Masonry screws - skirting board

[lurker]

I recently bought an impact driver and am impressed.
Soon I will be fitting miles of skirting board.
I was thinking that instead of screws and plugs it might be possible to drive screws into the brick instead.
Has anyone done this?
And any recommendations or opinions?

 

[porker]

I've used concrete screws when fitting door frames into masonry but they are a bit heavy duty for skirting. Most people stick them on these days with a construction adhesive but I plug and screw them usually. For drilling I use a Bosch multipurpose bit to drill through the board and the wall together, then put the screw a couple of turns into the plug. Tap the plug through the skirting into the wall and tighten with an impact.

 

[rafezetter]

I've used concrete screws when fitting door frames into masonry but they are a bit heavy duty for skirting. Most people stick them on these days with a construction adhesive but I plug and screw them usually. For drilling I use a Bosch multipurpose bit to drill through the board and the wall together, then put the screw a couple of turns into the plug. Tap the plug through the skirting into the wall and tighten with an impact.

This, basically

 

[owen]

Frame screws are perfect for skirting; especially if the walls aren't perfectly straight you can pull the gaps up tight. I use these, you have to drill a 6mm hole first. I use a 15mm forstener bit to sink the heads then cut plugs with a plug cutter to hide the holes.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-co ... pack/8400h

 

[lurker]

Thanks folks

I intend to use primed mdf skirting and just fill with calk.
I have done this before in my sons house and it worked well.
This time I have a whole bungalow to do and maybe on my own, this time.

I think we bought some framing screws but did not get on well with them, maybe the impact driver will make a difference.
I have some weeks to experiment as it's unlikely I will be getting any board for some time.

 

[Rorschach]

I've used masonry screws with mixed success. Hole size is crucial and if the hole ends up slightly too big the screw doesn't bite well, you also tend to need much longer screws than normal.

If you use the method outline above and bash the plugs through from the front you will get a strong fixing with a fairly short, narrow screw and this is the method I personally would use. Same method I use for battening out walls.

 

[Doug71]

The way I use masonry screws depends on what I am doing.

The mistake people often make is just putting a 6mm hole straight through the timber and the wall then put the screw in. The screw then threads into the timber and the wall, it holds the timber solid but does not pull it back to wall. This is how I would use them fitting for example a door frame that I had packed out straight and was going to foam round. This can also work for battens.

If you are using them to pull something back to a wall you need a bigger hole in the timber (8mm) then the screw is not threading into the timber just the brickwork and it will pull the timber tight back to the wall.

 

[Rorschach]

The way I use masonry screws depends on what I am doing.

The mistake people often make is just putting a 6mm hole straight through the timber and the wall then put the screw in. The screw then threads into the timber and the wall, it holds the timber solid but does not pull it back to wall. This is how I would use them fitting for example a door frame that I had packed out straight and was going to foam round. This can also work for battens.

If you are using them to pull something back to a wall you need a bigger hole in the timber (8mm) then the screw is not threading into the timber just the brickwork and it will pull the timber tight back to the wall.

Yep, but if you are drilling an 8mm hole you can just use a brown plug and normal screw.

 

[HappyHacker]

I have used holes drilled in the skirting with screws and plugs, masonry screws , a masonry nails in an air gun and glue. (Not all at the same time). While I used to try to get the skirting up against wonky walls I now prefer to keep them straight and fill & paint the gap, I think it looks better than wonky skirting following the walls.

As a result I now use glue/expanding foam almost exclusively unless there is a need to follow a wonky wall but glue with the addition of heavy weights to hold the skirting in place will often follow a slightly wonky wall.

 

[owen]

The way I use masonry screws depends on what I am doing.

The mistake people often make is just putting a 6mm hole straight through the timber and the wall then put the screw in. The screw then threads into the timber and the wall, it holds the timber solid but does not pull it back to wall. This is how I would use them fitting for example a door frame that I had packed out straight and was going to foam round. This can also work for battens.

If you are using them to pull something back to a wall you need a bigger hole in the timber (8mm) then the screw is not threading into the timber just the brickwork and it will pull the timber tight back to the wall.

Yep, but if you are drilling an 8mm hole you can just use a brown plug and normal screw.

Obviously depends on the type of walls you're fixing to, nice flat brick walls sure you can use plugs, horrible wonky stone walls then frame fixings are a lot better.

 

[owen]

I have used holes drilled in the skirting with screws and plugs, masonry screws , a masonry nails in an air gun and glue. (Not all at the same time). While I used to try to get the skirting up against wonky walls I now prefer to keep them straight and fill & paint the gap, I think it looks better than wonky skirting following the walls.

As a result I now use glue/expanding foam almost exclusively unless there is a need to follow a wonky wall but glue with the addition of heavy weights to hold the skirting in place will often follow a slightly wonky wall.

I find the complete opposite, small gaps at the top are fine but anything bigger looks terrible even with good filling.

 

[DBT85]

On the subject of filling with caulk, I prefer to fill with a fast curing 2 part like tetrion powerfil and then sand it back.

 

[Doug71]

The way I use masonry screws depends on what I am doing.

The mistake people often make is just putting a 6mm hole straight through the timber and the wall then put the screw in. The screw then threads into the timber and the wall, it holds the timber solid but does not pull it back to wall. This is how I would use them fitting for example a door frame that I had packed out straight and was going to foam round. This can also work for battens.

If you are using them to pull something back to a wall you need a bigger hole in the timber (8mm) then the screw is not threading into the timber just the brickwork and it will pull the timber tight back to the wall.

Yep, but if you are drilling an 8mm hole you can just use a brown plug and normal screw.

Obviously depends on the type of walls you're fixing to, nice flat brick walls sure you can use plugs, horrible wonky stone walls then frame fixings are a lot better.

I often work on old buildings with crumbly old bent walls to which I'm often trying to fix a 3" thick frame,
the 150 mm long masonry/concrete screws are perfect for this.

If fixing skirting board it would be fix-all adhesive and normal screws/plugs where necessary, nailgun on stud walls.

Keep skirting straight as much as possible, solid wood skirting doesn't follow the shape of the wall as much as MDF.

 

[Rorschach]

Obviously depends on the type of walls you're fixing to, nice flat brick walls sure you can use plugs, horrible wonky stone walls then frame fixings are a lot better.

Not having fixed to horrible wonky stone walls I cannot comment there, for wonky brick/block walls though plugs work fine :lol:
Actually come to think of it, are there any houses without wonky walls? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[wsb1207]

Impact drivers don't work very well with masonry screws, much better with a drill driver. For skirtings I wouldn't even consider using them, either stick or plug and screw. Caulk will never look right, we normally use a two part wood filler but Tetrion as mentioned before works well too.

 

[lurker]

Supplementary question: where do you folks buy plugs?

Are these ok ?
https://www.toolstation.com/fischer-pla ... lug/p94080

 

[sammy.se]

I buy from Toolstation or screwfix.
I tend to buy the more expensive plugs just because I want to be sure i get a good fix. I'm sure it's overkill in many scenarios.

The plugs are personally use are https://www.toolstation.com/fischer-duo ... lug/p67539

 

[porker]

I use both of the above plugs and they are both good. The key is drilling the right sized hole.

 

[DBT85]

Impact drivers don't work very well with masonry screws, much better with a drill driver. For skirtings I wouldn't even consider using them, either stick or plug and screw. Caulk will never look right, we normally use a two part wood filler but Tetrion as mentioned before works well too.

Yeah it's pretty much all the same stuff. Smells the same, handles the same. Sticks like turd to a blanket.

 

[lurker]

I realised today that I have never bought brown plugs.
I had my dads when he died and the rest were given to me by the f in law and his brother.
Both worked for the same building firm and they “borrowed “ them from work.
He retired at 64 and died last year aged 90.