How to Nail Into Brick

Masonry Nails

Use nails to support light to medium weight attachments. Masonry nails can support furring strips, shelf brackets, or boards up to 1½" thick (38mm; the thickness of a 2 x 4). They are built for anchoring into the mortar joints between bricks. Use sleeve anchors instead for heavyweight attachments, or if you need to anchor an object directly into the brick itself. If your wall is a single layer of brick with an exterior surface, the nails could open small cracks in the mortar and allow water to seep through. Use an adhesive or other non-penetrating method instead, or plan to waterproof the exterior.

Purchase masonry nails. Masonry nails are made from hardened steel, and usually grooved or threaded. Ordinary nails cannot penetrate into masonry. Choose nails long enough to penetrate about 1¼ to 1½ inches (32–38mm) into the wall, plus the thickness of the board you are attaching. Cut masonry nails are a variety with flat, tapering sides and a blunt point. These are less likely to split lumber, but are not strictly necessary. Use studs instead when fastening thin metal and plastic, or when supporting a plaque, pipe support, or other object that might need replacement. Studs leave a threaded end protruding from the wall so you can fasten the object with an easily removed nut.

Pre-drill the lumber. If you are nailing lumber to the wall, drilling the holes through the board will make the job easier. Hold the lumber up against the wall and mark hole positions every 18–24 inches (45–60cm), with each hole positioned over the mortar joints, not the bricks themselves. Return the lumber to your workbench and drill through these marks with a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of your nails.

Tap in the central nail. Before placing the board against the wall, tap a nail through the central hole using a hammer. If you are using cut nails, align them so the tapering sides are parallel with the wood grain.

Put on safety goggles. Both the masonry nails and the brick are brittle objects that can shatter when struck at an angle. Wear goggles or safety glasses to protect against flying shards.

Nail the object to the mortar. Place the object against the wall, with the nail lined up over the mortar, not the brick face. Use the small sledgehammer to drive the nail forcefully into the mortar. Strike the head of the nail squarely and keep the nail at a right angle to the mortar to minimize the chance of breaking. Drive the nail in until the head is flush with the board's surface. Hammer the remaining nails the same way. If you have a big job or find it difficult to drive in the nails with a sledgehammer, get a stud driver instead. Insert the nail in the hollow tube and strike the end of the driver with a hammer. This allows for faster, straighter nailing with less chance of chipping the masonry. You can also drill a hole in the mortar with a masonry bit. Use a bit just smaller than the width of the nails. If the nails are too loose for the holes, just mix then push a little mortar in the hole with your fingers and hammer the nails in. When the mortar dries, the loose nails will take hold.

Sleeve Anchors

Select your sleeve anchors. These non-removable fasteners have a shield around the shank, which expands for a sturdy fit. Select anchors that meet your needs: Choose anchors rated to four times the expected weight load, or eight if they need to withstand dynamic load (moving or vibrating) or impact load (sudden force). The shear load rating is for forces parallel to the brick surface (a hanging picture), while tensile load is perpendicular (a pipe hanging from the ceiling). Choose a size that can penetrate the recommended minimum distance into the brick, taking the object you're attaching into account. For example, a ½" (1.25cm) diameter anchor needs to extend at least 2¼" (5.75cm) into the wall.

Mark the locations of the holes. Sleeve anchors can be installed in mortar joints, or directly into the faces of solid or hollow bricks. Because the anchors exert force on the surrounding brick, it's important to space the holes to avoid putting too much stress on one spot: Leave ten diameters of space between each pair of anchors. For example, ½" (1.25cm) anchors should be spaced 10 x ½" = 5" (12.5cm) apart. Leave five diameters of space between anchors and unsupported edges.

Wear safety equipment. Put on goggles, sturdy work gloves you can dedicate to masonry work, and a ventilated mask. Avoid breathing in dust (which may contain silica and caustic substances), and wear a particulate respirator with a filter rated N95 or better for large jobs.

Drill the holes with a hammer drill. Choose a masonry drill bit exactly the same diameter as the anchors. Drill through the object you'll be attaching (if necessary), and into the holes marked on your brick surface. This is much faster and more precise with a hammer drill. Check your sleeve anchor product information. Some anchors require a hole with an exact depth. If your anchors have no maximum depth and the brick is sufficiently thick, drill about ½" (1.25 cm) deeper than the anchors will penetrate for good measure.

Clean out the holes. Blow the masonry dust out of the holes with compressed air. Some hammer drills come with a tool for this purpose. You may need to blow out the dust partway through drilling. Do not blow out the dust with your mouth.

Insert the anchors. Push the anchors through the object you are attaching, and into the holes you drilled. Tap them into place with a hammer if necessary. If you have two-part anchors, insert the sleeves first, then insert the bolts through their centers.

Tighten the anchor heads. Use a wrench or screwdriver to tighten the nut or screw head at the end of the anchor. This will push the sleeve outward to press against the sides of the hole. Keep tightening until you have a snug fit and the anchor head is flush with the surface. It may work best to tighten all the anchor heads in stages, a little at a time.

Alternative Fasteners

Hang pictures from hole-free brick clamps. These snap over the brick without the use of nails. However, the brick and clamp must be a very similar height to make a good fit. This may not work well if the recess above the brick leaves less than 1/8 inch (3.18 mm) depth of the brick's upper surface exposed, or if it forms a curved surface due to a concave masonry joint.

Install masonry screws. As long as the masonry is not too old and soft, you can replace nails with screws for more secure anchoring: Choose screws at least twice as long as the thickness of the lumber you are attaching. Select a masonry drill bit with a diameter equal to the screw's shaft's, not including the threads. Drill through the lumber and into the masonry. Insert and tighten the screw until firm. Avoid over-tightening.

Use an adhesive substance. There are many epoxies, mastics, and contact cements that can bond to brick. Check the manufacturer's instructions before buying to find a product that works with the material you plan to attach, and that can withstand the expected temperature, weight, and weather exposure. This approach may work well for light loads on soft brick surfaces, which are difficult to drill or nail without crumbling.

Complete professional jobs with a powder-actuated tool. This tool drives hardened steel pins into the masonry using a gunpowder charge. It is rarely used for home projects, since lack of training or the wrong model could lead to shattered brick or injury. If you have some construction experience and have a large project to complete, this could save you a lot of time. Do not use a powder-actuated tool on hollow brick.