Hello,
I plan on attaching a metal deck rail to a recent addition on my home. The deck is above a workshop so I want the rail to be very strong. It will be attached on top of a double row lock of brick that the deck floor is flush with. The brick corbels out to form the double row lock. The base plates for the rail posts are 4 hole pattern that with 3/8″ holes. I thought I would place threaded rods into oversize holes and use concrete epoxy to fix them in and bolt the base plates down. I thought this would be stronger that Tapcons or anchors. My thought process is that the anchors may loosen over time and the epoxy would basically make the bolts and posts part of the entire brick structure.
By the way I have used concrete epoxy before and have all the necessary equipment to properly apply it. I have wondered how it will work when I drill into the voids of the brick and if I would need to drill through the other side for good anchoring strength.
Am I on the right track or are there better and stronger methods for this application? I will try to attach a picture of the attacment area.
All suggestions and advice will be appreciated! Thanks.
Dale
Edited 1/12/2009 10:16 pm ET by jiver
Replies
Dale, if you are sure the bricks will stay put your idea will work.I have done something similar except in a concrete wall.My only concern is the row lock.
Otherwise can you bring the rail back to fasten on a header, ledger or solid framing.You would need to waterproof around the baseplate of course,but the rail would be solid.
mike
Mike
Thanks for the reply. I am somewhat concerned about the rowlock also. The masons who did the job said it would be no problem but I still wonder. I am going to attempt to post a picture again to show the area. There is no wood framing at all -just the row lock to attach the bottom of the rail to and brick columns to attach the sides of the rail to.
Nice looking porch,is the parquet Ipe? What is under the parquet floor,framing or concrete?
mike
I'm suspecting you got a ceement footing or wall under that brick.
I'd core out a hole big enuff to slip in a galvanized tube and then slip your post into that.
There's guys dying to be called to come and drillout those cores. Shop around and you won't believe what some will do it for.
Thanks guys,
The floor is ipe supported on a pedestal sysytem that I installed. There is a sloping floor underneath the ipe which is ply sheathing on top of I joists that forms the ceiling of the garage/workshop underneath. There is EPDM membrane on top of the sheathing.
The rowlock of brick is formed on top of 8" concrete block wall. To get the double row of brick the brick outer wall corbels out. Where the ipe floor meets the wall there is 1 brick and then below there is the 8" block wall. There is nothing like a footing or solid concrete to attach the posts to.
Thanks for all the input and future suggetsions. My main concern of course is getting the strongest installation.
Dale