Can't get a single tapcon screw to work w/out breaking!

[Michael Donahue]

Hey folks. I've build some railings and now I'm trying to mount them to concrete steps. I'm using the titan post anchors and they call for 1/4"x 2 1/4" fasteners. I bought tapcon concrete screws that size and the right sized bit (3/16") that they called for. I've already broken the first 3 screws I tried to set and I don't know what to do! I know that too much torque can snap them, so I turned down the torque on my drill and then they wouldn't budge. When I turned the torque up enough that the screws would actually turn, I wound up breaking the screws!

Can you give me an idea what I may be doing wrong? Are there better fasteners that I could use? Thanks for the help.

[Prashun Patel]

After drilling the pilot hole, are you blowing out the hole so there's no dust in it? Also, are you drilling a good 1/2" - 3/4" deeper than you need to?

If no, then try those things. Concrete dust does not compress as wood fibers do, so if there's mess in the hole, it ain't going nowhere. Yr screw's gonna sit there until you torque it enough to break the head.

Personally I prefer the lead anchors for a permanent installation; they have some 'give' around the screw and in the concrete, so they make for a tighter connection that won't become brittle over time. I'm no pro; just my anecdotal experience.

[Thomas Knapp]

I have installed quite a few tapcons.
#1 make sure that your pilot hole is deeper that the tapcon.
#2 run the bit up and down in the hole a few times to clean it out.
# 3 double check the size of your bit and make sure the edges have not broken off and made the diameter smaller.

Most of the times tapcons have broken, when I used them, the hole was too shallow or debris in the hole packed in the bottom. Either situation makes the tip bottom out before the head is seated. Old .chipped, or too small of drill bit comes in second. Another problem is cheap off brand fasteners that are just crap.

[Thomas Knapp]

I guess you type faster than I do. Your answer wasn't there when I started typing mine. There are a lot of fasteners that are stronger than tapcons. Tapcons are popular because they are usually quick to install and are fairly strong. Hilti expansion anchors are a little more money and take a little longer to install, but are quite a bit stronger.

After drilling the pilot hole, are you blowing out the hole so there's no dust in it? Also, are you drilling a good 1/2" - 3/4" deeper than you need to?

If no, then try those things. Concrete dust does not compress as wood fibers do, so if there's mess in the hole, it ain't going nowhere. Yr screw's gonna sit there until you torque it enough to break the head.

Personally I prefer the lead anchors for a permanent installation; they have some 'give' around the screw and in the concrete, so they make for a tighter connection that won't become brittle over time. I'm no pro; just my anecdotal experience.

[Don Abele]

Michael, I drove hundreds of TapCons when I refinished my basement and the advice you got above is spot on.

The hole must be drilled 1/2" deeper than the actual screw. The drill bits that come in the box are extra long for that purpose.

The holes must also be the right diameter. So if you didn't get a box with the bit, be sure and buy the correct bit. Also, the bit does wear out. In a typical box I would go through about half the box then replace the bit. The cost of the bits were much cheaper than the frustration of snapping off the heads.

Lastly, the hole must be clear of debris. Just running the bit in and out doesn't clear it enough and the 1/2" clearance hole may be filled. I used my little pancake compressor and gave each hole a shot of air before driving the screw.

Yes, even with all that taken into account, I still snapped a few or had them not want to drive in all the way. But my percentages dropped significantly when I followed the above advice.

Be well,

Doc

[Michael Donahue]

Thanks for all of the replies folks. I used the right size bit and drilled the hole deeper than the screws. I think my holes ended up being an 1"+ deeper than my screws so I figured that extra dust would collect down there and not interfere with the screws. I'll double check the depth and maybe try my shop vac to clean out the holes.

[CPeter James]

I have had good luck using an impact driver on the Tapcon screws. It seems to work better that the drill/driver. Also, don't try to over tighten them. That is guaranteed to snap them off.

CPeter

[Brent Smith]

Along with the above advise I would add that sometimes running a tapcon in and out of a hole that's bogging down helps. I've also used a bar of soap on some that were troublesome.

[Joe Scharle]

I have had good luck using an impact driver on the Tapcon screws. It seems to work better that the drill/driver. Also, don't try to over tighten them. That is guaranteed to snap them off.

CPeter

I drove 40 on Sat with my impact driver. It did seem to work better than a drill. I'd always followed the directions, but I had the impact driver in-hand and the drill was in the shop. I've got 200+ more to do after the plumbers get through and I'll certainly try it again.

[Don Abele]

I didn't initially mention it but I used a Dewalt 18v impact driver and it was night and day different from the Dewalt 18v drill. Impact driver required next to no downward force and spun them right in. With the drill, I had to push pretty had and it took more effort. I think I ran through a box with the drill on a single charge. The impact drove two or three boxes on a single charge.

BTW, I'd recommend getting impact-grade bits - the standard ones snap off pretty easily (DAMHIKT).

Be well,

Doc

[Michael Donahue]

I had trouble breaking the screws with just my drill. I don't see how the extra torque of the impact would help Wouldn't they snap more readily?

[Chad Helme]

The last time I had a major snapping fit with tapcons, I had taken the bit from a box of tapcons, and began using it with some tapcons that I "thought" came from that same box. But they did not come from that box, and that drill bit was the wrong size. During that process, before I discovered my error, and in a frantic effort to produce different results, I switched from the drill to the impact, which snapped em off just as easily.

Its tough when you're in a finish situation, when there are 4 holes, only 4, and they have to all work and look good. We recenlty installed some vinyl basement windows for a customer at work. We had to drill through the vinyl window jam and into the foundation. No way to hide the screws, and no other way to secure the window. Ughhhhh.

Best thing to do, is to buy extra screws. Send one in until it snuggs, then back it out and plow the hole a bit more with the drill bit. Repeat with a NEW SCREW again and again until one finally goes in all the way. And it is very important to not over tighten. With a drill, its tight when the handle just starts to twist in your hands, and with an impact, its when the two things you are bolting together just clamp flush to eachother. Stop immediately!

If its super important that things go well, start with the smallest size tapcon you can possibly use. Then, if you snap one off, you can drill it out and go for the next size up.

Good luck.

[harry strasil]

Food for Thought, if they break, snap, pop that easy what's gonna happen when someone leans against the railing or happens to fall against it.

[george wilson]

I rub candles on screws,drill holes that are larger than the minor diameter of the screws,and deep enough to clear their length. Beeswax candles stick best.

[Chad Helme]

that works with wood, does it also work with tapcons into concrete?