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How to Put Screws Into Brick

Marjorie Gilbert

Brick walls are beautiful. They add a sense of warmth and style to homes and commercial buildings. However, when you wish to put screws into brick, take a few more steps to ensure the screw will penetrate the brick and stay there without destroying it.

  1. Decide if it is truly necessary to drill into the brick. Because brick can chip easily and is very difficult to repair, think about it carefully. Drilling into the mortar of the brick wall is a far better idea in that the mortar is stronger and far easier to repair.

  2. Select the right fasteners. Because you will be drilling into the mortar, you'll need fasteners capable of penetrating a material harder than wood or drywall. Concrete screws would work well for this application because they have threads that cut into the mortar that increase the fastener's ability to stay in the mortar.

  3. Mark where you wish to drill into the mortar. Drill a hole using a drill bit that's a little smaller than the fastener. A variable speed drill works well for this application. Insert the concrete screw into the hole and tighten it with a screw gun.

The Drip Cap

  • Brick walls are beautiful.
  • Drilling into the mortar of the brick wall is a far better idea in that the mortar is stronger and far easier to repair.
  • Select the right fasteners.