Hi. I'm working on my basement and I want to frame in some walls. I want to fasten the 2x4 bottom plate to the poured concrete floor. I want to use my powder actuated nailer. I have a Uniset XL-99.
I was planning on using 2-1/2 anchors.
What size/or color cartridge do I need? Am I using the right length fastener?
Thanks,
Ethan
rayethan, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
You shold have a book with your nailer that gives you specific charge amounts for certain materials. I'm sure you know that these nailers can be quite dangerous so it would be in your best interest to get the info for your nailer. It may also give hints on what length fasteners to use.
I am not an expert on this subject but keep watching this post as someone who uses this type equipment may be able to give you more information. Good luck with your project.
Unfortunately, I don't have the instructions and Google is no help. (I can't believe it isn't online somewhere, but Google can't find it). I'm hoping, as you are, that someone in this forum knows what to use.
Thanks,
E
I use a Remington but the colors are standard
Not often enought to tell you which color is which from memory, but I can check
I can't get to mine right now
But if no-one chimes in by morning
I'll grab mine and post back
Well I wanted to give you the By the Book answers
As a general rule penetration should be approx. 1 - 1 1/2 inches
NEVER use fasteners more than 2 1/2 inches long (caps. theirs)
...start with the lowest power load (gray) and increase untill a proper fastening is made
Remington Power Loads (1=lowest, 4=highest)
1 gray, 2 Brown, 3 Green, 4 Yellow
Personally
Penetration of 1 maybe ideal but not always achievable
As you may have noticed with a max fastener of 2 1/2 through a 2x4 gives you about 3/4
Though not ideal by the book, with 2x4s on concrete floor, that's about all you can do and all I have done, ever
One of which is 12 years strong when I saw it in August
In regards to starting with a lower power load first I always do that because you never know how well it is going to penetrate, concrete varies greatly
It's best to have a few power levels on hand
Brown may work fine for the first 4 and then doesn't cut it for the next 2 and you need green
PS
This does say these are Remington colors so I'm not sure about the standards between brands
Also don't forget eye and ear protection!
Thanks, this is a huge help. I've got some yellow cartridges, but I wasn't sure if they were strong enough/too strong. I can't imagine using more than a 2-1/2 fastener, but I didn't want to go much smaller as they need to hold. Although, they are just partition walls, no loads on them. About how far apart did you place the fasteners?
Thanks for you help.
E
Realisticaly you'll probably need the yellows
If you don't want to get some lesser ones just keep in mind your first yellow may go through the wood, most likely not but I think you get the idea
As for spacing that can vary
I usually end up doing about 18, like studs, just staggered from where the studs actually go
I deal with a lot of old, old, houses and the concrete can vary tremendously, so I often have to play it by ear
If it's going right in, not crumbling, 2 1/2s just right, 18 is probably over kill
But who wants to remove the drywall and re-doit if it loosens? Not Me!
Often with the oldie but moldies I get iffy results, and sometimes find I'm doing 2 in between studs
Sorry to jump in late, but with all powder actuated tools, you typically want a 1 embedment into the concrete, even for interior partition walls. I am not familiar with your tool model or the psi of your concrete, but with most .27 caliber tools, a yellow booster should be sufficient to keep the fastener from fish hooking or the concrete spalling. A 2 1/2 nail with washer for increased bearing surface on the 2 x 4 is correct. And as Slickshift mentioned, pin spacing will vary depending on the shear or tension loads being applied to the fastener.
Tags: size, cartridge, powder, actuated, nailer, with your, book with, concrete floor, more than, partition walls, power load
