’s time to use something stronger.
I use water when using a masonry drill bit. It cools and helps flush out the debris.
Tapcon is my go to DIY especially here in Florida where high winds are common. Very few failures.
I use a plastic drinking straw and a pair of safety glasses to blow out the drilled holes. Beats dragging out a compressor and works better than a shopvac!
Great video!, I used Tapcon before. Failiure modes were drilling hole shorter than the bolt length and snapping the head of the bolt and sometimes the drill bit size matching the bolt size resulted in the bolt is "loose" and what I was anchoring was not properly anchored!!!. In that case I had to move up to a bigger size Tapcon..
The big tapcom bolts work well enough, I've had nothing but nightmare experiences with the standard screw types though.
I have had the same experience. The small ones seem so snap with very modest torque.
I recently had an issue with smaller diameter tapcon screws and slightly over-sized pilot holes. I placed a plastic toothpick in the hole with great success. Someone below mentioned weed trimmer line. Would have been too thick for me, but I'll put that idea in my back pocket.
I'm not a fan of tapcons. I use them to attach light loads like shelf brackets to block, but I'll stay with red heads when I need to really secure something well and not worry about it ever pulling out.
Me too. I don't like using Tapcons. They strip and break too easily for me to trust them. I'm a contractor and I cannot have my reputation ruined by those fasteners.
Here is a tip to avoid bit drift. Drill a hole in any 3/4 wood the same size as the hole for the anchor. Place it over the sharpie mark and put weight on it with your foot. Bit cant drift.
Always good information, expalins what i did wrong last year, I didn't vac out hole before inserting screw.
Thanks for the feedback 🙌
when doing concrete anchors and the strips. i carry a block of hardwood, take a small ribbon of the hardwood the same length of the hole, and aprox 1/4 of the hole space drop it in the hole and reset the screw, sometimes 2 pcs opposite sides will be the last go to fix.
Good vid, Scott!
Thank Ethan!
Anchor bolt epoxy or melted sulphur work great for stripped Tapcons, but you need to make sure the foot is down tight against the slab.
I use a socket wrench to screw the anchors in. It takes a little longer but it ensures the head of the anchor is not over torqued.
This was very helpful, and so were the comments. I am not drilling straight down into concrete. I am drilling into the side of my condo through (what I assume is) stucco. I need to erect a wood frame sturdy enough to support a couple water filter housings. I think behind the exterior wall I've located one of the studs, so that hole gets a long screw to reach the stud. But the remaining holes to affix the board to the wall are what had me stumped. Do I go with Tapcon, or Rawls and screws, or something else fancy? Your demo and a lot of the comments gave me more ideas to look for at my local HF, HD, Lowes or Ace.
Watching him slowly drill that hole with a little drill that has a hammer function makes me very much appreciate my rotary hammer drill that can easily set a three-quarter inch wedge anchor.
What do you do when the Tapcon snaps off below the surface? This happened to me several time before I learned to clean the hole out properly.
really appreciate you sharing these tips Scott !
You bet, thanks for the support.
I had trouble. I had some Phillips head (actually torx head) left from another job. I couldn’t get things tight with the suggested hole. I went a little larger and it was loose. I went to Home Depot and purchased wedge anchors.
In us freezing states like MN. You might want to put epoxy in them there holes so when you insert the screw the hold stays a solid so the winter doesn't crack the concrete in half by having water in the hole.
Well done.
They're great, I tent to avoid impact drivers for screwing in. Just use a drill set to to screw and torque out around 3/4, on the first one I might have to tweak it up or down a couple of clicks then it's perfect for the rest of the wall/slab that needs fixing.
You must be using really small ones in soft concrete. The ones I use most often are 10 or 12mm which is roughly equivalent to 3/8 and 1/2. My impact driver won't do them usually, I need to go to a 1/2 impact wrench to get them in. A drill would just break my wrist with no progress. You must not be a professional, because even if you can get them in with a drill, it's hard on you, and hard on the drill. I use impacts for almost all driving of fasteners, because they a lighter, faster and virtually effortless to use.
My main problem is hitting a rock in the concrete that the drill bit doesn't want to go through, so the bit takes the path of least resistance around the edge of the small rock, resulting in a slightly enlarged hole or the hole getting off my mark if the rock is just below the surface. I've used a fair number of these to mount various things to my unfinished basement walls and I probably have to relocate new holes about 1/10th of the time for this reason. Thanks for the tips!
The cure to this is higher quality tougher drill bit materials like cobalt or diamond tips (downside: more expensive)
@@Tokaisho1 Ah, thank you. I'll be on the lookout for those.
That problem ceased for me when I got a rotary hammer.
@@johndough9187 I use a hammer drill that's high-end consumer grade, but the bit still wanders to the path of least resistance especially when the rock is near the surface. Thanks for the tip though.
@@Pseudo-Geek One solution is to turn the hammer drill to normal (ie for wood) drilling mode and press hard for a while to "grind" an indentation into the rock so the bit doesn't wander off it when back on hammer mode (I use this method to start holes in concrete too). And what johndough said - an SDS rotary drill will have enough cutting power through the rock that this problem won't happen anway.
My biggest problem is that I put several tapcon screws in a bucket and I never know what size drill bit to use 😣. I’ll learn to keep them separate now.
Same here. I keep all my tapcons sorted by size and throw the appropriate bit in on top.
I use tap tapcons with plastic wall achors. I never had one get loose like that. Old-timer showed me that trick at work 20 years ago
I am a mechanical engineer, and this is my opinion. the Topcon directly screwed into the concrete, its secured depends on the quality of the concrete, if it has too much sand and gravel, the hold will be weak. The other problem is that the threads are cutting through the concrete with very shallowed threads to the root diameter of the screw and it doesn't provide a good hold if a force is applied to pull it out. I spoke to a supplier, and they recommend using and epoxy for concrete gel into the hole to provide strength. For use horizontally on a vertical wall, with a perpendicular download, it should be ok. I don't recommend the use of Topcon for heavy load or applications with pull force. the advantages of using a lead anchor are that lead is a soft metal, and the screw will push material against the concrete hole creating a tremendous amount of pressure, to pull the screw, the concrete has to break first
the more age on the concrete, the more likely a tapcon won't do it. they are also overkill for light duty anchoring. Walldog (tm) screws work great for the light stuff - and also for light stuff in sheetrock. addendum: if you need to level things, you also want a pinset or wedge anchor with double nuts.
I have used Tapcons in very old, porous brick and they have held very tight.
@@KameraShy that's one of the differences between clay and concrete.
The ONLY Tapcons I willingly use anymore are ones that are least 5/16 or bigger. The little ones just snap so easily. The bigger ones do work well and I don't have any issue with them. I also generally squirt in some heavy duty construction adhesive into the hole depending on the project.
Used a lot of 3and a half 1/4 3/8 tapcons
I look forward to a video a year from now on how to repair a concrete base that has cracked due to vibration 😂
Said with love! Great video as always but like of vibration support was an odd one. The thing is, it's not that the fans are going to cause the unit to pitch this way or that, it's just a continuous low vibration that never stops. I installed 2 units on wall brackets (to avoid critters) and had to retro-fit dampeners after the fact because the low vibration was causing all the walls and ceilings around it to vibrate. Once I retro-fitted I cut it down by more than half.
Obviously different situation here, but all that vibration has to go somewhere. And onto that pad it will go!
I use red head. They are the best!
Tapcons work great with brick also. Used them to anchor grab bars on a brick wall.
The problems I've had with Tapcons (smaller, more common sizes) occurred when driving in the screw with an impact driver...seems they had a propensity to strip out. Once I switched to using a standard drill to drive the screw, that problem went away.
How about those of us who have shops in cinder block buildings. Would you/have you done a video on hanging things on the walls from small to larger shelves to hold heavier items? I have everything from small plastic hose guides for wheels to shelves that I need to hold gallons of product for display. I have a detail shop... I would appreciate any advice. Thx!
SDS rotary hammer drills are awesome for concrete drilling. They go through it like soft wood.
Helpful information, thank you for sharing!!
For an A/C system that is so tall, I'm skeptical about using tapcon. That height would create a greater tilt force. For a normal height A/C tapcon would work great. I think Redhead anchors would be better for an A/C that tall.
Better than red heads are flush shells. Red heads are great for applications where they will always be in tension. But it there is risk of them getting lose flush shells are a better option.
I have drilled holes and as I am nearly done I will hit steel or river rock or (something) so I cant bottom out the drill. I guess I could cut off a tapcon and just put in the cut off screw. This was for things that where not real heavy at all going up on a concreate wall.
Thanks for the information. I’ve never had really good success with Tapcons, hopefully I will do better.
Imperial always cracks me up. " A Five Thirty Seconds "
Ive seen some of the blue coated Tapcons get rusted out in exterior applications in humid Florida. I prefer the stainless versions if the project allows.
A very easy way to clean out the concrete dust from the drilled hole is to blow it out with a piece of tubing. I’ve also used soda fountain straw (a small, one inside of a larger one for added length.). Just be sure to keep your face shielded from the dust blast.
Using a 2x4 or 4x4 with the correct sized hole drilled in it as a guide will help keep the bit from wandering.
Only issue I have with tapcons is they can't really be used in situations where minor adjustments could be needed over time like red-heads.
I’ve used many different sizes of tapcon. The main issue I’ve had is drilling without moving the drill side to side. You need to drill straight in and out.
Good video Scott & you're looking jacked!
For permormance in concrete, consider using a 4 flute quality drill. Speed is just double of the 2 flute and dulling is almost half.
I use the tapcons too. Haven't had a fail yet, but it's not like I've done hundreds of them.