Concrete & Masonry

How to fasten furring strips to masonry

Create a straight fixing plane for wall finishes by matching the furring strips and anchors to the concrete or masonry behind them.

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Build a flat fixing plane on sound masonry

Why use furring strips?

Strips can support drywall or cladding and form a space for insulation where the wall design calls for it. Confirm moisture management and clearance before covering the wall.

Match the anchor to the wall and strip

Identify the exact concrete, brick or block substrate and the load the strips will support. Check anchor approval, strip thickness, spacing and useful embedment before drilling.

Find the right fastener

Compare fasteners by material and connection before you choose a size.

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Tools & accessories

Choose the tools that match your materials and fastening system.

Mini Magnetic Level

Check short sections and fittings for level.

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8 mm Magnetic Nut Setter

Use only where the selected fastener head measures 8 mm across flats.

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Attach furring strips to concrete or masonry

Gather materials and check the wall

Choose the specified strips, anchors and masonry bit. Verify substrate condition and locate hidden services before you drill.
Measure and mark the layout

Mark strip lines and fixing points from the finish system’s layout. Use a straightedge or level to establish the finished plane.
Drill and clean the pilot holes

Use the anchor maker’s bit diameter and depth and follow its hole-cleaning instructions. Control masonry dust.
Fasten the strips

Position each strip over the fixing marks. Use the matching drive and seat the anchor as specified without crushing the strip.
Check level and alignment

Check the plane across several strips. Correct uneven areas using the assembly’s permitted shims or supports.
Cut and fit around interruptions

Trim and refit strips as needed at openings and services. Preserve the layout and required support and anchor edge distances.
Complete the wall finish

Confirm the required cavity, drainage and inspection before fitting insulation or wall finishes to the approved assembly.

Use the exact anchor specification for the wall. Confirm services and control silica dust before drilling.

Vertexa ConcretePro concrete and masonry fastener

AnchorMax™ for compatible masonry

Choose the exact size and drive for the verified substrate and fixture. Use an 8 mm nut setter only when the fastener head matches it.

Check the connection before you build

Technical planning and quantities

Review connection details, tools, product sizes and a worked quantity example.

Sizes, quantities & full instructions

Plan the fixing. Respect the substrate.

About this guide

Straight furring starts with a sound wall and a defined fixing schedule. Identify the masonry, account for the strip and any spacer, and verify the anchor installation data before drilling. This guide covers preparation and takeoff, not an engineered facade attachment.

Technical planning referenceSizes & project data

AnchorMax listed options: 3/16 × 1-1/4 in.; 1/4 × 1-1/4, 1-3/4, 2-1/4, 2-3/4 or 3-3/4 in.; VERTEXA catalog · View product sizes
Rainscreen reference geometry: PNNL’s wood/fiber-cement rainscreen example uses vertical furring at 16–24 in. spacing and at least 3/8 in. thickness. It is an assembly example, not an AnchorMax schedule.; Material reference · PNNL: flashing at bottom of exterior walls

All technical parameters · 7

First identify whether the furring fixes to wood framing or masonry. The same length calculation applies, but the anchor, drilling, substrate and load checks are different. Keep the drainage cavity continuous.

Read the evidence: VERTEXA catalog = listed product information. Material reference = requirements for the named material/system. Worked example = assumed inputs and arithmetic. Project input = a value to verify for your job.

Parameters, values and supporting evidence
Parameter	Value / method / applicability	Basis & reference
AnchorMax listed options	3/16 × 1-1/4 in.; 1/4 × 1-1/4, 1-3/4, 2-1/4, 2-3/4 or 3-3/4 in.	VERTEXA catalogView product sizes
Rainscreen reference geometry	PNNL’s wood/fiber-cement rainscreen example uses vertical furring at 16–24 in. spacing and at least 3/8 in. thickness. It is an assembly example, not an AnchorMax schedule.	Material referencePNNL: flashing at bottom of exterior walls
Masonry substrate	Identify concrete, solid brick, grouted block or hollow units. Do not assume a concrete fastener has the same capacity in every masonry substrate.	Project input
Anchor design data	Verify approved pilot diameter, embedment range, edge distance, spacing, member thickness and load for the exact anchor/substrate. Those values are not established by the catalog listing.	Project input
Length-stack illustration	3/4 in. furring + assumed 1-1/2 in. embedment = 2-1/4 in. geometric length. The embedment is an assumed arithmetic input, not an AnchorMax recommendation.	Worked example
Hole depth and cleaning	Drilled depth = embedment + manufacturer’s required allowance. Use its cleaning sequence and dust controls; debris consumes depth and can prevent seating.	Project input
Drained cavity	Maintain a path to the flashing outlet and an appropriate insect screen; added horizontal blocking must not dam the drainage path.	Project input

Gather your tools

Approved support layout; utility/rebar detector; tape and level; hammer drill only where permitted for the substrate; exact specified carbide bit and depth stop; approved hole-cleaning equipment; driver and correctly sized bit/socket; silica dust controls and PPE.

Choose the right size

AnchorMax options include 3/16" × 1-1/4" and 1/4" lengths from 1-1/4" to 3-3/4". Confirm the exact product’s substrate approval, pilot diameter, embedment range, edge spacing and installation procedure. Obtain the AnchorMax technical sheet before installation; do not borrow another brand’s drill-bit table.

Compare the relevant products

Step 1: Identify the wall and the complete assembly.

Confirm concrete, solid brick, hollow block or another substrate, including its condition. Locate services and reinforcement. Measure the strip, finish thickness and any spacers; confirm the load and fixing pattern for the supported finish.

Tools for this stepTools: Detector, tape, drawings and light.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Record substrate, fixture thickness and planned positions in inches.

Step 2: Obtain the exact anchor specification.

Match diameter, head, length and corrosion protection to the approved assembly. Total screw length must cover the fixture and spacers plus the specified embedment. Check minimum spacing, edge distance and substrate thickness before marking holes.

Tools for this stepTools: AnchorMax technical sheet, tape and fixing schedule.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Compare required length with 3/16" × 1-1/4" or the listed 1/4" options. Confirm pilot diameter from AnchorMax data.

Show the anchor depth inside the substrate

Drawing explanation & numbered notes

The section illustrates the arithmetic of a 2-1/4 in. length through 3/4 in. furring. Confirm all anchor-specific dimensions before drilling.

Fixture thickness. Include furring, packers and any real non-structural layer in the length stack.
Embedment h. Measure from the sound substrate face; the 1-1/2 in. label is an assumed example, not a rated range.
Drilled depth h0. h0 = h + required allowance. Obtain the actual pilot diameter and allowance from the exact anchor data.

Useful accessory8 mm Magnetic Nut SetterView sizes & details

Step 3: Mark, align and count the fixtures.

Set out furring strips on the approved route. Hold each fixture flat, check alignment and mark its actual holes. Shim only as allowed by the design; a larger stand-off changes the anchor demand.

Tools for this stepTools: Level, tape, pencil and fixture template.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Example: 10 strips × 6 approved positions = 60 marked anchor holes.

Useful accessoryMini Magnetic Level - 100 mmView sizes & details

Step 4: Drill and clean exactly as specified.

Use the required bit, drilling mode and depth stop for the actual substrate. Follow the anchor’s stated hole depth and cleaning sequence. Control silica dust at the source. Inspect holes before placing anchors; stop if the substrate breaks out.

Tools for this stepTools: Specified drill bit, depth stop, extraction and approved cleaning tools.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Pilot diameter and hole depth are exact product requirements; do not estimate them from screw diameter.

Keep the cavity draining behind the cladding

Drawing explanation & numbered notes

This wall section is a functional drainage diagram. It is not a tested wall assembly or a furring load schedule.

Cladding. Use the cladding maker’s support and attachment requirements.
Vertical cavity. Keep a continuous drainage route behind the cladding.
Base flashing. Lap the WRB over the flashing and keep the discharge and screen unobstructed.

Step 5: Seat the fixture without overtightening.

Place the fixture and drive with the specified tool and matching bit/socket. An 8 mm nut setter is suitable only if the selected head measures 8 mm across flats. Stop at the required seated condition without stripping the hole or distorting the fixture.

Tools for this stepTools: Driver and exact-size bit or socket.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Install one anchor at each scheduled position; use all required holes in the approved detail.

Useful accessory8 mm Magnetic Nut SetterView sizes & details

Step 6: Inspect the fixing and round the order.

Check head seating, fixture contact, alignment and the complete support pattern. Resolve cracked masonry or loose anchors before loading. Use the calculator below for an approved point count; calculate unlike anchor sizes as separate lines.

Tools for this stepTools: Checklist, light, level and quantity calculator.
Size & quantity checkSize / count: Example total with 10% extra: 66 anchors for 60 specified holes.

Work through the numbers

Inches for connection dimensions. Feet only where shown. Round piece and pack counts up; never round required engagement down.

Calculate the geometric anchor length

Fixture 3/4 + assumed embedment 1-1/2 = 2-1/4 in.

Assumptions & calculation notes

The length exists in the catalog. Selection still depends on the approved substrate, embedment range, pilot, edge distance and demand. This arithmetic alone does not approve an anchor.

Verify the anchor data before ordering or drilling

Count strips and scheduled fixing positions

10 strips × 6 specified anchor positions = 60
ceil(60 × 1.10) = 66

Assumptions & calculation notes

Six positions per strip is an example schedule input. The cladding load, strip span and approved anchor design set the real pattern.

66 anchors for the assumed schedule

Inspect before you cover or load it

Acceptance conditions and corrective actions
Check	Accept when	If it fails
Substrate and anchor	Exact anchor is approved for the sound substrate and required loads.	Obtain the design data; do not use a different brand’s drill chart.
Hole preparation	Pilot, depth and cleaning match the anchor instructions.	Correct blocked/shallow holes before inserting a new anchor.
Drainage	Furring does not obstruct flashing, weeps or required ventilation.	Correct the cavity before cladding hides it.

Know how much to order.

Takeoff example after the fixing schedule is approved: 10 strips × 6 anchor positions per strip = 60 anchors; with 10% extra, 66. Heavy cladding, insulation stand-offs and overhead work require a connection-specific design.

Not sure how the numbers work? Use this quantity calculator, or open the full size & selection calculator.

Open size & selection calculator

Installation references & project-specific requirements

These resources explain general installation principles. Use the current instructions for your exact material, fastener and assembly. Referencing another manufacturer does not imply VERTEXA product approval or compatibility.

PNNL Building America — wood/fiber-cement rainscreen example

VERTEXA product listing — concretepro

Catalog options checked 2 November 2026. Worked examples are original arithmetic with stated assumptions. Material references apply to their named systems; they do not certify VERTEXA compatibility or capacity. Use the current issue for the exact assembly and local requirements.

Project questions

Does one masonry screw suit every wall?

No. Confirm the substrate, its condition and the selected product's suitability. Solid concrete and different masonry units can need different fixing details.

Which driver accessory should I use?

Match the actual fastener head. The 8 mm nut setter is relevant only where the chosen fastener has a compatible 8 mm hex head.

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Start with your materials and the connection you need to make.