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I'm attempting to hang window flower boxes (a metal frame with a moss/fabric insert, filled with dirt/flowers/water for a total weight of about 15 lbs) on a brick wall.

An example of a similar metal frame can be seen below (found at http://www.vintagetub.com/asp/product_detail.asp?item_no=B-30&utm_id=IDK14&cvsfa=1353&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3439353934): Flower Box http://www.vintagetub.com/images/medium/m_B-30.jpg

The specific box I have has two vertical support beams towards each end with a common vertical set of holes on a each of these that will slip over the head of screws that are firmly anchored into a wall.

I've got two concerns:

  1. Can I support this load via screws only in the mortar or do I need to drill the brick? (A mortar repair is easier and more sightly than holes in brick if I ever take this down, since it's on the side of a garage - i.e. a large uniform brick surface - instead of directly under a window where the holes might go unnoticed.)

  2. If mortar alone will support the expected load, would using only the top two screws suffice? (I'd suspect not.) The distance between the holes in the box is not the same as the height of the brick, so at best I could only get 3 of the holes (two in a horizontal line of mortar, and one in a vertical line) used without drilling brick or coming up with some other way to fasten the box to the wall.

I'd appreciate any thoughts at all on the matter!

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With only 15lbs, two screws (one on each side) ought to do just fine. Just drill into the mortar with a hammer drill and an appropriately sized bit, then use either a sleeve type anchor with the screws, or you could just use a couple tapcon type screws as well.

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    do you have to have a hammer drill? will a normal drill driver work?
    – dave thieben
    Aug 10, 2010 at 19:36
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    @dave - You could do it with a regular drill, but it'll likely take a while. You might spend ten minutes trying to drill one hole where a hammer drill would do it in 10 seconds. If you can borrow one, it would be worthwhile to do so.
    – Eric Petroelje
    Aug 10, 2010 at 20:39
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    A regular drill will also wear out the bits faster, I've never tried since I always use a hammer drill :) but I would guess 10-20 minutes of grinding through with a bit and it'll be mostly warn out (making it take even longer if you continue to use it..). This is a case of using the right tool for the job..
    – gregmac
    Aug 11, 2010 at 0:18
  • A brand new quality masonry bit and a regular drill got each hole drilled in about a minute a piece. The Tapcon-type screws held really well and would support a much heavier load as you suggest. Thanks!
    – BQ.
    Sep 27, 2010 at 20:32

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