who care you use a socket any ways....

Because I saw tapcons with a hex head with a flat screwdriver head. I want to make sure that's the one.

yes those are the ones

How long of a tapcon do you use? I just read that it should be no longer than 1 3/4 into the concrete. I have 2 1/4 tapcons. The mount is not thick at all. Should I return them and pick up some 1 3/4 tapcons?

1/4" diameter by 1-1/4" long should work.

Don't forget to secure the TV to the mount so that it cant be knocked off. I have seen quite a few plasma installs where you can lift the TV right off the mount because no one bothered to secure it.

Thanks. The mounts have security screws at the bottom. I always tighten them on jobs like this when nothing will be under the tv. I'll let you know how it goes.

Jumping in as a construction guy, not a CI.
When mounting heavy objects to cinder block, you realy should be trying to get a big toggle into the void between the webs of the block. If the hole around the bolt itself is really sloppy when you do this, then sleeve the bolt with plastic before inserting the toggle, insert the toggle, and before tightening the bolt pastry bag some fortified grout into the hole around the sleeve (similar to the grout used to set posts for railing in concrete.) Cinder blocks have a pretty high compressive strength, but they are notoriously "crumbly" at the most inopportune time.... especially over time.

That being said, if you're getting a tapcon completely into the web of the block (like you are NOT in danger of penetrating into one of the voids in the block by drilling too far) and it's a 2" tapcon or longer AND your technique for drilling the hole is good, you're probably fine with hanging a TV up to about 65 pounds or so.

As has been said already, never in the mortar joints.

Do I have imperical data to back this up? Nope. I started working construction when I was 15 and progressed into supervision and then inspection. Started in residential and moved into commercial/industrial.

Admittedly, we were generally preparing to mount things much heavier than TVs and had to deal with a pull-out component as well as shear component, but I learned that cinder block is flakey stuff. :) Or crumbly stuff as the case may be. I'm also admittedly an overkill guy.

hmmmm.... my 2 cents is based on about 42 years experience. that doesn't work out to very much per hour.

Yardbird,

That's why I love putting in the concrete construction adhesive. Only Problem Is that I haven't found a way to get the out when the customer moves (Other than an angle grinder which is very messy, and I destroyed the bracket. I wonder if one of those flush cutting saws (Fein Multi-tool) could take the heads of the tapcons??

If you toggle into the void, you'll never have to cut the head off another tapcon. Tapcons are really hard and I'm not sure a flush-cut saw will work out for you.

You CAN, however, over-torque them and snap them off (don't ask me how I know). You have to have a good quality, REALLY tight-fitting socket to pull that off or you'll either round over the hex head on the tapcon or split the socket (if it's not a good quality one.... done that too... I'll never buy cheap tools again 'cause I hate slapping my own forehead when I break my own rules about buying cheap tools)

For some reason i missed the cinder block part and only read concrete. I dont think i have ever mounted anything to cinder block so i cant make any assumptions about what will work. I do know that townhouses here in Chicago are built with cinerblock and i have seen tapcons used to secure things to it. Most of these things were like plumbing pipe that was ran vertically so there wasnt much weight on it.

I think you'd be fine doing the 32" tv's on flat or tilt mounts in cinder block with tap cons. I'd add something extra if doing a swing arm though.


I installed 2 42" plasma's on swing arm mounts for a client at his office. The walls were solid concrete and I used red heads. His office got broke in to 3 times in 4 months and each time, they tried to get those tv's down by jumping up and hanging and yanking on them (they are about 9' up in the corners of the room). The first time, they broke the screens on both but the tv's didn't come down. The other 2 times they tried, but no real damage other than bending the mount itself, but it still held. I love red heads! ;)

ok, I installed the tv's today. They are 32" and weigh about 30-45lbs mounted on tilt mounts. The concrete blocks were solid and not super easy to drill through. I used a hammer drill and the supplied tapcon bit. The were hollow on the inside. They were probably about 1 3/4 inches before the hollow part. I used 1 3/4 tapcons, and when I drilled I just broke through to the hollow part right at the end. I vacuumed out the holes and drilled in the tapcons with a hex 1/4 bit. I got the tapcons in and then used a wratchet to hand tighten them. They seem rock solid. Do you think I have anything to worry about? Like I said, they seem very stong, but I'm concerned that the void could cause problems. What do you think?

I think No Worries!! Once you get a few of these installs out of the way that worry feeling will go away. As long as you're not in the morter those Tapcons are not going anywhere.

You will be fine......the only thing that scares me with any kind of masonry is getting the holes drilled right and not sloppy.....Redheads are my go for any kind of masonry mounting. However I think I would do 32" and lower TV's with tapcons.

What still gets me is steel stud construction.....And ive done more of them then wood studs i believe lol. Alot of the new homes in my area are being built with them. I know the way I do it and ive never had a problem, I guess its just me over thinking and knowing to much about the aluminum studs gets me everytime lol.

Im glad it worked out for you! congrats

OMG! Run for your lives! What's that giant crashing sound?

Seriously, they should be fine unless the client decides to watch Glenn Beck, at which point all bets are off.