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    Home » Video » DIY TV

    Drill Into Brick or Mortar When Hanging Something? - GF Video

    by Eric · This post may contain affiliate links, its one way we pay the bills. · 5 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links, it helps us pay the bills, more info here.

    Do you drill into the brick or mortar when you are going to hang a picture, TV, or shelves on a brick wall? I get this question all the time when people watch our first how to hang shelves on a brick wall video.

    There are all sorts of experts on the web, with varying degrees of expertise, who will weigh in on this topic. I work 80% of the time in 120 year old brownstone row houses, where there are many brick walls. I have hung many TVs, heavy mirrors, large pictures, etc. on brick walls. So I have an opinion about what is best that is based on experience.

    Do You Drill Into Brick or the Mortar?

    I've seen lots of crumbling mortar in the old buildings I work in, and some bad brick, but I always drill into the brick. If you are drilling into cinder block or cement block, I drill into that and not the cement pointing around the block.

    drill-into-brick-or-mortar-1

    In my mind, bricks are stronger than the mortar around them. They can hold an anchor and a screw or bolt well. I suggest using plastic anchors for lightweight objects, and lead anchors for medium weight items. For heavy things like TVs, you should use sleeved anchors. Be aware that once you put a sleeved anchor into brick or block, it probably won't come back out, its permanent. Something to consider if the house is a rental.

    When drilling into cinder block, aka cement block, most blocks have hollow spaces in them, so you may be pressing on the drill and then you will hit the hollow space, and the drill will slam into the cement face. If the cinder block is an outside wall, the hollow spaces may be filled with cement and rebar (reinforcing rod) if you hit rebar with the drill bit, its not good. The drill bit will be damaged and you can't drill through rebar with a masonry bit.

    Image of drilling into wall linking to a videoBTW, here is detailed post on how to hang a TV on a cement wall using sleeved anchors.

    For tools, you can buy a decent hammer drill for not a lot of money. Here are some links to buy a hammer drill and masonry drill bits

    You get what you pay for when buying tools, especially with masonry bits. Don't cheap out on them.

    « If You At Least Try, You Won't Fail - GF Radio 389
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Handy Housemaid

      November 27, 2015 at 9:26 am

      Thank you for the video!

    2. Adam

      May 12, 2016 at 10:37 pm

      Thanks for the post. If the wall is rendered, how do you figure out where to drill in order to hit the brick and not the mortar or somewhere in-between? Is there a tool or technique to identify what is beneath the render ?

    3. Eric

      May 16, 2016 at 2:46 pm

      sorry, there isn't. that's the problem with finished cement. thx!

    4. Adam

      May 16, 2016 at 7:12 pm

      Thanks - i was afraid that would be the answer!

    Trackbacks

    1. How To Hang Shelves On Cement Block, aka Cinder Block says:
      September 23, 2019 at 4:51 pm

      […] my video about the perils of drilling into masonry joints here and my video on how to hang shelves on brick […]

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