Can I install brass safety cover anchors into my own pipe to create a lawn anchor

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Algae_King

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Sep 5, 2017
10
Pittsfield/MA
I have a safety cover that was installed into my concrete pool deck. I just had my deck resurfaced with 2" unilock pavers over the concrete. The paver joints have polymeric sand in them. I'm told the correct way to re-install cover anchors is to drill into the joint of 3 pavers, through the pavers and concrete subdeck, and drive a 9" lawn anchor through everything. But they are EXPENSIVE! I need 36 of them, and we're talking almost $500.

My thought is to purchase my own aluminum pipe (1" outer diameter / 0.75" inner diameter), cut it to 7" long pieces (the total depth of my pavers plus concrete), tap regular brass safety cover anchors into the pipe, and then drive them through both the paves and concrete with a wood block. This should save me about $200 and it gives me the correct length pipe. Once it's through the concrete, I can't imagine it would need to be any longer.

Can anyone think of anything wrong with this approach? When I look at the pre-made anchors in pipe, they look like a regular brass anchor inserted into pipe. I'm not sure if there's any more to it than that.
 
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I tend to get a bit nervous whenever combining different metals only because I had a bad galvanic corrosion episode at home a few months back. :hammer: Let's try to keep this thread active with replies and get some others to chime-in with their thoughts. Perhaps we can strong-arm @JamesW for some metals knowledge.
 
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The aluminum tubes have a top part with a larger diameter so that the brass anchors fit in snugly.

You can probably use your own aluminum tube, but it might take some machining.

Aluminum is odd in its ability to withstand corrosion.

It can go for a long time with minimal corrosion and sometimes it can deteriorate at a fast pace.

I don’t particularly like aluminum for the purpose, but it seems to work OK for most people.

You could use a different metal like stainless steel or titanium or something else, but that gets expensive and you end up needing to machine the parts, which takes time, effort and special tools.

I would just get the premade tubes.
 
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The pre-made anchors have brass inserts for the screws.

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If you were to tap your own anchor bolts, the threads would effectively be deep scratches in the aluminum's finish, which turbo charges corrosion. (Different than rust, but just as big of an issue). I can't say how long they'd last, but probably not long enough to justify the efforts.
 
I'd be buying the brass anchors made for concrete decks (includes the male screw and female receiving piece) and inserting the entire anchor into aluminum pipe. The brass anchors fit into a 3/4" hole, so I thought a pipe with a 3/4" inner diameter would work. But, I appreciate the responses, and I tend to agree that I'd end up putting good money after bad here.
 
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Algae_King said:
and inserting the entire anchor into aluminum pipe.
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Ha. With some gentle 'taps'. I GET it now. Lol. I read it as you were going to tap (thread) the pipe to accept the anchor screws.

Anywho, post up some pics when it's done. We'd love to see it complete. (y)
 
The proper way to manufacture the tube would be to use an arbor press to “push” the brass anchor into the aluminum tube. I would suggest the use of 6061 alloy tubing as it has the highest corrosion resistance. You want to use a press and make sure the anchor is pushed in all at once as opposed to being pounded in with a hammer. The reason being is that aluminum has an elastic property when you bend it - it tends to bend and then recoil back a little bit. It does this because the plastic deformation of aluminum generates a bit of heat and certain kinds of microscopic defects that take time to settle out at the bend point and if you release the bending force too quickly, the aluminum will tend to spring back. So you quickly press the parts together and then hold them in place for 30secs or so. Repetitive hammering causes the tube to deform over and over again as the anchor sinks in which weakens the grip of the parts of the tube that has already been deformed. It plastically deforms the aluminum and leaves the completed assembly with much less holding force. If you know anyone that works at a welding or auto body shop, they would likely have a press you can use.
 
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For lawn anchors I would probably bury a concrete block or pour a block of concrete for the tube to be secured into. I's set the concrete deep enough to be able to have sufficient top soil above it that the grass grows well. Not sure how to keep the top of the anchor flush with the soil as it gets compacted over the year or the soil level gets raised with top dressing. Maybe a screw in lawn anchor like this might be an option. Lawn anchors
 
Bill1974 said:
For lawn anchors I would probably bury a concrete block or pour a block of concrete for the tube to be secured into. I's set the concrete deep enough to be able to have sufficient top soil above it that the grass grows well. Not sure how to keep the top of the anchor flush with the soil as it gets compacted over the year or the soil level gets raised with top dressing. Maybe a screw in lawn anchor like this might be an option. Lawn anchors
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I was only using the term "lawn anchors". My application is through 2" pavers and 4" of concrete subdeck.
 

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Algae_King said:
I was only using the term "lawn anchors". My application is through 2" pavers and 4" of concrete subdeck.
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I am in the same boat when my winter cover finally rips or I run out of water bags that don't leak. I was informed that 12" or 18" anchor tubes are what is typically used. Do you have extra pavers incase some break when holes are being drilled? Usually a rotary hammer is used to make the holes.
 
Bill1974 said:
I am in the same boat when my winter cover finally rips or I run out of water bags that don't leak. I was informed that 12" or 18" anchor tubes are what is typically used. Do you have extra pavers incase some break when holes are being drilled? Usually a rotary hammer is used to make the holes.
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I do have some extra pavers, and I can always buy a few at the masonry supply store.

I had an idea to drill out the bottom of the brass anchor, and am considering running a Tapcon to hold it down to the concrete subdeck. I have to test it though, as I'm not sure if there's enough room under the threaded insert for a Tapcon head.
 
Is there a reason why you don't want to go through the concrete slab? If the anchor getting messed up down the road it makes it easier to replace than if it screwed to the slab I would imagine. Also using a tapcon to attach it to the slab is going to be putting a bending or moment load on the tapcon, not really what they are designed for.
 
Algae_King said:
I came to the same conclusion. I just ordered a 12" piece of aluminum pipe and I'm going to try and press a brass anchor into it when it arrives tomorrow. If it works, I'll be making my own. If not, I'll be ordering 40 of them pre-made.
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Good luck, and let us know if it works.

For drilling through pavers, you want to rent a "core drill". The best type would like like a 'floor mounted drill press' and you merely turn a lowering wheel. You don't want to hold a drill for even one hole! Some of these have a hookup for a water hose to cool the bearing. Also, you'll buy at least one bit for the project, and it might be essentially worthless when you're done.
 
So I bought a piece of aluminum pipe with a 1" outer diamater and 3/4" inner diameter. A brass anchor will slide into the pipe, but there's no way the larger ribbed collar at the top of the brass anchor will be pressed in without additional machining of the aluminum pipe. Fortunately, I found 9" paver tubes available from GLI for $8 and change and ordered those instead.
 
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9" is plenty because of the concrete slab underneath. They ain't goin NOWHERE. The backyard engineer in me has applauded your gusto, but it's so much easier this way. The cost spread over the 20+ years they'll last really eases the pain. But I still get you tho. Bravo. :ROFLMAO:
 
Even though the force is horizontal, there is still a vertical lift due to the fact that the spring pulls from the back of the screw above the ground.

The ridges of the anchor casing below the ground create a pivot point that the anchor wants to rotate around.

This creates a torque around the pivot point with some lifting force.

For pavers, the force can cause the pavers to move laterally and vertically, which is why the tubes are needed.


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JamesW said:
Even though the force is horizontal, there is still a vertical lift
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+1. Or if the paver shifted even a hair towards the pool, it would create a fulcrum/seesaw for the anchor to flip out.

But. Tubes through a concrete slab will be great.
 
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It's the bottom of the anchor that wants to rotate around the pivot point when the force is applied.

The brick behind the anchor can be pushed back and lifted if there are no tubes.

The brick in front of the anchor will tend to get pushed forward and down.

The tubes extend the bottom deep enough to prevent rotation and lifting.

1666377125829.png
 
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