Best way to hang a MDO sign

[Blaney]

What is the best way to hang a 4' x 6' MDO sign to a cinder block wall? I want to use tap-con screws and screw into the mortar. I would counter sink the the heads and cover them with a small vinyl circle to hind them. The wall already has a ton of screw hole and the customer does not want any more. He wants me to use Liquid Nail, which I feel will not hold long term. Please advise. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

How thick is the MDO ? if 3/4 or 1/2 using Liquid Nail well I would not trust it with out at least one real bolting 3/8 maybe, besides it's real work getting liquid Nail off building and looks ugly if not . with 4 to 6 bolts in wall Liquid holding in holes much better idea.

Holes can be securely patched, a hard sign falling on someones head is much harder to heal, a engineer can give better advice.

PVC or Alumacore would be alot lighter then 3/8 MDO and you can also get hidden hangers also so no bolts even show, which is best.

 

[Brandon708]

lol at Liquid nails. Maybe you can suggest you use some scotch tape too!

The best way to install it would be to mount (2) 2x4s to the building that are about 1 foot shorter than the sign, then mount them with counter sunk expansion bolts. When mounting them to the wall make sure that they will be set in about 6" from the top and bottom of the sign. Attach (2) 2"x2" stringers to the sign using wood screws. These stringers will fit on the outside of the top and bottom 2x4"s on the wall. Set the sign on then use wood or lag bolts to screw the 2x2 into the 2x4 from the top and bottom. (not thru the face of the sign but directly into the 2x2 into the 2x4)
That will off set the sign off the wall about 2".

If the don't want the sign to be offset off the wall then (4) 3/8 x 3" expansion bolts will work in the corners. I would then paint them so they are not so visible.

 

[Mosh]

Holes can be filled, liquid nail will leave a f'ing mess when the sign falls eerrr is taken down.
Tell your smart customer that!

 

[MikePro]

No holes? Skip the mdo and just vinyl the wall

 

[MikePro]

If u try to glue an mdo to the wall.... remind your client that your not responsible for your lack of a backbone when pitching a proper install....

 

[Red Ball]

NEVER screw into mortar. It is too soft and with time will crumble away from your hardware. Liquid nails - no. Not appropriate and will leave a huge unsightly mess.
Expansion shield or butterfly toggle bolts.

 

[Blaney]

Thanks for responding. The sign is hung. I went with 3/8" expansion bolts. I told the customer if he wanted to use Liquid Nail, he would have to hang it himself.

 

[Brandon708]

Im glad you did it right.

it would be impossible to do with liquid nails. Liquid nails is not super glue it takes a lot of time (hours) to harden.

 

[Gino]

I'm glad you got it up with out any problems from the installation itself or your customer's stupidness.

Also, I have to respectfully disagree with screws or whatever into bricks and not the mortar.

I've been taught and told by many masonry people that normally you should drill into the mortar joint and not the brick.

Usually the strength is in the concrete masonry and not the clay bricks. Clay brick have wildly variable properties. Every type has a different problem. Mortar is much more uniform compared to brick. Some very strong brick can be very brittle and subject to cracking and splitting, while others may crumble.

 

[signmeup]

Huh... I always drill into the brick. In fact... I bought a big hairy chested bastard of a drilling thingy called a rotary hammer. It'll blow a half inch hole through a brick in two seconds flat. Good thing it's fast 'cause it's pretty heavy. I look for any excuse to drill bricks now. I aways use lead anchors and stainless steel lags BTW. Liquid nails.... wuss