Hi everybody,

Our house has ICF walls (2.5" foam) and traditional stucco over it (1").
Here is what I plan to do:
1. Cut 2 small horizontal rectangle area (per shutter) of about 8" long in the stucco and take the foam out, till I reach the concrete wall.
2. Take a piece of lumber (2x4) and insert it in the hole.
3. Fasten the wood with 1/2" x 5-1/2" Wedge Anchor for Solid Concrete.
4. Attach the shutters to the wood with deck screws.
The shutters are vinyl made, about 14"x70".
Can you please let me know if my plan is good and if there is a simpler way to attach the shutters, without compromising the stucco?

Many thanks!

Hi Beno : That sounds like a lot of work to me.
Your stucco will probably carry the load quite easily.
Predrill your shutter and the stucco, and use a little PL Premium in the stucco hole to ensure a good bond.
Best regards :-)

Hi Eric, good to hear from you! Beside the PL Premium, what else do I put in the hole? Maybe a plastic fastener that reaches the metal lath and a screw that goes in it? And how many holes should I make, 2 up and 2 down are enough?
Thanks again.

Posted By eq1 on 12 Feb 2011 12:52 AM
Hi Eric, good to hear from you! Beside the PL Premium, what else do I put in the hole? Maybe a plastic fastener that reaches the metal lath and a screw that goes in it? And how many holes should I make, 2 up and 2 down are enough?
Thanks again.

 Screws yes !

 Stainless steel , coarse thread, # 8 or #10  square drive. painted same colour as your shutter.
 Add  30 to 40mm to the shutter thickness for length of screws.
 The stucco is fairly soft, if you predrill a little smaller, the steel screw should cut its own thread in the mortar.
 Attach at all four corners, and from 500mm to 600mm ~ equally around the edges.
 The PL Premium should take up any oversize or mortar breakage, and bond the screw to the mortar.

 Test some holes behind the shutter location and silicone over, before you finalize your method.

 

Eric,

I like your method for attaching the shutters.  One question:  If the PL Premium is used to bond the screws, can the screws still be backed out if a shutter replacement is needed or if the painter someday wants to remove the shutter to spray paint it?

Alton, yes ..provided it is a good SS screw that doesn't degrade over time.
 
There may be some tearout, but essentially the shutter or fixture should be in place for years.
If the tearout was large, i'd just fill again with PL and re-drill in an hour or so.
 
If you really need the ability to remove and replace screws regularly, I'd bond a small lead anchor in the hole.

PL , if it is hot can do a very good job filling minor concrete wall cracks...say 1/4 inch,
and being urethane, it doesn't mind water.

Epoxy, on the other hand is useless in wet conditions and 3 times the money :-)
  

I'm good with Eric's method. If you really wanted to go top end, use Hilti inserts through foam and into concrete, I/4" threaded rod protruding the length of a cap nut past the shutter depth. Install insert and rod, silicone rod, install shutter, add flat washer and nylon cap nut. If you really want to get carried away, make the rod a little longer and use a plastic spacer to to hold the shutter just off the stucco.
Bob

Fastening to the stucco is not sufficient. I like Bob's method, it is in keeping with the shutter's engineering which shows lags into lumber framing or concrete screws into masonry.

JeffD

A hi-grade vinyl shutter weighs .82 oz per sq ft.

That would make a 14 inch x 70 inch shutter weigh less than 1/2 lb.

Through personal observation, I would allow traditional stucco the same or better strength as OSB sheathing.

 Doing a trial run will establish the strength of the method and materials.

eq1,

Where is this building that needs shutters?  If you are in a high wind area such as Florida then whatever type of attachment used should be designed to withstand the wind.  Weight of the shutter may not be an issue compared to wind.

I was looking at: Vantage 13.87in x 70.5in Charcoal Board and Batten Vinyl Exterior Shutters, at Lowes.
Their specs don't give the weight, I'll post this info after I buy them. Bob suggested to glue the Hiliti rods into the concrete (if I understood correctly) and I'd rather find something that can screw in concrete, like the 1/2" x 5-1/2" Wedge Anchor for Solid Concrete, and use 4 of those, at the shutter's corners. Is this overkill? Can I go with 4 Hilti rods?
Eric, I am afraid the shutters will be heavier than that, also I'd like to have no more than 4 screws, at the corners. And I'll feel better knowing that the shutters are secured in the concrete, even if I don't have to. Thanks again!

Here are the Vantage weights-per shutter for the 14"x70" that I found out:
Louvered-4.7 lbs
Raised panel-4.6 lbs
Board/Batten-5.7 lbs

The Hilti inserts are wedge type. You can use any anchor but I've been happy with Hilti. Just make sure the anchor is for threaded rod rather than lag screws.

Where do you buy Hilti inserts ? Home Depot or Lowes?

Posted By eq1 on 16 Feb 2011 10:51 AM
Where do you buy Hilti inserts ? Home Depot or Lowes?

These are the ones I used. They work great and you use whatever length of bolt you need. I used a 1/4" rod to set the plug and lock the anchor in the concrete. They're only around 25 to 50 cents each singly. Red Head anchor

I think that this is the same idea as a lead anchor that I insert in the concrete and then I come with a long enough bolt that will screw into it, right?

Same basic idea, just better. These Red Heads are steel w/ machine screw threads and have a plug that secures the anchor into the concrete when you set it. Once set there's no getting it out. Lead anchors I'm familiar with depend on the bolt you put into them to expand them to secure them in the hole.

Posted By eq1 on 16 Feb 2011 10:51 AM
Where do you buy Hilti inserts ? Home Depot or Lowes?

Your local Hilti dealer. Other anchor mentioned are probably just as good but we use a lot of Hilti tools so just naturally have their inserts.

Eric,

I'm sorry live and work in Florida so I thought you were installing hurricane shutters. If they are not hurricane shutter then your method is just fine.

I received the shutters, they are 2.85 Kg each, probably around 6 lbs. I have a new idea how to connect them: when the guys installed the stucco they made some pencil marks every 8", so they will know where to put the screws for the lath. I still have these marks, at the bottom of the stucco. I checked and most of the shutters cover them, so I can buy some 6" screws and go through the stucco and foam.