My Daughter's Fence

[KevT]

Hahaha, Hey Brandi, Would you believe I actually went to a "Tapcon" school to learn about them. The biggest problem you will have is that they will corrode and rust and be useless in 3-8 years. The copper sulfate in the pt lumber will eat the finish then the screw, rain and moisture will attack what is exposed because the nut driver rubbed the paint off. Now let us think about this tapcons are about 40 cents each (in bulk from warehouse store not home depots 25 ct box) sleeve anchors are about 1.75 each. It is much easier and cheaper to just replace the tapcons when you need to. You are not using them as a structural placement. If it were me there would be no question, tapcons are the next best thing since Velcro!!!

Now make sure your concrete is cured (hard) because they will strip in mason block and green concrete

Hope that helps,
Kev

 

[s219]

I'm planning on securing the fence's bottom 2x4 with fasteners to the concrete. I am wondering about using 5/16 Tapcon concrete bolts. Has anyone here used Tapcon screws or bolts?

I've only used old style bolts that you drill, hammer, in and then tighten to expand the base in the concrete.
hugs, Brandi

I have used Tapcons many times before, and they work well. I tend to use them 3-4 at a time to secure stuff to walls, though once used a dozen or so to attach a door jamb to a block wall. However, run the math for the cost and time involved, as I think it could get out of hand for dozens or hundreds of fasteners compared to other options. For those situations, I normally revert to my old Remington stud driver and shoot things down. Or for heavier applications, lag bolts and lag shields.

If you don't own one, you can rent a stud driver (often called a "Hilti" gun in the trades) for not much money, and the cartridges and nails are not too expensive in bulk.

Be aware if attaching to green concrete, any kind of fastener can give you issues. Not sure what timing is required and/or how concrete mix and stuff like fiber reinforcing impact things, I just know that when I worked construction many years ago, we did not like shooting studs or drilling into recently cured concrete. In situations where something needed to be attached on a quicker schedule, the best option is to embed "j" anchors in the concrete when it's poured.

Good luck!

 

[bindian]

Thanks guys. My next question was how soon can I put the tapcons, in. I wanted to do it the next day. Guess I will use J bolts. I want some structural reinforcement to tie the concrete to the 2x4 and posts to prevent movement when the black gumbo dries and cracks.
hugs, Brandi

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

J bolts would be much better. Just make sure u get exterior grade, rated for pt lumber.

 

[KevT]

Hmmm, You are building a fence, not a barn. Are you going to want to deal with looking at those J-bolts? When I look at the first pic, I see that they used stands to hold the bottom rail off the block, are you doing the same? An exposed bottom plate tight to the concrete will trap moisture and rot the wood faster. You will find yourself doing a lot more work in order to deal with j-bolts instead of tapcons. If you have ever looked at a bird cage over a pool, you will notice that they are installed with tapcons. And cholrine is a lot more abusive than weather. My opinion, let the concrete cure 14 days and use tapcons.

 

[bindian]

Hmmm, You are building a fence, not a barn. Are you going to want to deal with looking at those J-bolts? When I look at the first pic, I see that they used stands to hold the bottom rail off the block, are you doing the same? An exposed bottom plate tight to the concrete will trap moisture and rot the wood faster. You will find yourself doing a lot more work in order to deal with j-bolts instead of tapcons. If you have ever looked at a bird cage over a pool, you will notice that they are installed with tapcons. And cholrine is a lot more abusive than weather. My opinion, let the concrete cure 14 days and use tapcons.

I was planning to bolt the 2x4s straight to the concrete. The wire and the 2x2s that hold the wire in place will cover the bolts.

Why would anyone want to put a bird cage over a pool?

I don't have the luxury of waiting 14 days for the concrete to cure. I have to be finished in the time frame we told the home owners association.
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

I've had great success with anchor bolts in concrete, I don't really care for the screws. Even when using the drill bit provided and drilling an inch or more deeper then the length of the screw, I find they don't always grip, or even worse, they wont go in all the way. I have a SDS rotary hammer that I carry with me all the time in my truck for half inch holes or smaller, plush chipping concrete, and then I have a 1 9/16 SDS Max rotary hammer for larger holes and jack hammering. The weight difference and cost is significant, but so is the power.

If you go with the screws, be sure to get the hex head ones. The phillips heads are very hard to get tight and not strip out.

Eddie

 

[bindian]

J bolts would be much better. Just make sure u get exterior grade, rated for pt lumber.

I usually use galvanized eye bolts.
hugs, Brandi

 

[KevT]

I was planning to bolt the 2x4s straight to the concrete. The wire and the 2x2s that hold the wire in place will cover the bolts.

Why would anyone want to put a bird cage over a pool?

I don't have the luxury of waiting 14 days for the concrete to cure. I have to be finished in the time frame we told the home owners association.
hugs, Brandi

I forget what Texas is like... only lived in the pan handle for a short time. But here in FL we put screen enclosures around our pools to keep insects, snakes and gators out of the pool. Actually you can include coons, and them long skinny legged birds too. Not to mention leaves and grass clippings. We call em "Bird Cages" although it is to cage em out, not in. And looking at what I just wrote, why do I live here exactly??? Gators, snakes, birds with sharp beaks... makes you wonder

My wife is a CAM manager and I know she would agree that if you went to the HOA and told them to do it right it would take longer. I work for HOAs all the time, and find them agreeable as long as it doesn't cost them money.

I would cut little blocks out of 2x4s and anchor those, then run your bottom plate on top of them. That allows water to run under the fence (no dam created, nothing to catch debris) and air to circulate allowing to dry. You can still do it with bolts, just counter sink the nuts and cut the bolts flush

 

[KevT]

I forgot, besides all those big critters I mentioned, we have the little ones too... scorpions, wasps, horse flies, deer flies, yellow flies, mosquitos, red velvet ants, fire ants, gnats, fleas, and the infamous "No Seeums"!!! Makes ya wanna move here, Huh?