How to attach a wooden post to concrete so it doesn't spin
Standard concrete screws like Tapcons often spin out and fail to tighten properly in this application. This leaves the wooden post insecure and prevents you from successfully installing a sturdy railing.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using Simpson Strong-Tie post bases with concrete anchorsDid this help you?
- 2Attaching a grab bar directly to the houseDid this help you?
- 3Predrilling the holesDid this help you?
- 4Using a ramset gunDid this help you?
- 5Drilling into the foundation with a hammer drill and using Tapcon anchorsDid this help you?
- 6Using stronger construction adhesive like PL Premium (PL8x)Did this help you?
- 7Digging down past the foundation and setting the post directly into the groundDid this help you?
- 8Using construction adhesive and no fastenersDid this help you?
- 9Using smaller Tapcon screws instead of powder-actuated toolsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I DO NOT want to use a Ramset because I'm concerned about breaking the slab. Is it ok to just use adhesive and nothing else to attach the framing to the floor?”source ↗
“I tried Tapcon screws but they just turn and don’t tighten.”source ↗
“does anyone have a good solution on how to effectively do this? Or a better method?”source ↗