Aluminum threshold on cement floor

[philoÂÂ]

It does not actually have to be bees wax...and old candle or a bar of soap will do just fine.

[clare]

And just a wee bit past that, you break off the tapcon. Tapcons are like drywall screws - if they give AT ALL they snap. Not made to be used where any lateral stress/movement can occur.

[The Daring Dufas]

You can get the dual tube anchor adhesive from the industrial supply house or what I've used for big screws and bolts which it the glass capsule epoxy that you put into a cleaned out hole then install the anchor using a drill attachment that breaks the glass tube containing the epoxy and catalyst which mixes and spreads inside the hole around the anchor. The epoxy is stronger than the concrete. Hilti uses a plastic capsule but a number of manufacturers sell a dual tube system wkich uses a long disposable mixing nozzle. ^_^

TDD

[clare]

I've had pretty good luck on a few just blasting them full of low expansion (window and door mounting) urethane spray foam. It sticks like snot to anything and keeps the threshold from depressing/bouncing as a bonus.. If mounting a new aluminum threshold to concrete, just get urethane windsheild mounting compound and lay 2 beads on the (clean and dry) concrete, and drop the threshold in place. It is there "for the count".

[The Daring Dufas]

I installed a lot of thresholds when I worked on automatic and commercial door systems. I used the blue plastic anchors because sooner or later some Goomba would come along and damage the threshold which required replacement. The plastic anchors could be dug out easily which is not the case with those that are glued in. If the screw in the plastic anchor was stuck, a flat bar can be hammered under the threshold to pry it up. Think forward. ^_^

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

Aparently the bees wax "chap stick" might do the job. Looks like convenient size, too.

[Stormin Mormon]

The foam stuff sounded like a thing to try, if this doesn't do. Plenty more cement under the six inch by double 36 threshhold, if I have to put in more anchors. If these snap off, or some thing.

Hoping not many goombas, here.

[nestork]

No, you can take the Tapcon out, and put 2 or 3 tooth picks in the hole and drive the Tapcon back in. The toothpicks will act just like a plastic or lead anchor, pressing against and gripping the rough sides of the hole with soft wood that the Tapcon screw threads will also grip well. Clear any dust out of the hole with a pipe cleaner first, cut the toothpicks to length, and insert them pointy side up so that the screw point automatically finds it's way in between the inserted toothpicks for a uniform grip all around the screw.

[DerbyDad03]

While a toothpick might work in concrete for some period of time, I wouldn't trust it as much as I would in wood. As I'm sure you know, it is standard procedure is to use treated wood when there will be contact with concrete. Why? Moisture.

Maybe I might consider slivers of PT wood if I had to R&R a Tapcon, but I wouldn't trust a standard kitchen toothpick to last in concrete,

[YouraMormon]

Plastic inserts and stainless steel screws are the only way to go.

If I caught someone using Tapcons on a door threshold, I'd go get my baseball bat and .... oh, never mind.

[clare]

How about a couple of nylon tye-straps???

[DerbyDad03]

Actually, that might not be a bad idea.

Of course, in my lifetime I don't recall ever having to take a Tapcon out and put it back in. Anything I've attached with a Tapcon was meant to be permanent, like a sill plate to a concrete floor, wire mesh for parging cement block, etc.

Now, I have stripped one or two while installing them, but since they were eventually going to be hidden, I simply drilled another hole nearby and tried again.

BTW.. I just found this in a FAQ at the website listed below. My assertion that Tapcons were a one shot deal was based on my experience, not on anything I had read. I'm glad I found something to substantiate my comment.

Are these cement screws removable?

Yes, they are removable from the hole in which they are installed. However, reusing the screw in the same hole is not advisable because the holding values may be decreased or non-existent.

- See more at:

Of course, using some sort of material to improve the "holding values" might work. Luckily I've never had to try anything like that.

[hrhofmann]

I find blowing through a fairly long straw the best way to clean dust out of a drilled hole in concrete. Just be prepared to protect your eyes as the dust really circulates everywhere if you blow vigorously enough to really clear the dust out of the hole.

[Stormin Mormon]

Cut to length, for the hole? Now you've got a great idea.

I did buy some Tapcons, and two masonary bits. Looked at beeswax, but it's $5.49, so I'll try candle wax instead.

A friend loaned me an impact driver, so I can rattle the tapcons in. Job set up for sometime Friday, see how it goes.

[TomR]

I haven't read all of the other replies yet, so maybe someone already mentioned this....

But, have you considered just gluing the threshold down using this?:

.

[Stormin Mormon]

New one, thanks. It's cold and snowing, here. I don't know what the temp range. New technology. Tapcons, well, they are something the store can see and understand.

[RobertMacy]

My father used to use a little plastic tube-like cylinder maybe 1/4 inch diameter about 2 inches long that inserts into the existing hole. Then the screw would easily go down the plastic piece, expanding it to grip the sides. He never used anything but smooth round holes in the concrete, except for nail gun stuff.

maybe some plastic tubing would work and be more available to you.

[The Daring Dufas]

I'm write from experience and know very well what works. I installed automatic doors in hospitals, grocery stores and any place which used automatic doors. I had to service and repair not only the automatic doors but manual hollow aluminum and steel doors in commercial settings. I did it as an employee of an automatic door company and later as an independent contractor for a door company and directly for a grocery store chain. I actually traveled across Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana on service and installation jobs. I repaired and replaced a great many thresholds which often required using a thin layer of quick setting concrete and an angle grinder to level out the surface where the threshold was to be installed. Stainless steel screws worked the best with the plastic anchors which made service and repair a lot easier but some idiot would always use regular screws which always corroded and stuck requiring me to use the flat pry bar and hammer to remove the old threshold. ^_^

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

Heck, I've used a can of dust blaster with a rag over the hole to keep dust from going everywhere. Common sense always wins out. ^_^

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

My plan was to run the drill in, leave it in, and blow while the drill is keeping the hole plugged.