Covering a cinder block wall

**Tom_in_Syracuse** · 12-01-2002, 03:33 PM

Hey Gang,

I am in the process of getting settled in a new house and getting my shop going again. The rear wall of the garage is cinder block (other face is onto the family room and has a fire place). I'd like to attach 1x2's on the cinder block and then hang plywood to give myself a nice surface to mount cabinets etc. What is the best way to mount the 1x2's to the cinder block? Thanks,

Tom

**TDHofstetter** · 12-01-2002, 06:41 PM

Hi, Tom, and welcome to the gang!

When you say "cinderblock", it'd be good if we had more info. All the time I was growing up, we called lightweight concrete block "cinderblock". They weighed something like 20 or 25 pounds each for a standard 8x8x16 block. Now that we live in Vermont, we call something ELSE "cinderblock". These ones are technically just "concrete block" - not "lightweight". These ones, the same size as the others, weigh about 60 pounds each.

The reason I ask is that the lightweight ones are neither very strong nor dense. Either is perfectly sound for building walls, but attaching things to lightweight concrete block walls is somewhat different from attaching things to standard block.

Also - it'd be good to know, if possible, if the block is FILLED or left hollow. That could make a little difference.

The simplest thing to do would be to attach the strapping with "PL" or "Liquid Nails" heavy-duty construction adhesive. The next-simplest, regardless of block type, would involve drilling into the mortar joints and installing concrete anchors into those joints. Avoid the plastic ones, especially in this case. For a more sturdy attachment, I'd use expanding anchors in unfilled lightweight blocks or powder-driven fasteners in filled standard blocks. By "expanding", I mean like "Mollies" or wing anchors drilled all the way through into the hollows between the webs. Powder-driven fasteners (nails, for this application) work well in either solid concrete or filled blocks - especially if they're combined with construction adhesive.

If you have filled lightweight blocks or unfilled standard blocks, I'll have to think a little more - or somebody else may chime in with good techniques.

-- Tim --

E Lignus Unum

**Tom_in_Syracuse** · 12-01-2002, 08:27 PM

Hi Tim,

I'm dealing with "lightweight" concrete block. I doubt they are filled. Kids are asleep so I have to wait until tomorrow to go out and check (i.e. make noise).

Tom

**TDHofstetter** · 12-02-2002, 12:03 AM

Yep, for that I'd definitely go with mollies or wing anchors. Especially if you're gonna mount heavy stuff (cabinets filled with tools) on the strapping.

The other alternative, if the joists above are exposed, would be to run 2x4 stock vertially and attach them to the joists. I've hung BIG loads of hardwood lumber from such supports.

-- Tim --

E Lignus Unum

**LumberJock** · 12-02-2002, 09:03 AM

I recently built some shelves into a corner of a basement. The mortar joints would not allow masonry nails to be used since they wouldn't "bite" good enough. I ran 2X4's flat against the walls and then nailed them to the joists above. The bottoms were nailed to a heavy 48" X 96" pallet.

After the shelves were built and everything was tied together, myself and a friend (385lb total weight) could hang from the shelves without a problem. I plan on keeping 7 years of the company's records (about 20 boxes of files and papers) on those shelves and I'm sure they'll hold up well.

You could nail a bottom plate to your studs and then anchor to the floor with a power nailer or concrete anchors since a pallet would probably get in your way :D