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My winter honey do list includes building a small closet in our basement. I am going to frame it with 2 x 3. The floor is a poured concrete slab.
What is the best way to anchor the bottom plate? Was thinking tapcons or renting a ramset from HD.
If I go with the ramset, how long would the fasteners have to be?
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I used Tapcons (or some version of the same type of fastener), but the Ramset would work just as well. At our last house O removed a section of wall to find it had been anchored with common nails. The PO had simply drilled a hole into the concrete and pounded (literally) several nails into that hole through the plate.....it was amazingly hard to pull them out.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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(11-10-2017, 06:44 AM)fredhargis Wrote: I used Tapcons (or some version of the same type of fastener), but the Ramset would work just as well. At our last house O removed a section of wall to find it had been anchored with common nails. The PO had simply drilled a hole into the concrete and pounded (literally) several nails into that hole through the plate.....it was amazingly hard to pull them out.
I've seen that done by some old timers. Apparently that was a common method back in the day. It is surprising how well they hold.
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(11-10-2017, 08:13 AM)Bill Wilson Wrote: I've seen that done by some old timers. Apparently that was a common method back in the day. It is surprising how well they hold.
When we don't have a Ramset on hand we do that way jsut a piece of wire or nail and then pound in another nail
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(11-10-2017, 08:19 AM)fixtureman Wrote: When we don't have a Ramset on hand we do that way jsut a piece of wire or nail and then pound in another nail
They are just $25.00 from Home Depot:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-Hamme...yAodQ9wAIA
I used this plus construction adhesive because my basement floor was so hard that the Ramset would not penetrate very far. But for most situations the .22s will penetrate well and construction adhesive becomes highly optional.
I went through so many carbide bits that the Ramset probably was cheaper than replacing all the bits. It was certainly faster. You will need hearing protection however.
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(11-10-2017, 08:53 AM)Cooler Wrote: They are just $25.00 from Home Depot:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-Hamme...yAodQ9wAIA
I used this plus construction adhesive because my basement floor was so hard that the Ramset would not penetrate very far. But for most situations the .22s will penetrate well and construction adhesive becomes highly optional.
I went through so many carbide bits that the Ramset probably was cheaper than replacing all the bits. It was certainly faster. You will need hearing protection however.
I have a Ramset that I would give to someone. Tapcons are just too easy...
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Tapcons.
Ramset is too noisy, to imprecise, and too easy to make a mistake.
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I used tapcons & adhesive. Way overkill. I ended up moving a wall after it had been framed & when I pried the bottom plate up it left chunks of wood in some spots & lifted small pieces of concrete in others. I'd say it was secure!
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The Tapcons were a problem with my "hardened concrete" floor. Whatever "hardened" means. I burned up the bit and snapped the screws.
I think you are probably correct for most concrete. I do use them on the cinder block walls. (I would be reluctant to use a Ramset on the blocks. They might crack.)
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The nice thing about double/triple nails is that it is pretty forgiving on the install, and you can get it out w/o breaking the fastener-off.
Not saying it is easy (that is a tough connection) but doable.
