I'm working on installing a retractable hose on my home's exterior wall, which is made of 2-inch thick brick veneer. The instructions called for drilling 1/2-inch holes for anchors, but I accidentally made the holes too big for the provided plastic anchors. I tried using matchsticks to stabilize the anchors, but the weight of the hose keeps pulling them out. What are my options here? Can I still use the existing anchors or do I need to get new ones?
3 Answers
You’ve got a couple of options: 1) Use larger anchors that fit the size of the holes you have, 2) Drill new holes 1-2 inches away that are the right size, or 3) Consider using epoxy or a strong adhesive to secure the existing anchors. If you go for the adhesive, just make sure to fill the gaps before you screw in the frame. That should help hold everything in place!
Ensure you've got something sturdy behind the veneer. Aim for at least half of your screws to anchor into a stud with decent-length bolts, since those hose reels can be pretty heavy. If you're not sure what's behind the veneer, it might be worth investigating before proceeding with the installation!
You should definitely go up a size on your anchors. Once the holes become too big for the original anchors, it’s pretty much a lost cause. If you want a secure hold, either get larger anchors or drill new holes a bit closer together to fit the right size. Some folks even recommend using epoxy or masonry adhesive to glue in the anchors securely, which could help.
What about using bigger anchors with the original screws? Could that work?
So for the epoxy option, do I just fill the hole after I put the anchors in?