Ive been researching and toiling over this as opposed to actually getting it done for too long, finally had to turn to a forum!
I purchased a relatively old house (1957) some time ago and we've finally gotten onto the basement (i call it the basement but its really considered living space as its only half underground/tri level home).
The utility room is bare cinder block on the 3 of the 4 walls. I intend to attach furring strips (1×3) which ive already purchased.
my question is kinda two-fold.
I also need to attach window sills to the "hollow side" of cinder block as all the new windows we just had put in have nothing but holes leading down into cinder block below them. Ive cut the window sills and was hoping to simply use liquid nails to secure them however as luck would have it, 2 of the boards have a slight warp so ill need to use something to draw them flush/square.
Im on a very tight budget so im looking to find a solution that will work for both the furring strips and the window sills.
I looked at a ramset but it appears the orange sleeve the fasteners are surrounded by actually creates a bulge above the surface of the wood. Im concerned this would cause me the ramset equivalent of a nail-pop if i tried to drywall over the bulges on the furring strips, and it would also make it impossible for me to spackle/woodfiller/mud or whathaveyou the windowsills to finish them off with white paint.
Sorry for being long winded here. Anyone able to set me straight on something that will work for both and fasten flush with the wood?
Best Answer
Use a hammer drill with a 5/32" masonry drill bit to install 3/16" Tapcon phillips concrete anchors that are 1-3/4" long. The phillips head should countersink itself flush as you drive it into the furring strip. You may need to use a countersink drill bit before driving the Tapcon to help it sit flush depending on the hardness of the furring strip.