Replies

1. 
   rez | Oct 07, 2007 03:49pm | #1

   Greetings Andrew,

   As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.

    Somehow your post got hung up time wise before making it on to the forum. Just happens sometimes.

   This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again which will increase it's viewing.

   Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.

   Cheers

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/7/2007 8:49 am ET by rez

2. 
   DanH | Oct 07, 2007 04:03pm | #2

   The problem (and possibly the solution) is that brick is rarely "solid". Especially in something like a carport wall, where freeze/thaw cycles will do a lot of damage, the brick is often quite loose. And if not loose from frost then often either the brick or mortar (or both) is so soft that anchors won't hold very well.

   If you're lucky, though, there's some sort of solid concrete inner core, either poured first and then veneered with brick, or else the brick was built as a hollow wall and then concrete poured inside. You'll get a much more reliable anchorage if you can get your anchors into concrete.

   In any event, the best way to go is the anchor "epoxy" (actually 2-part acrylic adhesive in many cases). It has a better chance of making a reliable bond to brick than any sort of expansion anchor, and is easier to use. A little expensive, but not enough to break the bank.

   Well, there is one other option: If the wall turns out to be hollow, or has significant hollows in it, you could pour concrete into the hollows and imbed J bolts into the wet concrete.

   If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
1. 
   kleinchen | Oct 07, 2007 07:12pm | #3

   Hi Dan,Thanks for the reply. I haven't yet had a chance to really inspect the wall, as we have not yet moved into the house (we've just bought it). As I'm sure anyone on this forum can understand, my first priority with the new house is scoping out a new shop space--in this case enclosing the carport.I too was thinking the epoxy type anchor would be best, but on an anchor chart on the Simpson strong tie site, they recommended their mechanical anchors instead for brick and masonry. This seemed strange to me because of the potential brittleness and piecemeal nature of brick, so I figured I'd ask here to see what folks had done in the past.Don't know if this extra info will help clarify things a little more, but...- I assumed the wall is solid brick, because it is clad in brick on both the inside and outside and is only about 8" thick. If there is a concrete core (or space for one, I can't quite imagine it would be very big. Unfortunately, I have no idea if it is reinforced or not. If I'm lucky, the current owner may have some info as she has some sort of plans for the house, as she has owned the house for over 30 years.- The house is in Dallas Texas so we don't get very cold weather. The house is 53 years old and all the brick in that part of the house appears to be in pretty good shape. No cracks. Nothing loose, etc. But again, I've not had a chance to look that closely yet.- The wall is currently load bearing, supporting the roof above. It is about 6-7' tall, and 2 or 3 steel poles are anchored/bolted to the top of the wall and rise another 3-4' to the existing roof. It is this open space that I'd like to enclose.Assuming epoxy-type anchors are the way to go, how deep is deep enough? 8-10"? And assuming there is no concrete core, is it advisable to sink the anchor directly through a brick through say 2 or 3 coarses, or would it be better to sink it in the middle of the wall between the inside and outside bricks of the wall? Hope the extra info helps. Many many thanks in advance for the advice.Best,
   Andrew...

1. 
   RichBeckman | Oct 07, 2007 08:44pm | #4

   Why not leave the steel poles in place? If they've held up for 53 years, why not just fill in in between and then cover them over?Then the anchorage into the brick is much less critical. You could also attach to the poles and/or the roof (I would think).

   Rich Beckman

1. 
   kleinchen | Oct 08, 2007 02:55am | #6

   I thought about leaving the steel poles (and am still thinking about it actually). We'll see what kind of shape they are in when I take a closer look.In any case, as I see it, in framing in the empty space between the wall and the roof, I would still need to attach a sill plate to build the framing on to.best,
   Andrew...

2. 
   DanH | Oct 07, 2007 09:52pm | #5

   You have to drill into relatively solid material (no voids) for the epoxy to work. That's the tricky part. You may have to drill a hole, "grout" it with mortar, then use the epoxy after the mortar has set.Mechanical anchors would be the way to go if you were laying the brick, but it's impractical to retrofit them since the retrofit ones pretty much all rely on expansion to work (and with this size of anchor expansion = broken brick).
   If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

1. 
   kleinchen | Oct 08, 2007 02:59am | #7

   Makes sense that the epoxy would need something to grab on to. Any recommendations regarding depth?Also, Simpson makes a mechanical anchor called the Titen HD that they recommend for brick and masonry as well as concrete. They claim it cuts its own threads and so holds without expansion. Ever used these? I think epoxy might be better but I figured I'd ask....Thanks,Andrew...

1. 
   DanH | Oct 08, 2007 03:26am | #8

   I've seen them but never used them -- kinda a Tapcon on steriods. My concern would be that, in a brick wall like that, going in through the top, there's nothing much holding the brick together but habit -- not enough mass around it to hold it together, and no weight like you'd have going horizontally into a brick wall. Just about any stress at all will cause cracks through the holes you drill, if not right away then after a few years.Now it could be that you have the perfect combo of brick and mortar, and the mason did a really good job, and everything's going to hold together. But that's hoping for a lot of good luck.
   If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

2. 
   kleinchen | Oct 09, 2007 12:49am | #9

   That makes sense. Thanks again for the insight.Just curious, do you think I might have issues with the inspector, regarding the code-worthiness of using epoxy anchors (or any other anchors for that matter) in this context? best,
   andrew...

3. 
   DanH | Oct 09, 2007 01:41am | #10

   That's a whole 'nother issue. Might be that the inspector would require you to knock the brick down and replace with concrete. Or the inspector might decide that epoxy isn't "listed" for use in brick.
   If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

4. 
   kleinchen | Oct 10, 2007 01:24am | #11

   I was afraid you'd say that--it's what I was thinking as well.andrew...