Best Method To Secure Anything To Brick

As a DIYer hanging things on brick or cinder block can become a frustrating project if you don't have the right tools or experience. I will walk you through a simple example of attaching a hook to a brick wall and provide you some options for tools, anchors, attachment points, and common mistakes to avoid.

Chapter
0:00 Intro
0:25 What Type Of Drill Is Needed For Drilling Brick Walls
2:46 What Type Of Drill Bits Are Needed For Drilling Brick Walls
4:25 Should You Drill Into Mortar Or Brick
5:26 Drilling Holes In Brick Walls
7:11 What Type Of Screws Or Anchors To Use From Brick Walls
8:54 Installing Wall Plugs and Screws Into Brick Walls

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[EverydayHomeRepairs]

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[easproul]

I just did a project adding pony walls to enclose my back porch. I used tapcons to attach framing to brick and it worked great. I did follow the recommended bit size, and I'm glad you pointed that out.

[nameismetatoo]

I install security cameras. I tend to use my cordless Bosch hammer drill when I'm only doing 1 or 2 small holes, but I use the Bauer 13 amp rotary hammer from Harbor Freight for anything more (or when I need to drill through more than a couple inches of concrete/brick). I think I got it for around $80, plus another $15-20 for the 16" bits. It's pretty wobbly and not built to the same standard as the more reputable brands, but it works and it hasn't failed me once.

Something you didn't mention but is pretty important is cooling. The cordless hammer drills work at much higher RPM and hammer frequency, and combined with the smaller bits this can quickly cause overheating which can ruin a brand new masonry bit. To combat this, I use a small spray bottle of water and continuously spray the bit and the area around it as I'm drilling. Every 5 seconds or so I back the drill out and spray the bit directly and spray into the hole. This ensures the bit never gets too hot, and as a bonus it also greatly reduces the amount of dust produced (though you should still wear a mask—silicosis is no joke).

Also, if you're drilling all the way through to run wires, make sure to always drill towards the unexposed side of the wall. When you break through the other side there is a good chance that the area around the hole will spall, leaving a rather ugly looking exit hole. If you're feeling lucky you can drill halfway through on one side and then finish it on the other, but this is very difficult to get right and if you're off by even a little it can cause the brick to fracture through it's entire cross-section.

[clutteredchicagogarage]

Great video! For hanging objects on brick, I think you're right that plastic wall plugs + regular epoxy-coated screws are the right choice.

When I need to anchor something to concrete, I like tapcons or other brands of concrete screw anchors that are similar to tapcons. With that said, it's often impossible to remove 3/16 inch tapcons that have been embedded for some time in concrete without the screws breaking. So if you might have to remove your fastener later, I would not use a 3/16 tapcon.

I love my Makita SDS rotary hammer, but I recently additionally bought a Milwaukee M12 hammer drill when I needed to drive a lot of wall plugs + screws into CMU block in a very tight space where I couldn't fit my bigger rotary hammer. Sometimes, for tight spaces, it's nice to have a small hammer drill not a very large rotary hammer. When I need to actually drill big holes into concrete and have plenty of clearance, I would definitely use a SDS rotary hammer over a hammer drill.

[Beehashe]

As a retired mason, I loved plumbers and electricians drilling into bricks. The brick would crack and I would get paid to replace them!😀 Hilti invented tapcons back in the 80s. Before they came around we used Rawl caulkins made of lead and zinc.

[jorgegentle]

Bro this is the longest video for drilling two screws! But thanking you for all you have shared, learned so much on best drill, bits and screw options. Thank you and Subscribed to your channel.

[jake]

Here's my two cents. I've got a little experience installing into all sorts of masonry and concrete from when I used to work in a factory installing large, specialized refrigeration equipment for bars and restaurants.

6:06 -- 1) Some masonry drill bits require a steady stream of water to cool the bit and flush out the swarf. You can do this most easily by taking a common, disposable plastic water bottle, filling it, then puncturing a tiny hole a half inch above the bottle's base. Now your partner can squeeze a stream of clean water onto the bit and hole while you work the drill. 2) Sometimes masonry drill bits require you to start the drilling at a 45 degree angle to the work, then quickly rotate perpendicular to the work and continue drilling normally. This is typically done with smaller, more fragile masonry bits.

9:39 -- 1) Regarding anchoring into concrete, that is a whole 'nother world... a world dominated by Redhead brand concrete anchors. Always, always, ALWAYS drill holes deeper than you need to so you can hammer the Redheads flush with the concrete to hide them should you not need the anchors anymore. Otherwise you'll have to grind all the anchor studs flush... a huge pain. 2) The other major way to anchor into concrete is with Ramsets or similar powder actuated devices. Very efficient way to pin the bottom plate of a house wall to a concrete foundation, for example. 3) God help you if you hit rebar, as it could seriously injure you at worst or severely complicate your project at best.


A video I'd like to see is installing into stucco house siding. Seems terrifying but likely isn't too hard. Something like attaching a fence to stucco.

[MaryOKC]

I was really afraid I’d screw this up even after watching several other videos of how to do this correctly - you gave me the confidence to drill into my brick house and porch columns to put up a screen porch! Thank you. ❤

[akaCamo]

For the few times I have drilled into the wall to mount a camera or motion light I've always chosen to drill into the mortar and not the brick. I figure if the brick face gets chipped or cracked it would be a mess whereas if the mortar fell out or got ruined or I made a mistake drilling I could repair the mortar. Thanks for making another informative video.

[mnmn]

Tapcons are like magic. Love 'em. Proper drill bit and size is crucial.

[danielmcfarland]

That's a really great demo, Scott. Thank you!
2 things I would add, one from experience and one from inexperience: Along with instructing not to over-tighten and thereby strip the hole, I should mention how the hole needs to be deeper than the screw (bc I've seen people neglect this and have a really tough time getting the screw all the way in) and along that vein, it's really much smarter to drive the Tapcon screws with a quarter inch magnetic nut driver, and NOT the flat head screw driver slot! 😱 Ugh. It really is basic DIY, but if you're just getting started with power tools, using and knowing to use something as straight forward as a nut driver is not already a given and that silly slot on the end of a Tapcon could have a newbie risking a slip that could put a screw driver through a finger! 😵🤕 I had a window treatment designer trying to do just this method with both problems before I explained to her what she could do better.

Second thought: I used a Milwaukee M12 Hammer Drill combo to install window treatments in concrete and brick for nearly 2 years around the Chicago area (anything downtown is SO likely to be concrete...🙄 I guess they're afraid of fire for some reason 😂). Mainly bc it was the smallest and lightest hammer drill the guy who trained me could find (in our kind of work, weight matters a good deal) and I just followed along. Just recently, I went solo and had decided (like you said) an SDS+ bit with a Hammer Drill like you used would be worth the additional weight, and expense. But, I admit to making a very rookie mistake of my own on my first use of my awesome new Dewalt SDS+ Hammer Drill: Since on drill Combo unit you rotate the selector chuck from drill to hammer to get the impact you need for "hammer drilling" and the icon is a hammer 🔨, I was a little unclear what to use on the new model that had 2 icons, a hammer 🔨, and a drill... I've still only used it a couple times and was and am REALLY pleased with how well it worked...But, I think I need to go back and read the manual a little more carefully, as I'm pretty sure I've just dulled my expensive new bit by using the hammer setting and making holes by literally HAMMERING a bit straight into concrete instead of hammer-DRILLING (WITH rotation)! 🤦🏻😭😄
Am I right? The Hammer 🔨 icon on the Combo drill is correct for THAT device, but on an SDS+ drill the same icon means No Rotation, specifically for bits that chisel! 👷🏻
It's okay...I'm a professional. 😅

My wife got me a tee-shirt that says on it, "This is not a drill."

Underneath it is a picture of a screwdriver.

[jimvielbig]

Most homeowners are going to have a hard time justifying an SDS hammer drill, though renting one is a good option. I’ve drilled dozens of holes into concrete and brick with my standard Makita and Ryobi hammer Drills and they work just fine as long as the bits are of good quality and are still sharp.

[Acts-]

Great video!! With electric work, im usually using tapcons to mount emt or pvc or light fixtures. They basically work great for me. Ive always stripped out the mortar, one tip i sometimes use is to start the tapcons with my impact and then finish tightening by hand with my 10-in1.

[larryz]

I have used both Tapcon screws and inserts with screws and I like them equally. I have never drilled into the brick as I am always afraid that I will crack it and then have a mess to deal with. I usually just use my DeWalt standard battery drill for the holes and I have a HF Hammer drill that I use when drilling into concrete. Great video, as usual!!

[bustermv]

Excellent lesson. Clear and concise instruction to guide you all the way. Glad I watched. Thanks.

[eyesaidthat]

I like Tapcons and also the plastic anchors are good too. I Use Tapcons for heavy applications, never had a problem.

[AnyMjorDude]

If only this video was around when we did our own screened-in porch extension. I remember countless trips to the big box store and bits and hammer rotary drill, rentals, Youtube videos, etc. We used Tapcon for securing the ledger board to brick. I recalled the package came with a temporary use masonry bit. Didn't have the time or experience to mess around so Tapcon it was.

[anneoreilly]

What a great alternative to tapcon. I’ve found that brick varies quite a bit. Just use the right size and style of bit and the right drill then the job will go smoothly.
Looking forward to the next video on concrete anchors!

[monabri]

I like the tip about using a punch to prepare the hole for drilling, it should help prevent drill tip wander!
I've not come across "tap con" in the UK. Rawlplugs have been around for at least 40 years, maybe longer. I always install into the mortar. Looking at the side of my neighbours house, they had ( old tech) broadband installed a decade or so ago...the installer made a real pig's ear of it, drilling through the brick with God knows what drill bit, resulting in the brick spalling off in big chunks at the cable entry points.

[joemoore]

I like the way you simplify DIY. Thanks