[Soundguy]

I'm going to be drilling some 1/4" expansion anchors into the concrete I filled my block retaining wall with on Sunday. I'd like to start framing this wall sooner than later but I don't want to screw up the wall. It's all covered in the shade so it's not sitting in the sun curing.

How long should I wait before I drill this concrete, I'd rather not break anything. I was thinking of using a few Tapcons to hold the sill plates in place while I frame it all up and drill the anchors in another week or 2 just to be sure.

 

[PAToyota]

Drilling isn't the issue. Just don't put tension on any anchor bolts until it sets up for at least a week. If it is too "soft" there is a greater chance of them pulling out.

 

[Dookey]

Why didn't you set them in the wet concrete and fugedabowdit?

 

[Soundguy]

Why didn't you set them in the wet concrete and fugedabowdit?

Because I'm fawkin' TERRIBLE at measuring and drilling shit like that. I'd have to drill 1 1/4" holes just to get that shit to fit on the anchors if I set them first and you can bet if I laid 10 anchors 7 of them would fall right where I want to put a stud... plus I already have tons of expansion anchors in my shop. :laughing:

 

[Soundguy]

Drilling isn't the issue. Just don't put tension on any anchor bolts until it sets up for at least a week. If it is too "soft" there is a greater chance of them pulling out.

I hadn't thought about that, I could just drill them and set them then wait to tighten them down. This isn't a load bearing wall, I just don't want it moving around on me while I frame it all in.

 

[southernfriedcj8]

Because I'm fawkin' TERRIBLE at measuring and drilling shit like that. I'd have to drill 1 1/4" holes just to get that shit to fit on the anchors if I set them first and you can bet if I laid 10 anchors 7 of them would fall right where I want to put a stud... plus I already have tons of expansion anchors in my shop. :laughing:

Next time lay out your green plate(mark where the studs go) before you pour your concrete. Use the green plate/story pole as a guide to set your anchor bolts.

When you are ready to frame your wall, set the green plate on the block and use your speed square to mark both sides of the anchor bolt on your green plate. Then just measure from the line you popped to set your wall back to each anchor bolt and transfer that measurement to your green plate.

Drill your holes in the green plate and it will fit perfectly.

In the mean time, just shoot the plate down with Hilti nails, or hand drive cut nails or fluted nails and then drill the anchor holes through the plate and wait 30 days to torque them down.

 

[Soundguy]

Next time lay out your green plate(mark where the studs go) before you pour your concrete. Use the green plate/story pole as a guide to set your anchor bolts.

When you are ready to frame your wall, set the green plate on the block and use your speed square to mark both sides of the anchor bolt on your green plate. Then just measure from the line you popped to set your wall back to each anchor bolt and transfer that measurement to your green plate.

Drill your holes in the green plate and it will fit perfectly.

In the mean time, just shoot the plate down with Hilti nails, or hand drive cut nails or fluted nails and then drill the anchor holes through the plate and wait 30 days to torque them down.

Well hell, if I had asked this 2 years ago I could have saved myself some anchors.

I cut the sill plate to length and anchored it with a couple Tapcons because I have a ton of them too. I don't honestly know how I'm going to frame this wall still, it's 16' long and it's not "load bearing" since this is technically a pole barn structure but I need to frame it all the way up to the ridge beam since it's on the end of the building. I'd really like to somehow support the ridge beam with a something solid all the way down to the sill plate instead of using 2 pieces of wood split by the top cap. I've got a 4 YO birthday party to clean up for though, I'll spend some time laying it out on Sunday.

 

[ironmangq]

Concrete generally takes 28 days to cure out, you could drill without trouble after 7 and tighten your bolts after 14 without taking too much risk, A good mix design will be at 50%+ after 3 days and about 90% after 7.

 

[Benny]

Next time, set the j-bolts in the wet concrete. Then, when dry, set your will plate in place on top of the bolts and give it a good whack right above each bolt. That marks the spot to drill. Easy as pie

 

[southernfriedcj8]

...set your will plate in place on top of the bolts and give it a good whack right above each bolt. That marks the spot to drill. Easy as pie

If using this method make damn sure the anchor bolts are plumb or your green plate will not be on your chalk line when you get it down.

If they weren't set plumb, plumb them with a hammer.

 

[uninformed]

Plumb them with some water pipe so you don't FU the threads.

Regarding expansion anchors. If you are drilling and installing these down into the top of your block wall, id say go with something other than an expansion anchor. You could use chemical anchor or screw bolts.

Expansion anchors should not be used within 4 inches of edge of concrete. Remember you concrete is not the full width of your wall due to block wall thickness

 

[southernfriedcj8]

Plumb them with some water pipe so you don't FU the threads.

I never thought of that. :homer:

I run the nuts down with an impact gun so I power through and buggered up threads.

We use J bolts(on garage fronts, poured in place mud sill anchors everywhere else) but I'm building my personal house and I'm gonna try the epoxy set galvanized all thread. Mud sill anchors on top of basement walls have always irritated me when setting the green plate.

 

[uninformed]

I use chemical injection all the time. A few tips. Make sure you are using the correct dia all thread and embedment depth to meet code. Make sure you use the correct size drill bit for the all thread size you are using. Sizes should be spec'd by the chemical injection and up to 5/8 dia are usually 2mm oversized holes. Make sure holes are clean. Compresed air is best just dont stand looking over the hole. Most chemical injection is 2 part and mixes in the nozzle. Make sure you pump it out until both parts are mixing. If you put a fresh nozzel on a fresh tube those first few pulls can be useless.