Screws into masonry

[Pot Bellied Fool]

Hi all.

I've got some nice, heavy rustic shelves to put up. But that's a bit of an aside.

I was complaining to someone about the problems with drilling intop the old Victorian plaster in here and it was suggested I use masonry screws rather than the traditional drill/rawlplug/screw that my Dad taught me back in the days of black & white... https://www.toolstation.com/masonry-torx-frame-fix...

What manner of witchcraft is this? Screwing directly into brick?

Anyone used them? Do they work? Sounds like they may make my life somewhat easier!

[SHutchinson]

AFAIK, you still need to drill a hole then screw them in. But yes, there are plenty of them used in my house. They are what most UPVC external doors are held in with.

Personally, I'd still go Drill -> Fischer DuoPower -> Screw.

[SteBrown91]

Masonary screws are excellent for anything thats staying put (doors, windows, large furniture items etc), however if you ever have to take the shelf down and put back up again, the screw will not grip as well.

As above id just go for some more snazzy plugs like duopower or similar, or use normal rawlplugs but with a blob of chemical resin to help it stay put.

[Belle427]

I have never got on with them and prefer a good quality old fashioned rawl plug.

[Simpo Two]

Pot Bellied Fool said:

I was complaining to someone about the problems with drilling intop the old Victorian plaster in here

Just use screws/rawlplugs long enough to get into sound brickwork.

[Aluminati]

Tapcons for the win. Always make sure you drill the hole .5 of a mm smaller than the fixing.

If soft brick, 1mm under.

[POIDH]

SHutchinson said:

Personally, I'd still go Drill -> Fischer DuoPower -> Screw.

^ this
Fischer do seem to hold better than cheap generic ones.

[AmazingGrace]

Use Fischer plugs and coach screw
Something like a 12mm plug and a 10mm screw will hold well enough. Prob overkill but better that than it falling down.

[Ryyy]

Torx fixings are great but you're still going into possibly soft bricks.

If the fixing isn't very good with torx fixings use a plug with it.

If the fixing isn't good with a normal screw and plug, put another plug in it

Or what about resin fixing? Only ever used r kem but never had any bother with it.

Edited by Ryyy on Friday 5th December 21:39