Can You Strap a 4 Inch PVC Pipe to Your Brick Wall?

Brick

• Brick as a building material is full of contradictions. Long lasting, strong, sturdy and able to hold enormous weight and pressure, yet it is fragile and can easily crack if the pressure is applied in the wrong way with a screw into the side. If the mortar between the bricks is thick enough it is often better to use it as an attachment point than the brick itself. Mortar is softer and easier to drill into without cracking.

Masonary Attachements

• Manufacturers have a wide variety of ways to attach items to brick, concrete and stone. Some masonry screws go directly into the material the same as they do wood. Others first need a hole drilled into the masonry and a special sleeve inserted to provide a base for the screw or bolt. These are normally used for holding up heavier objects, such as a foundation for a deck. Drilling a hole before inserting the screw helps prevent bricks from cracking.

Project Weight

• The total weight of the project, and the force it will exert on the PVC pipe, helps determine what type of fastener you will need. For example, if only a 3-inch long section is being strapped to the wall to serve as a holder for a shovel or rake handle then a simple masonry screw will hold the weight.

Number of Anchors

• Ace Hardware recommends that the anchor attachment be rated for at least four times the weight the PVC will carry if the load on it remains constant -- and at least eight times the weight load if the load constantly varies with use. If the weight of the project is a constant 30 lbs., for instance, then two 60-lb. or four 30-lb. rated anchors will work. If the load weight varies with it being sometimes higher and lower than 30 lbs. then a combination of different anchors are needed to bring the rating up to 240-lbs.

Straps

• Plastic, rubber or metal straps can be used with the project depending upon the weight load and long term stability. Custom straps can be cut from a thin sheet of tin or aluminum using snips, or a chain cut to the proper length, can act as the strap. Metal expands during hot weather so the metal strap will have to be bonded with glue to the PVC pipe to ensure the pipe doesn't slip out of its bonds.