Hello.
I need to attach a short metal grab bar to a brick wall for my Grandfather. The motar between the brick is way to soft to hold a screw and the brick itself is hard fired – meaning I’d have to use a hammer drill and lead anchors. I’m afraid that if I put a drill to the brick it’s likely to crack.
I want to make sure I do the job right – I wouldn’t want this grab bar to pull out…
What should I do?
Your help most appreciated.
-Steve
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Replies
The best way, if possible, is to drill all the way through the wall and pass all-thread to the other side. Secure it on the back side with locking nuts and some small steel plates or some heavy washers.
If that doesn't work then epoxy anchors hold real well. So long as the brick itself is in securely enough that it won't come flying out of the wall.
Assuming the brick is sound, dry and cannot be pulled away:
Drill deep into the mortar and either install expanding sheild anchors (being sure that the sheilds expand against the brick faces rather than the adjacent mortar) or inject the holes with Hilti 2-part anchor epoxy and sink your screws in before it dries.
Hey, you can even do both.
Either way you should not have sudden railing failure. The failure, if any, will happen over time. Keep an eye on it.
Thanks for your help. I think I'll use both methods -- epoxy in the anchor... Any hints on using the epoxy?
-Steve
Blow out the holes with air so the epoxy bonds to the brick and not the dust. Since your holes are in a wall, a faster setting epoxy might be easier to contain. Or you may have to come up with a way to keep the epoxy from running, like using plumber's putty. That's just a guess, I've never done it in a wall before.
The epoxy goes in first, obviously, then the anchor.
If the anchors crack the brick when they expand, use all-thread instead. Drill the hole just large enough for the anchor.