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I have never had success with concrete nails, whether I am putting in edge strip for carpet or nailing a new wall in. I have a few large hammers but when I hit the thing through the plate and it touches the concrete it just bends over. The nails are trade quality so I can't blame them.
Any idea what I am doing wrong? Do I need a larger persuader?
No, you need softer concrete:D
I have the same problem, thought it was just me:doh:
Pre drill.
Al :)
Is that a serious answer Al? I asked and was told no, pre-drilling is not required - I specifically told them the slab was 15 years hardened. If that advice is wrong there is going to be a body in the Mitre 10 skip tomorrow :((, I asked twice!Quote:
Originally Posted by ozwinner
I have found that the best use for concrete nails is within a couple of weeks of pouring the slab and a small lump-hammer works well . After that the concrete does get to hard .
Rick
I have given up on concrete nails, these days I drill, insert spaghetti and use normal mild steel nails. Quick, easy and certainly cheaper.
Tell the bloke from M10 Im really sorry that he is a doofusQuote:
Originally Posted by Groggy
I always pre drill and some times insert spag too.
The concrete is just too hard for the Chinese "concrete" nails Im sorry.
Al :)
The only time I would try to drive nails into concrete is with one of these.
Otherwise its hammer drill hole, insert spaghetti(for screws) and drive away.:wink:
Thanks mate, wasn't sure if you were having a lend. I should have known better than to take the guys advice, although he was about my age.Quote:
Originally Posted by ozwinner
With a slab of that age, pre-drilling is necessary. Whether you use spaghetti and one nail or 2-3, 3" nails and no spaghetti into a single hole is up to you. For bottom plates, I've found each to be as effective as each other which is handy if you don't have spaghetti on hand or the correct size drill bit for it.
Avoid using a claw hammer for driving the nails though. The face of the hammer may chip which could ruin your hammer and possibly hurt you if the chip were to hit you in your face. A mash hammer is a safer option. Claw hammers aren't designed to hit hardened steel but we do it frequently.:o
HTH,
Mark.
Mate, not everybody is a genius.Quote:
Originally Posted by Groggy
Al :p
I was hoping for experience to carry him over the line :) . Genius? Heck, I can't even drive a nail in concrete....:-Quote:
Originally Posted by ozwinner
That's a good safety tip Mark, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by duckman
How many nails are you looking at driving in?
Forget the Ramset, thats old fashion technology.
There is an electric drill that works like a hammer drill, a lot of chippies use the to fix the frame to the slab.
It comes with a string of nails set in a cartridge so you can just go from nail to nail with no effort.
If you have a few to drive pay a visit to a hire shop and see what they have.
Al :)
All mitre 10 employees should be thrown in a dumpster .... or trained better . As I said earlier , if they don't know , don't pretend to know .
The owners of these shops should take their responsibility more seriously and spend more on staff training . Even if they got the suppliers of concrete nails to come to their shop just one day and explain to all staff the use of their product , the same with tile underlay , paint , screws , garden products , whatever , it shouldn't cost mitre 10 anything as the supplier should be happy to provide the service . Am I the only one on this planet who has any common sense ?!
If you are going to drill you might as well use dyna bolts .
Groggy, I built my own house and didn't use concrete nails or spaghetti for attaching the frames to the concrete. I used Dynabolts, takes a bit longer and costs a bit more but when it blows a gale I can sleep at night.
Belts and braces........................
For attaching anything non-structural to concrete or brickwork I use spaghetti, which I reckon is one of the best things since sliced bread.
I have about three short walls to put in: one 1.5m, another 1.5m, a 1.5m with a door in it and a larger 3m wall. I reckon about 20-30 nails max.
Given what everyone said though, dynabolts are looking good about now.
Thanks for all the advice!
Groggy,Quote:
Originally Posted by Groggy
Unless you are also going to tie the rafter/trusses to the top plates and the top plates to the studs and then tie the studs to the bottom plates, using dynabolts will (probably) keep your bottom plates in place, but the remainder of the structure would be able to be torn off by the wind.
As for concrete nails, one nail near the base of each stud is plenty. Fixings through bottom plates are primarily used to prevent horizontal movement of the plate and so allow us to push and pull the timber straight. Those fixings are not designed to prevent your house blowing away which here in Victoria, is a very remote possibility.
HTH,
Mark.
Yep, did all of those, as far as I know they are actually required by the building code.............
Yeh, they got tough with tie down procedures and amended the codes about ten years ago now. It's a bit of a pain tying down a bearer through ant caps without letting the little buggers through.Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Shed