How to attach to house?

[Richard]

Several years ago, brother in law came. He added an awning above the garage door. Wife wants to duplicate it on the other side of the house.

Question is.... we can't see how he attached things. He didn't have a nervous breakdown.... but he's crawled into a hole and won't 'talk to the world' so I can't simply ask him.

As I recall, (and we have more) those are 12" long "log screws". Threaded 2-3 inches on the tip, rest is shaft. I can't believe he screwed those into the block itself.... is there any special anchor that you might use? Need any thoughts of epoxy or just tighten them down?

We've got the parts (that you see in the picture) already cut/stained, ready to mount. Already have the crossboards.... so this is essentially ready to go but for not knowing what he used and how he might have done it.

I'm always nervous drilling into blocks. Frankly, I would have rather NOT done it just so I can be 100% sure nothing is going to crack on me. Also, it's split face block. Wife seems to forget we won't be able to get a flat surface unless we take a grinder to it (like was done before). Again, I'm not keen on that but, it's been done and what do you say!!!

This "brow" is only two, maybe two & a half feet deep. It's just to help keep some water from landing closer to the house & splashing up on things. Thankfully, nobody will be walking on it!

 

[bdhsfz6]

Here are some general guidelines for attaching to cinder or concrete block:

For General/Medium Duty (Hollow or Solid Block):

• Sleeve Anchors: A versatile option that expands along its length, ideal for hollow block, and good for objects under stress.
• Lag Shield Anchors: A classic choice, with longer versions suited for softer cinder block.
• Toggle Wing Anchors: Specifically designed for hollow walls, they have wings that expand behind the block for strong holding power.

For Heavy-Duty (Solid Block or High Stress):

• Wedge Anchors: Provide extreme strength for heavy loads and are best for solid concrete or block.
• Chemical/Epoxy Anchors: Offer the strongest fixing by embedding a threaded rod in a chemical adhesive, ideal for very heavy machinery or structural attachments.

For Light-Duty:

• Tapcon Screws: Good for light attachments, but use a smaller masonry bit and consider adding construction adhesive for better grip, especially in hollow cores.

Key Considerations:

• Hollow vs. Solid: Cinder block has hollow cores, which significantly impacts anchor selection. Toggle wings and double expansion anchors work well in hollow areas.
• Drilling: Always use a sharp masonry bit and a hammer drill for cinder block.
• Adhesive: Modern adhesives can significantly improve the holding power of any fastener and help even out inconsistencies in the block.
• Material Hardness: For very hard block, short anchors or specific anchors are needed; for softer material, longer expansions are beneficial.

If it were me, I would try and attach to the hollow core of the block using stainless steel toggle bolts or toggle wing anchors plus adhesive. Contact with treated wood can cause ordinary steel to corrode.

I'm not sure of the weight involved but 5/16" or larger bolts would be best.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Anchor bolts like these should do the trick.