TAPCON'S ARE ACES WITH ME!

[chief38]

After moving into our new home last month I am finally building my new work shop. Unlike my last home that had my shop in our full basement, this home doesn't have a basement and so part of my three car garage will serve as my shop. Since I now only have two vehicles (sold my Harley and other cars) I will only need two parking spots so my new condensed shop will be about 10 feet wide x 20 feet deep. The saving Grace to this much smaller workshop is that the ceiling is 11 feet high and so it offers plenty of shelf space.

The garage side walls are made of concrete block and I needed to put up many many shelves. I looked into a few different systems and settled on extra heavy duty double slotted standards with heavy duty brackets to enable me to adjust the shelving anyway I want. I did not want shelving below eye level as that will be where my work benches, tool boxes, reloading equipment etc. will go.

So the question is how to mount them onto the concrete block...... Tapcon concrete screws was my solution! They are the blue screws and have a Torx drive head so they don't strip out. Each 48" standard is held by six 1/4" x 2 1/4" Tapcon screws and I am happy to report they are nothing short of fantastic! They are the best system for mounting fasteners in concrete and about the strongest way to do so that I have ever used. To use these in quantity (I will using about 200+ of them) a real corded Hammer Drill is needed. With my Milwaukee SDS+ Hammer Drill and a good quality masonry bits, it makes short work of drilling the 3/16" holes for the 1/4" screws. According to Tapcon, they are rated to hold 1,000 pounds each! While I would never put anywhere near that weight up, it is reassuring to know they are super strong! BTW the Standards themselves are rated at 500 lbs each.

Anyone contemplating a system for mounting shelving onto a concrete wall owes it to themselves to try these Tapcon screws out - easy, straight forward, stronger than any other method I have used. Well, there ya go - now to pick up the plywood to cut shelving so I can get my stuff unpacked.

 

[jeffrefrig]

As a retired tradesman, (Steamfitter/RHVAC service tech) I've seen them and used them hundreds of times. They are some great and quick fasteners. I've never seen the "bugle head" ones I see you've used but that's good to know they're available. I've always seen & used the 5/16" hex head variety. One and only drawback I can see is they're permanent, which I suppose is best for shelving, compared to the plastic anchor fasteners that we used for mounting devices that may (will) need replaced one day. Often we mounted plywood to the wall with Tapcons then mounted whatever to that with regular screws. Sunsetter Awnings sent larger 5/8" bolts to mount the hanging bracket with. 1/4" pilot holes required. Nice job you have there. I put those shelves in my basement; very sturdy.

 

[djohns6]

Have you priced that plywood yet ? Get ready for sticker shock ..

 

[chief38]

Have you priced that plywood yet ? Get ready for sticker shock ..

I just got off the Lowes website and will be heading there in an hour - yes, I did see the prices and I am in SHOCK!!! Between the Standards, Brackets and the plywood it's gonna set me back at least $2500 - $3000 for the shelving and a super duty workbench. That said, I really have no choice because stand alone metal "warehouse type" shelving is out of the question here. I need the opened wall space below the 5 1/2 foot level for workbenches, compressor, toolboxes, etc. At this point I just want this DONE!

The mini split a/c unit was installed last month and they also insulated the garage doors and ceiling. So far so good! Loving the 11 foot ceilings and after the shelving and workbenches are done, my next step is better lighting.

 

[NYlakesider]

For sure the Tapcons are great, used many of them over my pipefitter career!

 

[ladder13]

11 feet of block? Nice bunker.

 

[djohns6]

Have you seen the Gladiator workbenches ? I got mine from Lowe's . You can park your truck on top it . Well , almost .. It's a beast .

 

[jeffrefrig]

Nine dollars+ for a darned 2 x 4. I have stuff that needs taken care of around here but not a lot that's gonna need building materials, thank God!
That's nice moving into a brand new garage like that. Must be fun. Good luck!

 

[Drm50]

Tapcons are handy but make sure you don’t over tighten. Using them to hang conduit , meter sockets, ect on block walls I found it best to set gun light and finish with ratchet. You need to feel when it’s bottomed. Especially true when you are using the mortar joints.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

For over 30 years, I've kept an index of Tapcon screws and drill bits in the truck. I try to maintain an assortment from 3/4 to 4 inch length and every diameter I can buy. There are other brands that have screw heads that Tapcon doesn't.

Concrete products get harder with time (until they just become brittle!) I've had to install hand rails on many old block and poured foundations. I have a monster Milwaukee Roto Hammer (that is rated to drill 2 1/4" holes in granite or up to 6" core saws) that I have adapted to SDS. When I was in good condition I would lay out 15 to 25 holes, drill them, and go rest for an hour or two! The first rail system I retrofitted, the safety inspector didn't think it would hold up to a serious test. We used a 4 ton jack and couldn't budge the Tapcons. A year later, I tested it same rail with a 10 ton House Jack. Of course it failed!, but I was surprised at all the effort it did withstand!

Ivan

 

[chief38]

Have you seen the Gladiator workbenches ? I got mine from Lowe's . You can park your truck on top it . Well , almost .. It's a beast .

The Work bench I am building will be 17 feet wide, 30" deep and 40 inches high. Since we now live within 50 yards of the water, my garage was built so the floor is pitched and I need to build a work bench with custom sized varying legs so that the bench remains level. Impossible to buy what I want - therefore it must be built.

In answer to your question..... yes I have seen the Gladiator Work Bench and was quite impressed with it! I did look at it for about 10 minutes about a month ago. Unfortunately - it won't really fulfill my requirements. If I did not need special sizing it is a great unit.

 

[chief38]

Tapcons are handy but make sure you don’t over tighten. Using them to hang conduit , meter sockets, ect on block walls I found it best to set gun light and finish with ratchet. You need to feel when it’s bottomed. Especially true when you are using the mortar joints.

So far I have installed just under 90 Tapcon's and have only broken one. The reason for that broken one was because for that particular hole I had the incorrect sized masonry bit in my hammer drill. My friend was helping me and put a 5/32" bit in the drill instead of the 3/16" required. After that screw broke I changed out the bit. I also made it a point to use a Ratchet instead of an impact or power driven tool - that helps prevent breakage because you can feel the torque. Quite honestly, I am amazed at how well heat treated, strong and forgiving they are!

 

[chief38]

As a retired tradesman, (Steamfitter/RHVAC service tech) I've seen them and used them hundreds of times. They are some great and quick fasteners. I've never seen the "bugle head" ones I see you've used but that's good to know they're available. I've always seen & used the 5/16" hex head variety. One and only drawback I can see is they're permanent, which I suppose is best for shelving, compared to the plastic anchor fasteners that we used for mounting devices that may (will) need replaced one day. Often we mounted plywood to the wall with Tapcons then mounted whatever to that with regular screws. Sunsetter Awnings sent larger 5/8" bolts to mount the hanging bracket with. 1/4" pilot holes required. Nice job you have there. I put those shelves in my basement; very sturdy.

Most sized Tapcon's (from what I have recently learned) are available with Hex head, Torx head and Phillips head. I've use both the Hex and Torx versions but would never opt to use the Phillips head version unless I was left no choice - especially when installing hundreds of them. The Hex is actually great however for my application I needed a flush fit so as not to stick out and interfere with the Brackets attaching to the Standards. The Hex head would interfere. I believe there is also a Square drive version (mostly for commercial applications) but I have never seen them in the big box home improvement stores.

BTW, 1/2" X 3" Tapcon Bolts with the Hex head are excellent for fastening a gun safe to a concrete floor. IMHO they are even more secure than the traditional expanding plug and screw system I have used in the past. The Tapcon's will NOT pull out like the plugs / shields sometimes will. So far I am quite impressed with them- hence this post.

 

[H Richard]

Have used off and on for many years, Ideal for their purposes. Especially when my wife wants to hang Christmas decorations.

 

[wood714]

Been using them for many years.

Their a must when you live in a concrete block house.

When the locksmith company delivered my new safe a couple days ago they gave me 4 4" by 3/8 Tapcon screws to bolt it down.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Make sure you fill every hole in that shelf system with a screw for maximum strength.

Mostly if heavy items are going to be put on the shelves.

Real heavy items belong on the floor.

Don't ask, how I know this.

 

[snubbyfan]

With a brick house and concrete block garage, I've gone through lotsa tapcons.

 

[g-dad]

Chief38, glad you found the Tapcons worked well for you. I work part time at Lowe's in the tool and hardware section. Anytime someone asks for concrete fasteners I take them straight to the Tapcons. They've always worked well for me.

 

[John_M52]

A real corded hammer drill and impact socket driver and you are ready to roll. I have had issues with concrete block crumbling and fake redheads not performing.