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Removing concrete nail anchors

DiamondWash

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I have some signs needed to be removed and they we're put up with those metal nail concrete anchors how do you remove them?
 

mjwalsh

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I have some signs needed to be removed and they we're put up with those metal nail concrete anchors how do you remove them?
Diamond,

The mushroom head style?

We just use a sharp chisel & get underneath the head & they usually can be pulled out then. They really aren't that strong. "slam baam thank you ma'am" installers like them --- but I think they are a pain for the trooper who will be around for the long term maintenance & doing replacement down the road.

Anybody else can relate?

MJ
 

mac

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I used to use them on signs but went to plastic anchors and stainless screws. The chisel method works to remove them.
 

MEP001

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I use a WonderBar (flat prybar) and hammer the curved end under the head - you can often pull the anchor out completely.
 

MikeV

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You can use a small punch and drive the nails through and the head pops off.
 

Earl Weiss

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I typicaly use a grinder to grind the heads off, remove whatever is mounted and grind any protrusion flat.

Less potential for damage to concrete than trying to pull them out.
 

mjc3333

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Use a "cats paw" bar. It looks like a pry bar on the end of a hammer but smaller.
 

Wash-it

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metal anchors

Hum. metal anchors or "lead anchors" should never be used to mount signage.
Hilti makes a great 1/4" anchor that is made of plastic and has a stainless set pin that is removable with a phillips screwdriver. This is what we use. The steel type anchor pins are only used to support heavier items. But, to remove the type you have, we use a flat bar and hammer and break the heads off. DONT HIT YOUR HAND>>>>>> OUCH,
 

mjwalsh

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Hum. metal anchors or "lead anchors" should never be used to mount signage.
Hilti makes a great 1/4" anchor that is made of plastic and has a stainless set pin that is removable with a phillips screwdriver. This is what we use.
Wash-it,

Do you happen to remember who tends to carry this specific anchor? Like Ace Hardware or Lowes?

MJ
 

MEP001

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mjwalsh said:
Do you happen to remember who tends to carry this specific anchor? Like Ace Hardware or Lowes?
You can get Hilti anchors from a Hilti store or a specialty bolt supply or even order them online, but not from a home improvement center.

Wash-it said:
Hum. metal anchors or "lead anchors" should never be used to mount signage.
I use plastic sleeve anchors with stainless screws on brick, or double-stick tape on tile or glazed block.
 

Earl Weiss

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Wash-it,

Do you happen to remember who tends to carry this specific anchor? Like Ace Hardware or Lowes?

MJ
Our local Home Depot carries a lot of Hilti stuff including Hilti Anchors.
 

MEP001

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Earl Weiss said:
Our local Home Depot carries a lot of Hilti stuff including Hilti Anchors.
They don't here - I wouldn't have thought it would be a regional thing.
 

Wash-it

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You can go online to the hilti website. The stainless anchors are kind of expensive but, they last practically forever. Tip, for signage and and wall panels predrill the sign with 5/16" bit to allow for temp changes = expansion and contraction. These work well in the automatic bay too. Chem resistant and will not rust. I dont know about lowes and the like, we always just get em thru hilti.
 

mjwalsh

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You can go online to the hilti website. The stainless anchors are kind of expensive but, they last practically forever. Tip, for signage and and wall panels predrill the sign with 5/16" bit to allow for temp changes = expansion and contraction. These work well in the automatic bay too. Chem resistant and will not rust. I dont know about lowes and the like, we always just get em thru hilti.
Wash-it,

Are these the specific ones you order online directly from Hilti?

http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/page/...l.jsf?lang=en&nodeId=-69623&selProdOid=365774

MJ
 

Wash-it

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Yes directly from hilti. You must have authorization to purchase from hilti. The anchors recommended are part number HPS -1R these come in a box of 200 and may be more than you need. I looked online @ the Home depot site and they carry the zinc coated type but I wouldn't use them ---they will rust.
If the box of 200 is too many for ya, just send info and we can get you a few to try. For brick or reg block the 1 inch type work well and for split faced block longer ones may be needed. On split faced block we have used small pieces of 1/4 or 3/8" polyflo tubing behind the signage and slide the anchor thru it to even up the sign. Split face block is just sooo rough to mount stuff on.
 

MEP001

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Wash-it said:
Split face block is just sooo rough to mount stuff on.
I had to mount some signs on split-face brick, but it was so uneven I couldn't stand how it looked. I bought some heavy aluminum strips and cut them the length of the signs and used stainless screws with the heads countersunk flush with the strips to mount them to the brick, then used double-stick adhesive to mount the sign to the aluminum. The sign almost looks like it's floating on the wall, but it's secure enough people can't get their fingers behind it to pry it off.
 
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