Best and/or cheapest way to attach sill plates to concrete floor?

[Thegoblinchief]

One project I am looking at doing later this year is partitioning part of my basement to serve as a root cellar. To build the partition walls I will need to mount sill plates to the concrete basement floor - something I've never done before.

From reading past threads, I believe people have recommended a rotary hammer. I'd appreciate specific tool recommendations so I can keep an eye out on CL before buying new as a last resort. (Or ask around and see if any friends/family have one.) On the other hand, is buying a new tool really necessary? I have a pro grade corded drill and only 20 linear feet worth of sill to mount (10x10 room, but because it's a root cellar, I want the outer walls to stay the bare concrete), so I know the drill will be slower, but we're only talking a handful of fasteners.

Also, the appropriate fastener? Bonus if it's an exact name and/or URL that way I can put that right into my project notes.

Thanks all!

[waffle]

I haven't done it yet, but could you just glue the plate to the concrete?

[CowboyAndIndian]

Use pressure treated wood against the concrete floor.

Use a nail gun to drive nails thru the 2x4 into the concrete.
I'm talking the powder actuated nail gun, with .22 bullets with nail instead of the slug.

The gun looks like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-Hammer-Shot-0-22-Caliber-Single-Shot-Tool-00022/100091715?N=5yc1vZc2b8

First time, this is quite scaring, but later on it gets to be a lot of fun to use.
Use Ear protection and keep this away from kids.

[Thegoblinchief]

Damn. I'd totally forgotten about those! Friends of mine growing up would talk about doing projects with them. Thanks.

[Matt J]

since you already have a drill

with PT lumber, drill a 3/8 or 1/4" hole through the wood and about an inch into the concrete, use 2.5" galvanized common nails, use a hammer to pound a few of them into each hole, forcing them tight, done

no fancy stuff needed

[Spork]

I've always used a cowboy&indian's powder actuated nail gun.  But I don't see why you couldn't use tapcon screws.

[James!]

The ramset works well. Keep in mind if it's in an area where you're concerned about the aesthetics, it can have a tendency to create little cracks or flakes. I have a house where the concrete is our finished floor, and there are a few spots where the ramset damaged the floor out past the drywall and it's still visible if you look for it. Not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind. It's also not nearly as precise in placement. If they're loose after the shot, just hit it with a little sledge to drive it in further.

In the context of using a regular drill vs. a hammer drill. It's all about how you're actually removing material that makes a regular drill so ineffective. When you are drilling into wood or metal, the drill bit is cutting the material and then it is removed through the flutes of the bit. With concrete, there is no cutting. The "hammer" action of the drill is actually smashing the concrete and then the flutes of the bit are just an auger to remove it. Concrete bits aren't sharp, and have a little spade tip. So if you use a regular drill and/or regular drill bits, you'll make almost no progress and just ruin your drill bits.

If you have a hammer drill that's ideal, but if not the ramset works. I own both and prefer the drill.

Cheers,
James

[MikeBear]

Ramset gun! They work real well. Alternative is drilling holes and using the expanded metal inserts with bolts. That also works well. Of course, treated lumber as the base plate. I suggest silicone caulk under each sill plate before final bolt down.

[Rural]

Recommend a test with the ramset to be sure it will drive enough. That's how all our walls, doors, and wall furring strips on three sides of the house are done, but once the concrete had sat for about six months, the same charge would only drive about half an inch. Try it out and be prepared to go to a higher charge if need be.


Get ear plugs.



As a bonus, it's a hell of a lot of fun.:-)

[zolotiyeruki]

You've got 3 options:
1) Ramset (fast, might not work as well on older concrete, potential for cracks/flakes)
2) Hammer drill + tapcon screws (takes longer, requires hammer drill, no aesthetic issues)
3) Glue (fast & easy, not a common method, leaves residue if you remove wall later, might not satisfy local codes)

[Highbeam]

Redheads from home depot. You drill a hole with a hammer drill, then tap in the anchor and then tighten it down. I hate ramset nails as they are unpredictable.

[El Marinero]

I've always used a cowboy&indian's powder actuated nail gun.  But I don't see why you couldn't use tapcon screws.

I've done this a few times.  First time I used a powder activated tool.  Kinda fun, but it wasn't my best job.  Sometimes the nail went all the way in, sometimes not.  Sometimes the concrete cracked.

The Tapcon screws are truly a great innovation.  They're the first thing I think of now whenever anything needs to be attached to concrete.  No more expansion bolts, lead shields or other nonsense.

Borrow, rent or buy a hammer drill to do the holes, pick up  some Tapcon screws of the right length and you'll be done in no time.

[Al1961]

hammer drill w/masonry bit and tapcon screws always worked well for me. Ramset can give meh results.

Al

[Greg]

I've never like the randomness of the poweder-actuated fasteners, but they are fast to use.  Ear and eye protection a must.

I prefer to use a roto-hammer (I use a Bosch one) and either the wedge anchors Highbeam mentioned, or "split-shank" anchors which look like large nails (1/4" dia.) with a slit bulge in the shaft.  The bulge gets squeezed when you drive the fastener into the hole, best to use a 4# sledge.  Make sure you drill deep enough.  3" works best for 2x4 plate.  You can use borate treated wood if it's available in your area.

[Longwaytogo]

The ramset that was linked still needs to be hit with a hammer and if your not a pretty sure/strong/direct hit will get mixed results. But the $30 is nice for a one time use. If you want a regular one that you just push and pull the trigger it would be like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-MasterShot-0-22-Caliber-Powder-Actuated-Tool-40088/202046595

$90 pretty steep for 20' of wall, the "shots" and specialty nails will probably be another $10-$20

Roto hammer and tapcons would work well. With a masonry bit and a regular corded drill you could do it. It will just take a bit longer.

For the cheapest you could also use these:

http://www.homedepot.com/s/cut%2520nails?NCNI-5

They work better in fresh concrete but it is possible to drive them into existing concrete. They also work pretty good in mortar typically so could be used to attach end stud to your two wall connections where the wood walls meet the cinder blocks. (try to drive them in the mortar joint, not the actual cinder block)

I'm assuming based on your description that the walls will go floor to ceiling right? If so once they are attached to the ceiling, each other (at the corner) and the two cinder block walls they will be pretty rigid already. So a couple attachments via nail or screw should suffice.

[McChee]

We typically install door thresholds with construction adhesive and tapcons. 

This is new construction with a national builder.  The thresholds come with a non-wood strip on the bottom, so you don't need the treated furring.

[McChee]

Our framers usually nail them to the floor.

You can also tapcon them.