Best way to attach fireplace surround to brick?

[Louis Brandt]

Hello,
This may be more of a masonry question than a woodworking one, but I’ll ask it anyway. I’m in the process of building a fireplace mantel and surround, and I have to attach the three sided foundation (3 /4 inch oak plywood) to the brick, and I have two questions.
One, my instinct tells me to drill and insert metal anchors, then use lag screws into the anchors to secure the foundation to the brick. Does anyone feel that there is a better way?
Two, would you recommend drilling directly into the faces of the bricks themselves or into the mortar joints between the bricks?
Louis

[tod evans]

louis, i always try and hit a mortar joint, 1)it drills easier, 2) it`s much easier to patch if you or somebody down the road changes their mind.
i attach a nailer to the brick and fasten the mantle to the nailer, if you can leave off one wrap of trim so you can hide your fasteners under it you`ll have a clean looking install...02 tod

[Louis Brandt]

Tod,
Thanks for the reply. I'll be using the 3/4 inch oak plywood as foundation boards, then nailing the actual legs, pilasters, plinth blocks, breastplate, etc., to those, but my concern is, what's the best way to attach the foundation boards to the brick (or mortar)? I've been told by someone that tapcon screws are best, but when I look at those, I find that they don't have any way to expand behind the brick (like a metal anchor does). Do you have a preference between using metal anchors/lag screws and using tapcon screws?
Louis

[Jason Roehl]

Louis, Tapcons are plenty strong. Just hammer-drill the hole with the correct size bit, according to the Tapcon package. I prefer the #3 Philips drive screws, as they can be countersunk. Try 'em, you'll like 'em.

[tod evans]

louis, tapcons work well as do the redhead expanding anchors but what i`ve pretty much gone to for most of my masonry fastening is the powers drive ins. here`s a couple pics one of the drive ins asst. lengths the other of two types of redheads and a tapcon. for a mantle even wooden plugs and screws will hold fine they`re not prone to jumping off the wall:) ..02 tod

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