Drilling holes into outside wall

Keep_The_Change

I would like to drill some holes into an outside wall to hang a number plate up.

Is it best to drill into the brick or cement (in between?)

I keep reading conflicting comments online. THe instructions I got with the plate say to drill into the brick.

It's a small slate plate so not very heavy.

Thanks.

Prothet_of_Doom

It really really does not matter.

NeverInDebt

Personally its easier to drill into mortar as its usually softer than brick. If you decide to take number plate out later stage its easy to patch mortar up than brick

DKLS

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

It really really does not matter.

It does if the house is made from engineering brick!


I had an end of terrace made from the stuff and it was a drill killer.

Ebe_Scrooge

I agree with NeverInDebt - mortar is easier to drill and easier to patch. For anything with a fair amount of weight on it, I'd say drill into the bricks - harder but stronger - but for what you want the mortar will be fine.

lstar337

I put up some hanging baskets, and I drilled into the brick. I didn't want to risk the mortar breaking up and falling out.

Alter_ego

Why drill when "No more nails" or similar would hold it?

savemoney

I have a clay number sign on my house and its stuck on brick with a good no nails glue its been there for almost 7 years now and its quite heavy compared with other type of numbered signs on houses.

Ebe_Scrooge

lstar337 wrote: »

I put up some hanging baskets, and I drilled into the brick. I didn't want to risk the mortar breaking up and falling out.

Exactly - a hanging basket is pretty heavy, especially when wet, a definite case for going into brick. For the OPs situation the mortar option will be fine - or even, as others have said, an adhesive of some sort. Not sure how well it would weather though ? For the sake of 5 minutes work I'd be drilling into the mortar in this scenario.

cyclonebri1

Alter_ego wrote: »

Why drill when "No more nails" or similar would hold it?

:D:D
DSo you really believe that, plus, what a mess should it fail.

Please explain how to hold the item whilst No More Nails goes off???

Look, it's a number, no load, no need for structural strength, drill the joints every single time, why break the bricks??

Ruski

Bri - don't forget to tell them to use an SDS drill....

Russ