Home Renos... Looking for Tips

[Keebler Elf]

I've got a couple projects on the go so I thought I'd ask my fellow Terbites for some advice.

First is the re-installation of sliding mirrored closet doors. The part I'm concerned about is that the floor is new hardwood so I don't want to fuck it up. The tracks screw into the floor (into concrete below the hardwood) and into the ceiling of the door frames. Any tips for screwing into concrete?

Second project is the installation of a curved shower rod. I'm taking the old, straight rod out so I'm going to have to screw new holes into the tiles. I don't want to break the tiles. Any advice?

 

[Cycleguy007]

I've got a couple projects on the go so I thought I'd ask my fellow Terbites for some advice.

First is the re-installation of sliding mirrored closet doors. The part I'm concerned about is that the floor is new hardwood so I don't want to fuck it up. The tracks screw into the floor (into concrete below the hardwood) and into the ceiling of the door frames. Any tips for screwing into concrete?

Second project is the installation of a curved shower rod. I'm taking the old, straight rod out so I'm going to have to screw new holes into the tiles. I don't want to break the tiles. Any advice?

Predrill the holes obviously... Masonry bit for the concrete and diamond tipped for the ceramic. For the ceramic surface you may find that the bit wants to "skate" along the surface so be careful with that one...

 

[Kya_Jean]

Do you not need to also wet the bit for drilling ceramic to ensure less friction which ensures less chance of breaking?

I am just a girl, so I may be wrong.

 

[fmahovalich]

Before u do anything

Is the hardwood floor raised? I mean a new layer?? MAke sure doors fit in this case BEFORE drilling!!!

Also...Use tapcons....BLUE CONCRETE SCREWS..they come in small package with their own masonary bit. USe this bit to plow thru the wood as well.


AS FOR SHOWER ROD!!!

MArk spots to be drilled on the tiles. Then take a small pointed punch and using a hammer tap it lightly on the marks. This will break the glazing in a very small localized spot. Once the glazing is breached on the tile..its a cinch to take a masonary bit and drill thru the soft part of the tile backs.

Easy jobs....Don;t sweat it!!

 

[Cycleguy007]

Put a couple layers of masking tape where you're going to drill, will give some traction to the bit, smooth suface so the bit may want to slide around. I've also heard to drill in reverse, never tried that, carbide bit should do.

Great idea! Never thought of that! (at myself...)

 

[toughb]

Do you not need to also wet the bit for drilling ceramic to ensure less friction which ensures less chance of breaking?

I am just a girl, so I may be wrong.

***

Next you'll tell us you're blond...

When cutting tile a water saw is best but in this application Sheik's right.

...

 

[dj1470]

Any tips for screwing into concrete?

Use tapcon screws (they are blue colour on any Home Depot shelf). Made to lock into masonry and concrete. No need for a hammer drill.

 

[angrymime666]

I've got a couple projects on the go so I thought I'd ask my fellow Terbites for some advice.

First is the re-installation of sliding mirrored closet doors. The part I'm concerned about is that the floor is new hardwood so I don't want to fuck it up. The tracks screw into the floor (into concrete below the hardwood) and into the ceiling of the door frames. Any tips for screwing into concrete?

Second project is the installation of a curved shower rod. I'm taking the old, straight rod out so I'm going to have to screw new holes into the tiles. I don't want to break the tiles. Any advice?

hardwood on a concrete may be an issue unless its the engineered hardwood. if its not you may run into some warping.

 

[Another_Mod]

Use tapcon screws (they are blue colour on any Home Depot shelf). Made to lock into masonry and concrete. No need for a hammer drill.

Excuse me? how do you propose drilling into the concrete then?

 

[landscaper]

A standard drill will usually cut into concrete the amount you need for a tapcon. Do yourself a favour and buy the package with the drill bit included it will save grief.

Do not overtighten the tapcons they will screw the hole up if you do and you don't want to try and get them out after the fact.

The curtain rod wil;l usually have an escutcheon plate on both ends to hide the screws, make sure that you have them in place before you install teh rod.

Any tile bit will do the trick here DO NOT USE A HAMMER DRILL ON TILE. The vibrations will break tiles go slow and use a little water to lubricate and clear the drill bit.

 

[tboy]

Use tapcon screws (they are blue colour on any Home Depot shelf). Made to lock into masonry and concrete. No need for a hammer drill.

tapcons will NOT drill into concrete......and a masonry bit wont' work without the hammer function....

Use a centre punch on tiles? Are you nuts? That's fine if you want to replace the tile......I guess you've never seen "canada's worst handyman"???

Hardwood on concrete? I sure hope you have a vapor barrier underneath it else you'll be replacing it in a couple of years. Concrete is porous and the wood will wick up moisture from it causing mold, rot and a myriad of other problems......Hardwood is NOT reccommended by any OEM over concrete or masonry. This should be a floating floor of engineered flooring over a vapor barrier/underpad.

For sliding closet doors on a floating floor you have to make the hole about 50% larger than the fastener to allow for expansion and contraction. just like you would around the perimeter to allow the wood to move. If you anchor it at the closet doors the floor won't be able to move and will buckle, crack, and move.

In this application you should be using closet doors that hang on an upper track and use only nylon guides attached to the floor. If you have true hardwood I'd just anchor the bottom track using #8 x 5/8" pan head wood screws into the wood floor ONLY. This will be sufficient to hold the guide in place, and still allow the floor to move with the seasons. The lateral force on the track is negligible......

For the shower curtain rod: are the tiles ceramic or porcelain? If they are ceramic I'd pick up the solid carbide bit that dremel makes. They cut through ceramic like butter. If they are porcelain you WILL need a diamond coring bit. They are a little pricey but they are basically a tube coated with diamond particles. Yes it will want to wander but you'll have to hold it steady and go SLOWLY. Using a centre punch won't help you one bit and will most likely shatter the tile. Would you use a centre punch on glass?

 

[tboy]

A standard drill will usually cut into concrete the amount you need for a tapcon. Do yourself a favour and buy the package with the drill bit included it will save grief.

Do not overtighten the tapcons they will screw the hole up if you do and you don't want to try and get them out after the fact.

The curtain rod wil;l usually have an escutcheon plate on both ends to hide the screws, make sure that you have them in place before you install teh rod.

Any tile bit will do the trick here DO NOT USE A HAMMER DRILL ON TILE. The vibrations will break tiles go slow and use a little water to lubricate and clear the drill bit.

Sorry, a tile bit will just scratch a porcelain tile.....won't do a damn thing. A non-hammer drill on concrete? I hope Keeb has a couple of hours and a dozen bits.....but he shouldn't be anchoring the track into the concrete anyways so it is irrelevant at this point.......

 

[Leighster]

First is the re-installation of sliding mirrored closet doors. The part I'm concerned about is that the floor is new hardwood so I don't want to fuck it up. The tracks screw into the floor (into concrete below the hardwood) and into the ceiling of the door frames. Any tips for screwing into concrete?

Second project is the installation of a curved shower rod. I'm taking the old, straight rod out so I'm going to have to screw new holes into the tiles. I don't want to break the tiles. Any advice?

Here is my .02 cents

1. There is no need to go into the concrete for the bottom track, it is only a guide they are hung from the top. If it is hardwood then it should 5/8 or ¾” thick which is more than enough to hold the track. You could probably use 2 sided tape if you really wanted to.

2. Use a flat (sometimes called a spade bit) carbide tipped glass / tile bit, go slowly and you will have no problem drilling your tile.


L.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

You do not want to use a tapcon scew to install a sliding mirror door into the floor, you will see the blue screws every time you use the door. Use regular screws with tap in lead anchors. To prevent a diamond or masonary bit from scating the masking tape trick is good, you can also drill a small hole with a much smaller masonary bit before you use the proper size bit. Drill through the wood first with a steel bit before you use the masonary bit for the concrete.
As for the ceramic tiles. pre-drill a small hole with a diamond bit before you use the larger bit to drill the proper size hole.

 

[dj1470]

You do not want to use a tapcon scew to install a sliding mirror door into the floor, you will see the blue screws every time you use the door.

I have installed tapcon to floors through wood before. Counter sink the screws just a little bit and use some wood coloured putty the same colour of the wood used and some sandpaper to cover the screwheads. Unless you are an idiot it looks fine.

tapcons will NOT drill into concrete......and a masonry bit wont' work without the hammer function

Completely wrong. I've done it both inside and outside on brick, mortar, and concrete.

A non-hammer drill on concrete? I hope Keeb has a couple of hours and a dozen bits

As for needing a hammer drill. You don't unless you're an idiot. Use the bit provided in the tapcon package you get with the screws - it is sized perfectly for the size of screw you need. Just use even downward pressure (weight) on the bit and driver while in use and be careful not to break it. It works and performs perfectly and no need to buy an expensive hammer drill for one small job. I've done this with a regular drill dozens of times as DYI.

 

[tboy]

I have installed tapcon to floors through wood before. Just use some wood coloured putty thre same colour of the wood used and some sandpaper to cover the screwheads. Unless you are an idiot it looks fine.



Completely wrong. I've done it both inside and outside on brick, mortar, and concrete.



As for needing a hammer drill. You don't unless you're an idiot. Use the bit provided in the tapcon package you get with the screws - it is sized perfectly for the size of screw you need. Just use even downward pressure (weight) on the bit and driver while in use and be careful not to break it. It works and performs perfectly and no need to buy an expensive hammer drill for one small job. I've done this with a regular drill dozens of times as DYI.

I repeat: TAPCONS WILL NOT DRILL INTO ANYTHING they are NOT carbide tipped.....tapcons are SCREWS not DRILLS.

Brick? Mortar? maybe CONCRETE? maybe if it's 100 yrs old or 50% sand......

Oh, and I guess every contractor with half a mind is an idiot for using a hammer drill to drill holes into masonry......

 

[fmahovalich]

T-boy is wrong

A small very pointed punch....will quite nicely break the glazing in a very small and controlled manner....and once your through that ...drill thru the soft tile...and way you go...DON'T MAKE THIS DIFFICULT FOR HIM LADS.

Its easy...even a regular drll will punch thru once the glazing is cracked....trust me...I DO IT ALL THE TIME....NEVER BREAK A TILE!!!

 

[wop]

This entire thread is hilarious!

Just hire Mike Holmes, he'll do it perfectly! Unlike all these socalled "experts" they are probably just contractors who's only lot in life is to rip people off and cut corners! Just call Mike, you'll sleep better!

 

[gar]

OK, here's how I prevent my drill bit from skating when I drill tile. I drill a hole, just slightly larger than my diamond bit into a scrap piece of plywood. Then place the plywood over the spot where you want the hole. The plywood guides the drill bit and prevents damage to the tile. It helps to have a somebody hold the template while the other drills. I've done this with small 3/16th and larger 1.5 inch bits.
I keep the plywood templates in my drill case for future use.

 

[Brill]

Hardwood can go over concrete if it isn't a basement floor. I wouldn't bother drilling into the concrete - just fasten the track to the hardwood with short screws since there isn't much lateral force.
Be sure it's hardwood and not just a thin laminate floor though.