How to Attach Furring Strips over Concrete Part 1

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The installation of furring strips over a concrete slab is a crucial part of any plywood subfloor system. There are many different types of materials that can be used as furring but no matter what the material the methods used to attach them to concrete remains the same. Two of the primary methods used today are by power actuated fastening tools or by using a hammer drill and concrete anchor. We’ll review both methods in this article.

If you’re looking for the fastest way to install furring strips over concrete then using a powder-actuated fastener is definitely the way to go. These tools are powered by color-coded cartridges of varying strengths. For this particular project, the ideal cartridge to use is green in conjunction with a 2-inch anchor. To begin, use the cordless drill to make pilot holes in the furring strips to prevent them from cracking. Use your tape measure to mark 8-inch intervals on the furring strips and then drill the pilot holes.

Then, load the cartridge into the power fastener and insert the anchor into the front of the tool. Make sure you wear the proper safety equipment before using the tool. Once you’ve got everything loaded you can fire the first fastener into the pilot hole at one end of the furring strip. Now check the layout to make sure the furring is straight and fire a fastener into the pilot hole at the other end of the furring strip. Then just install the anchors into the remaining pilot holes and repeat the process for each furring strip.

Attach Furring Strips Using a Hammer Drill

You can use a hammer drill and concrete anchors as another way to fasten furring strips into concrete slabs. First, mark out 8-inch intervals on the furring strip using your tape measure. Then use the cordless drill to make pilot holes in the furring pieces. Once the pilot holes have been drilled, use the hammer drill with a quarter-inch bit to drill a hole in the concrete. You can use your foot to hold the furring strip in place while you drill. Then take the concrete anchors and drive them into the hole using a hammer.

One of the best types of anchors to use for these installations is expandable concrete anchors. They tend to hold up better over time than other types of anchors. Start at one end of the furring strip and check the layout before installing the anchor at the other end of the piece. Once you’ve installed anchors into the remaining pilot holes you can just repeat the process for the rest of the furring.