We put down these anti fatigue mats in the shop. They were certainly comfortable to walk on all day but after about a week I started getting these alarming knee pains. Turns out that your foot would slightly sink into the rubber and when you’d go to turn, your foot would stay planted enough to twist the knee joint.
Anyway, we then laid sheets of OSB down over the whole shop area. Very comfortable now.
I’d like to attach the OSB down to the concrete now. I’ve been trying Tapcons, the slimmer ones with the tapered heads (which we’re countersinking flush to the OSB), but the hammer drilling is taking far too long, the bits are wearing out to quickly, and some of the screws are snapping.
Would using the larger diameter Tapcons solve any of these issues, or is there a better way to fasten the OSB down besides shooting it down? Got quite a few sheets to do yet.
Replies
1/4" Tapcons are less likely / prone to snap than the 3/16" which you are currently using.
Most problems with Tapcons snapping can be traced to 1 of 2 problems: 1) hole is not deep enough or full of dust - Tapcon runs in, bottoms and snaps, or
2) the Tapcon length used is too long - a 1" to 1-1/4" embedment is all they recommend - deeper is not better. If screwing 1/2" OSB - I would be using 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" screws.
#3 - I have never had much luck with the imitation / off-brand Tapcons. I have quit buying anything but the original Tapcons made by Buildex.
Make sure you drill the holes deep enough and blow any dust out before fastening - skinny nozzle on compressor works fine or the canned air used for precision dusting - camera shops always have it (pricey). Turn your head or you will get a face full of dust when blowing out the holes.
Hammer drill is the only way to go for drilling the holes; rotary drill - you will be there forever.
Good luck!
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Vacuume the dust out is mo' betta for the lungs.
To the OP. I'd find a handful of PK nails. Surveyors use them for points laid out on asphalt and concrete, short 1 1/4" large head hardend nails. A few whacks with a 3 lb hammer and yer golden.
Watch yer fingers.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
"Hammer drill is the only way to go for drilling the holes; rotary drill - you will be there forever."
I think you mean rotary hammer is way to go, not hammer drill.
If an old star drill and hammer is a 1, then rotary drill with masonry bit is a 3, hammer drill is about a 5, and a decent rotary hammer is about a 15 on the scale of how to make holes in concrete in my opinion.
As to his using up bits, I found that pushing the rot. hammer rather than letting the weight do the work tended to take the carbide tips off of a lot of bits. I did a similar job and smoked a bunch of bits by hitting rebar and pushing. If I got resistance I abandoned the hole and moved over.
I scored a bunch of 3/16 Rawls sds bits on eBay for next to nothing.
Bob
My decision to purchase a hammer drill rather than a rotary hammer was influenced by 2 factors:
1) I do not drill that many holes in concrete and those that I do are usually small -- like Tapcon pilots - a really big hole for me is 1/2" for an expansion anchor bolt. Bit price is inconsequential since Tapcon includes the bits with the fasteners.
2) If the price of a good rotary drill is 1, a basic hammer drill such as mine is only 1.4, a basic rotary hammer is 3.5. (Based on current Milwaukee's)
I would probably have a much different opinion if I used it every day. Did I ever mention I am frugal?
I did not think the OP was using a percussion drilling tool of any description based on his post.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Do you still have the rubber mats down under the OSB?
If not, what would stop it from wicking water from the concrete and falling apart over a couple years?
And if there is some cushion effect still in the rubber, I wonder how long until there is enoguh movement to stress a few more tapcons ands snap them off.
the larger size will help, but slightly over drilling and cleaning the hole will go a long ways too.
I might be using more glue than tapcons, depending on some answers to above Q s
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I'd be worried about mold too. It might not be the badboy mold..but the kind that makes me seeze alot. FKA Blue (eyeddevil)
Yeah Piffin, the mats are under the OSB, makes for a pretty comfortable floor. Don't have much of a moisture issue out here in San Diego. I had the mats down for over a month and checked for any moisture when we laid the OSB.I think my main issue was how slow the drilling was going so I'm going to go get a rotary hammer to fix that. i wasn't blowing out the holes either ..http://www.woodsshop.com
moldy osb would be nice aand soift to walk on though, LOL
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Yeah, with regard to attaching OSB to concrete I was gonna say that the only way to do it is "temporarily".But aside from that I would think that gluing would be the way to go.
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sorry Dan, maybe i wasn't clear but the rubber mats are still under the OSB.The OSB lays pretty darn flat most of the time (that's why I choose it over plywood) it's only during our Santa Ana winds (hot with very low humidity) out here in San Diego that they start to lift at the edges.http://www.woodsshop.comEdited 10/28/2007 11:39 pm by JoeWood
Edited 10/28/2007 11:40 pm by JoeWood
Maybe you could somehow attach the sheets to each other. Eg, stick a perfed metal splice plate under each 4-corner joint and drive sheet metal screws through the OSB and into the plate.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Joe,The GRK Caliburn concrete screws are also good. For using Tapcons, definitely get the thicker ones.DanH's idea about the corner plates is a good one. You get a lot of ash where you are? We got 1/8" in Cardiff. We were directly under the Witch fire plume before the winds died down.Bill
I'm out in Spring Valley Bill. Woke up Tues. to a huge wall of smoke and embers from the Harris fire passing by not more than a half mile away but we actually got hardly any ash.http://www.woodsshop.com
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