Purchase Tapcon Anchors

The brand name of the screw that is designed to tap threads into brick is called a Tapcon® brick screw. Other companies have screws that will tap threads into brick, but the Tapcon® brick screw is the original and is made in America. Purchase brick screws here!

Carbon Steel or Stainless Steel

Brick screws can be purchased in carbon steel that is coated with a blue Climaseal® coating that helps to resist rust. The Tapcon® brick screw is sometimes called the blue screw because of the blue coating. All other manufacturers coat their screw a blue color, but because it is blue will not mean that it is the genuine Tapcon® brand brick screw. Stainless steel brick screws have much better rust resistance than the standard carbon steel brick screw but cost a bit more.

Mortar Joint or Brick

The question sometimes is asked whether the brick screw should be inserted into the brick itself or into the mortar joint, and which application affords better holding values. Brick screws will only hold as well as the base material they are placed into. The holding values into a mortar joint depend on the quality and quantity of the mortar in the joint. Between the mortar joint and the brick itself the difference in the holding values may differ slightly.

Available Diameters

Brick screws come in two diameters for light duty fastening into brick. The standard diameter of a brick screw is 3/16” or 1/4”. Larger diameter tapcons are available for heavy-duty applications and require different considerations.

Available Head Styles

Both the carbon steel and stainless steel brick screws are sold in a hex slotted washer head in the 3/16” and 1/4” diameter. The flat countersunk Phillips head is available in the 3/16” in stainless steel and both the 3/16” and 1/4” are sold in the standard carbon steel.

Different Lengths of Brick Screws

The 3/16” and 1/4” brick screw in both head styles come in the same lengths with the 1/4” diameter being available in 2 longer lengths than the 3/16” diameter:

Diameter of Brick Screw	Length of Brick Screw
3/16”	1-1/4”
3/16”	1-3/4”
3/16”	2-1/4”
3/16”	2-3/4
3/16”	3-1/4”
3/16”	3-3/4”
3/16”	4”
1/4”	1-1/4”
1/4”	1-3/4”
1/4”	2-1/4”
1/4”	2-3/4
1/4”	3-1/4”
1/4”	3-3/4”
1/4”	4”
1/4”	5”
1/4”	6”

Minimum/Maximum Embedment

The harder the base material, the less embedment is required to get minimum holding values. The brick screw requires a minimum of 1” embedment into the brick base material and a maximum embedment of 1-3/4”. Brick can be a very abrasive material and embedment of less than 1-3/4” may be the best that can be accomplished.

Depth of Hole Needed

When drilling into brick to place a brick screw into, the hole needs to be drilled slightly deeper than the screw will penetrate into the brick. The reason for this is as the brick screw taps threads into the brick, dust is created and this extra space makes room for the dust to fall into with out interfering with the installation of the brick screw. It is recommend that the hole be drilled a minimum of 1/4” deeper than the screw will penetrate the brick.

Diameter of Hole to be drilled

The hole in the brick to be drilled must be smaller than the designated diameter of the brick screw being installed. The 3/16” diameter brick screw needs a 5/32” hole and the 1/4” diameter brick screw needs a 3/16” hole. The hole should be drilled using a hammer drill and the carbide bit used should meet ANSI standards to insure proper hole tolerance for the brick screw.

Installation Process

1. With a hammer drill, drill the hole in the brick with the proper diameter ANSI standard carbide bits.
2. Drill the hole into the brick a minimum of 1/4” deeper than the screw will penetrate the brick.
3. Clean the hole of all brick dust using a vacuum, wire brush or compressed air.
4. Move the hole in the fixture over the hole drilled in the brick.
5. Insert brick screw through hole in fixture and into hole drilled in the brick.
6. By hand or with an electric drill, turn the brick screw clockwise until head of screw is tight up against the fixture.

Purchase Tapcon Anchors