# Drilling into a brick house **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964 "2018-05-28T13:48:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/1 "2018-05-28T13:48:33Z")
I am buying a wall-mounted garden hose reel that I will mount onto my brick house. I have a hammer drill and masonry bits, and I know to use stainless steel sleeve anchors. I do have a couple of things I’m not sure about, though: 1. Is is preferable to drill into the actual brick, or the mortar? Or does it not make a difference? 2. I am uncertain about the size of anchor to use, both diameter and length. I will be using four anchors. The reel itself is not heavy, but it will be supporting a 100-foot hose (that, I guess, would be full of water). Thanks, mmm ETA: And now you have a “Brick House” earworm. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/2 "2018-05-28T14:41:56Z")
AFAIK and I’m no mason, the mortar is far softer than brick. I’ve always tried to avoid drilling into mortar but the makers of hose reels, flatscreen mounts, bird feeders, and mailboxes conspire with the makers of bricks to make it so there’s frequently no way to hit brick with all the mounting holes. I would go with the largest diameter bolts that you can get through the hose reel’s mounting holes. And no longer than the width of your brick. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/3 "2018-05-28T14:43:53Z")
Bob Vila says > [@Bob Vila](#): > > Brick usually holds better and supports more weight than mortar. However, if you have old, fragile brick and you’re mounting a heavy object that requires deep holes and expansion-style anchors, drilling into the brick may not be the best choice. Deep holes weaken the brick and expansion anchors can create enough circular stress to crack the brick. If your bricks show signs of cracks or spalling, drill into the mortar instead. > **[How to Drill Into Brick](https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-drill-into-brick/)** > > Should you drill into the brick or mortar? Which tool should you use? Learn how to drill into brick walls so you can hang art, TVs, and more. This Family Handyman article suggests sleeve anchors are best for brick: > **[How to Choose and Use Concrete Fasteners, Masonry Screws](https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-choose-and-use-concrete-fasteners/)** > > Solve concrete fastening issues with concrete fasteners. Learn how to install light-duty, medium-duty, heavy-duty masonry screws. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/4 "2018-05-28T14:53:37Z")
The junction between brick and mortar is a weakness, like a crack would be too, and if you put a bolt into mortar, its got to be very close to brick if not touching brick. So its better to avoid the mortar and go into solid brick only. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/5 "2018-05-28T15:08:30Z")
As a handyman this is something I do occasionally. Fasteners drilled into mortar will eventually fail. Bob Villas comments aside, I have yet to ruin a brick I’ve drilled into. Drill only the depth of the brick if possible though you still have a safe 3” past that before you penetrate the inner walls. Remember to be patient and go slowly even with a masonry bit. Yes, I will now be singing that song in my head all day. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/6 "2018-05-28T15:58:38Z")
Avoid hitting mortar if possible. If not, put the mortar on the bottom, second best is on the top. The wear on this is more about the movement than the weight. Your mount is going to get a great deal of side to side jostling as you wrap and unwrap that hose. So you want to overmount those side bolts in the most secure manner possible. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/7 "2018-05-28T16:22:11Z")
This is not meant as a threadshit, but why not sink a pressure-treated, 6-foot, 4x4 and attach the hose reel to that? Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/8 "2018-05-28T20:34:08Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > This is not meant as a threadshit, but why not sink a pressure-treated, 6-foot, 4x4 and attach the hose reel to that? Just a thought. Legit question. The reel will be mounted above the spigot, which is on the side of the house. Nothing but concrete driveway below. mmm ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/9 "2018-05-28T22:16:58Z")
You’ll probably need a hammer drill if your brick is anything like mine. I ruined a few masonry bits mounting a hose reel before I figured that out. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/10 "2018-05-28T22:41:59Z")
I wonder how Lionel Ritchie would do it… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/11 "2018-05-29T01:38:40Z")
> [@nate](#): > > You’ll probably need a hammer drill if your brick is anything like mine. I ruined a few masonry bits mounting a hose reel before I figured that out. I do have a hammer drill (see OP). Any thoughts on stainless steel vs. zinc coated sleeves? One site said to use stainless, but I’m finding them difficult to find in the size I need. There are many more options with zinc. mmm ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/12 "2018-05-29T04:39:07Z")
A hose reel gets pulled, Hard. Especially when you’re in the yard trying to drag the hose. I’d mount a pressure treated board to the wall. A 2x6, 8 in long should work. First, drill your screw holes for the hose reel. Countersink the back side. Insert your bolts with washers from the back. Attach hose reel and tighten bolts. Mount board on wall as discussed in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/13 "2018-05-29T04:48:42Z")
Remember the pencil sharpeners in elementary school? They often mounted them directly onto the plaster or drywall. Every kid in class used that pencil sharpener. They always came loose and flopped around on the wall. Eventually the maintenance guy would use a small board and mount the sharpener to it. That was usually a permanent fix. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/14 "2018-05-29T11:01:40Z")
For mounting on my brick house, I’ve learned to bore through the brick and use landscape timber lag screws to get to the wood behind. Pump the hole full with clear caulk for a weather seal. One) I have really old brick, the kind that dissolves when it sits in water. Two) behind the brick is log so there is a large beefy target to shoot into. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/15 "2018-05-29T15:36:25Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I do have a hammer drill (see OP). > > Any thoughts on stainless steel vs. zinc coated sleeves? > > One site said to use stainless, but I’m finding them difficult to find in the size I need. There are many more options with zinc. > mmm Actually, I’d skip the anchors and go with Tapcons. Bricks and mortar are brittle and you run a risk of splitting and cracking by using expansion anchors. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/16 "2018-05-29T16:51:43Z")
Interesting, I would feel just the opposite. Bricks are indeed brittle, and failure of a Tapcon just requires tiny fractures right around the screw shank. Whereas an expansion anchor failure basically requires failure of a large part of the whole brick. And bricks are pretty strong in compression – it seems to me that most of the stress on a brick from an expansion anchor are compressive. But as the Bob Vila quote in #3 says, if the brick is cracked or flaking, I wouldn’t put an anchor in it. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/17 "2018-05-29T17:10:30Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I wonder how Lionel Ritchie would do it… He’d probably start with dinner and a movie… ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/18 "2018-05-30T05:13:31Z")
On outside garage wall.6-8 foot 2X6 inside to mount a tool rack or shelf and the same sized-treated wood of something the same sized. Space bolts that go all the way through. Attractive work depends on what you want, can afford \* personal ability. Strength is the easy part. Works good for me over many places and many years. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/19 "2018-05-30T06:48:33Z")
I’ve got them drilled into the mortar at the top, and they’re still there after 20 years, so I suggest that it’s not as important as you fear. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964/20 "2018-05-30T17:10:52Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’d mount a pressure treated board to the wall. A 2x6, 8 in long should work. I like this plan a lot. I would also use an appropriate amount of construction adhesive between the bricks and the wood. Spread the forces across many bricks, not just 3-4. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drilling-into-a-brick-house/814964.md?page=2)